To start, in a fickle luxury market, the RL's design is simply no longer fresh. While the RL has been given a modest refresh for 2011, in the form of a new front end, revised interior tech and entertainment features, and a number of mechanical changes including a new six-speed automatic transmission, most of the car is carried over (and is now more than five years on). For some seasoned luxury car buyers, the anonymity might be appreciated, but as Acura's left it for 2011 this sedan looks derivative and lost from the outside. Inside, it's better, with the familiar Acura instrument panel layout—still close to that used in the TL—which has held up well, even if it's a bit restrained.
Going by the specs panel, or even by instrumented-testing numbers, the performance credentials for the 2011 Acura RL look great: The powerful 300-hp V-6, a new six-speed automatic with paddle-shifters, and a sophisticated SH-AWD all-wheel drive system help put the power to the pavement (and smartly manage it from side to side) even on tight, roughtly surfaced corners. But somehow, something's missing in the translation to the driver's seat. This year, a new six-speed automatic provides smoother, surer shifts, which helps make the powertrain more agreeable than ever, but numb, innocuous steering and all-around isolated feel keep you from pushing it hard. If you do, though, you'll find it's actually quite hard to fluster: Acura's SH-AWD system here simply delivers with composure and grip, whenever you need it.
If you don't watch it, you'll probably end up pushing well past the speed limit; with its quiet, supremely isolated interior and a suspension that keeps body motion very much under wraps yet without giving up comfort, it's a go-fast touring machine for the sorts of trips where you want to cover hundreds of miles a day while catching up with your road-trip companions. Even on the most roughly surfaced, tightest backroads, you'll only hear, faintly, the most jarring impacts, while being able to glide around tight, choppy curves very quickly—though again, without much of the satisfaction or involvement that usually comes with a sport sedan.
The interior of the 2011 Acura RL, while one of the quietest and very comfortable for those in the front seat, is far from the roomiest and really only fit for four adults. Front seats are firm and fine, but the backseat is surprisingly short on headroom and foot space, and the trunk feels like a compromised afterthought. Again, the RL's strong suit is quietness in the cabin, thanks to a host of true luxury-car measures, including an active noise cancellation system.
The feature list is strong, overall, with xenon headlamps with Active Front Lighting, adaptive cruise control, heated and ventilated seats, Bluetooth and USB features, and a great-sounding USB system all on offer, as well as a navigation system with real-time traffic and weather data. But the design is showing its age in a number of tech and feature details—especially in the overly sluggish, outdated navigation system, which compared to the latest systems in Lincoln and Audi vehicles feels a full decade behind.
Although Honda has yet to confirm a replacement, stay tuned in the Related News section; a fully redesigned RL might soon remedy that and provide Acura with a more competitive entry.
While the interior of the aging 2011 Acura RL is still reasonably stylish and well designed, the exterior feels too careful and conservative to be noticed in the crowd. See details and best of the Web The interior of the 2011 Acura RL is whisper-quiet and well assembled, but it's not all that roomy in the back seat or in the trunk. See details and best of the Web Many of the latest infotainment and tech features are on offer in the 2011 Acura RL, but it's pricey when ordered with them and the interface feels outdated and inelegant. See details and best of the Web Strong, high-revving V-6Responsive new six-speed automaticComfy front seatsAwesome SH-AWD systemGet Dealer Price Quotes Bland, almost anonymous stylingNumb driving experienceCramped backseat and trunkOutdated infotainmentNot much differentiation from the TL
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