Sat In A New 05 Acura Rl

[CanadaCraig]

Hi Guys!! :)

With all due respect - I have to laugh whenever I 'hear' guys go on about how this car looks just like that car. You mean there is a grill in the middle with headlights on either side? You could probably put 90% of the cars made side-by-side and make the same 'look-alike' argument. And then these same guys [not sure if anyone here fits into this catagory] will complain that the new Audi's or the new Chrysler 300C [or whatever] are too 'unusual'. Well.. you can't have it both ways. Sorry. Either a car is going to look a lot like some other car or it isn't.

I've driven the new RL. [which should have been called the 'Legend' - as it is in Japan and in Europe] It's very nice. The interior - as some have already noted - is especially nice. One of the nicest I've ever seen - in fact. The outside is nice too. Conservative - but that appeals to the well-to-do's. It was VERY quiet and everything about the car screamed 'luxury'. [from the soft leather to how the gears shifted] The DVD-audio was also very impressive. Although - to be honest - I wasn't immediately left with the impression that it was any better than the Nakamichi in my '93 LS. [but it's hard to tell for sure. You need to live with a stereo for awhile to truly appreciate it] For me - the interior of a car is what matters most. [because that's what I'm living with] If you could take the interior of the new RL and put it into the new 300C - you would create what I believe would be one of the most beautiful cars in the world. As for the new RL having 300 h.p. - I'm not sure what happened to about 50 of them. The RL just didn't feel all that quick. But then - the one I test drove only had about 500 miles on it. Maybe it would become faster in time.

The only 'thing' that will keep the new RL off of my 'wish list' - is the price. In Canada - the RL's MSRP is $69,500. That's WAY too much. I can buy a brand new TL with the NAV package for $44,000. [or very close to it] The new RL is NOT worth nearly $25,000 more than a TL. [no matter how you look at it] I can buy a new top-o-the-line TL AND a new Acura EL [available only in Canada] for the same price as buying just an RL. Acura does make mistakes. And the mistake this time - is the price. Too bad. Because the RL is a very nice car. Make it $59,500 - and I'll put the RL back on my 'wish-list'.

Craig!! :)

[Lexusfreak]

The new RL sure is a nice looking car & is very impressive especially with the AWD & 300 hp.......just a bit too damn expensive for me. :( I'm still liking the new GS with AWD better. B) ;)

[SW03ES]

Naa, the RL HAS to command that price. Thats part of Acura's marketing program, they have to make people spend the money just because "Its an RL".

Think about the LS? You could buy two loaded ES330s almost for what an LS430 loaded costs. I've already talked about how similarly they ride and drive. Why buy the LS430? Because "Its an LS430". Acura has to at least try to compete with that.

[Lexusfreak]

Good point sw :) I'd still but the LS over the RL if I had the money & the choice simply because as good as Acura is, it's still a notch down from Lexus & always will be. Best to buy the car a few years old & save a bundle with a ride that expensive. ;) B) In my condo I actually park next to a 2001 Acura TL that's the same colour as my 01 ES & I gotta tell you.......I'd buy the ES any day of the week over the TL. I drove one before I bought my ES & the TL just didn't feel as well built or drive as solidly as the Lexus. B)

[SW03ES]

The RL isn't designed to compete with the LS, the LS is more expensive. Its designed to compete with the GS. For now Acura doesn't have an offering to compete with the LS.

As for the TL vs your ES, I would too but times are changing. Acuras are worlds better styled and higher quality than they were in 2001. The new TL is a style and technological force at its price point and so is the RL. I still believe Lexus is a much better car, but Acura is certainly getting there. Can Acura ever have the image that Lexus has? Probably not though.