The Urban DINK: 2007 Acura TL Type-S
When the last generation Acura TL was roaming the streets (circa 2000) I was still at my first job out of college, making a livable salary and driving a very affordable economy car. That TL was a pretty slick ride to my mind and epitomized what a young urban professional in the next millennium should be driving. Flash forward to 2007 and I’m cruising to work in a 2007 Acura TL Type-S and I’m totally nonplussed.
I should have been enjoying my commute immensely, but instead I was a tad disappointed. Of course, in the span of time between when I put the TL on a pedestal until I was actually driving one to work, I’ve logged thousands of hours in everything imaginable on four wheels, including tough competition like the new Mercedes-Benz C300 and Infiniti G35.
The TL seemed a bit dated during my time with it. This generation, introduced in 2003, has held up well, and even had some updates this year, but there was something I couldn’t put my finger on that made it feel stodgy. The engine was plenty nice but it didn’t come to life at all until you revved it hard, and even then the huge quad exhausts didn’t make enough noise for my taste. Going around corners there was some body roll and the steering never felt sharp. That certainly wasn’t a problem in the G35. The G35 also had more — how shall I say it — guts than the TL. Even the C300 demanded more attention from the driver, an experience more akin to the DINK-standard BMW 3 Series.
If Acura wants to provide a nice riding entry-level luxury sedan that doesn’t offend drivers, they’ve done their job. At this stage of the game and with heavy competition coming from all corners, that stance won’t win shoppers with so much else to choose from. It’s likely the TL will get a new design not too long after the new Honda Accord debuts later this month. Perhaps we’ll even see it on the upcoming auto show circuit. For now, I’ll warn the DINKs out there that the TL doesn’t live up to our high standards anymore.
