Enough room. Great system/engine. Over all great car

None

I really enjoy my Acura. I am always getting looks and questions. It is black on black. One nice ride :-]

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None

Quality is outstanding. Handling is great even with front wheel drive. No torque steer evident. Good acceleration at all speeds. "home link" system, automatic adjusting interior rear view mirror. Good rear seat room and comfort compared to others in it's class. Car feels solid, fit an finish excellent.

Wish sport suspension was available with base engine. I have always driven Volvo's so I have been spoiled by the seats in those cars..compared to the Acura. Hesitate, however, to call this a weakness, because overall compares favorably with the Volvo.

Could have spent more for the Volvo or the BMW, but so far I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

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Volvo S-60, S-80. Not an easy decision to swith from Volvo to Acura, but found the S-60 too small too much torque steer. S-80...just did not like much about this car.
BMW 525i - Again, I liked the seats better in this car, and on a demanding race course I have not doubt this car could outmaneuver the Acura, but I do not normally drive my cars on race tracks....also to expensive comparibly equipped.
Volkswagon Passat - did not like anything about this car.

Powerful, luxurious, superb build quality. Useful, intuitive navigation system.

Mediocre audio system (Bose, ugh!) for a car of this class. Limited headroom and rear seat legroom. Lacks the fold-down rear seat that most of the competition offers.

A superbly designed and manufactured automobile. Fit and finish are excellent, controls are intelligently placed, and the interior is nicely appointed and well-designed. The 260 horsepower engine in the Type-S easily outperforms other cars in this class, often for considerably less money. Torque-sensitive steering, Vehicle Stability Assist, electrochromic rearview mirror, 17 inch wheels, heated memory seats, driver and passenger side airbags, foglights, sunroof, leather, CD changer, HID headlights --all are standard equipment.
More importantly, the car is a joy to drive. It handles quite well for a mid-size sedan, without any of the strange steering anomalies that I had previously experienced with other front wheel drive cars. This improved handling is, I'm sure, partly due to the standard low-profile Michelin tires and the stiffer suspension of the Type-S model.
Overall, the car is an excellent blend of sport and luxury.

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Infiniti I30t, Lexus ES300, BMW 3-series, Audi A4

This baby if FAST FAST FAST: to 60 in 6.2 seconds, .8 g-force of lateral acceleration... ENUF SAID!
Superb navi system - although it gets a little confused in downtown LA :-)
Engine/wind noise has been reduced over the 00 model
High level of standard luxury equipment for the price
White faced instruments and Xenons headlights look great!!
BMW like handling
6-disc indash slot loading changer is a great convenience
Relatively inexpensive for what you get

Bose Audio is sub-par, lacks punch even at full bass, hi's are not well defined, some distortion at higher volume
which indicates that the amp is a cheapo single-chip variety
Lacks some of the finer touches present in BMW, Lexus, Mercedes like genuine wood trim, auto on/off headlights, self
dimming exterior mirrors. These should be available as options.
Rear seats are a bit cramped, the trunk is too large and compromises rear seat space

This isnt your typical make believe sports sedan - like the Lexus IS300.
This car is a beast. It competes in performance with some of the most powerful V-8s out there. It is faster than a twin turbocharged Audi S4 w/Steptronic. This level of performance was accomplished by making several modifications to the base TL engine by Honda Racing like titanium combustion chambers, a higher compression ratio and adjusting the air intakes. Some of the technology was borrowed from the NSX.

The handling is great for a car this long (193 inches!!!), considering the length of this car I would say that it handles on par with the BMW 330i which is a much shorter car.

The previous reviewer is off his rockers. It is only common sense that the Type S version of the TL would be faster than the base TL. The base TL is also a fast car with a 0-60 time of 7.4 seconds...but the TLS makes a fast car even FASTER! Top speed of the TLS is 143 mph although there is no way to verify this..or is there?? :-)

It does lack some of the panache that BMW, Audi, Lexus and Mercedes have but if you look beyond the snob-appeal this is the best sports sedan for the money.

There are some things like the audio system, styling etc. that could have been made better so I can only give it 4 stars overall.

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GS430 - I love the Lexus GS better but its also $15K more !!
330ix - Overpriced and not worth the $$$$

Engine is refined and powerful. Solid structure with a taut and comfortable ride for a sport sedan. Much improved over the 2001 TL and is much quieter both road noise and wind. The transmission is buttery and nice to have a 5 speed with grade logic (I live around many hills) and the manual shift is a bonus too. The vehicle skid control works well in rain and snow. Interior is roomy enough and is luxury enough with comfortable seats on long trips. Trunk has useful size and access. Very nice driving position. Steering is torque sensitive and it works better than speed type. The stereo imagining is excellent and has and open quality and thanks for the in dash CD changer. Initial quality on delivery was flawless.

No dual zone ac.
No 8 way power seat for passenger.
No fold down rear seat.
TLS should be available in colors the TL is in.
The faux wood thing needs to be deleted.
The side air bag is a nice idea however, it does nothing to protect the head as it is too low. Put in a air curtian and people will pay for safety.
I traded the MXMV4's for some Dunlops S5000 symetricals and these outperform and are quieter too. Check out Tire Racks surveys on both tires.
I think the bass in the Bose system could be smoother and it looses some puch when your at highway speeds. A minor thing to me.

I test drove many cars in the past year before making my selection. The TLS is the best value and sporty sedan with front wheel drive. The 330i was a tad better in handling and the engine was electric. However, the Acura was on the bottom of the list until I drove the new 2002 TLS and I new that this car was the choice for me. I recommend anyone looking for a sport sedan to test drive this car before you buy.

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I30
Maxima
330i
Lexus ES 300

Great power and comfort. Plenty of room inside and in the trunk. Great price; compare the size, hp, and inside features to BMW and Mercedes, neither one can touch it. Brakes are very good, I did have to use them in an extreme case and they worked great.

Gas mileage could be better. Sunroof does rattle a little at certain speeds bumpy roads.

Car has awesome power from the start. Cannot beat the price for the amount of car you get. I got mine in silver and when it is just cleaned it will turn heads. Highly recommend this car. And to the gentleman from Ca in the previous review, how can you write a review from just a test drive??
Buy one and then write your review.

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mercedes, bmw, and toyota

Value, quality, style, engine. I test-drove this car and Type-S, almost bought one, but didn't for the reasons list bellow. I own/owned two hondas so far, and like them.

Brake system is too weak.

According to Car&Driver mag, this car takes 208ft to stop from 70MPH to 0. This number is worse than most new Cars And Trucks you can buy on market. What a pity for an otherwise great car. It sure has enough horse power to go fast, but way too weak brake system. Honda should learn something from BMW which always try to match horse power with brake power. Another drawback is they don't bother to put side-impact protection beams on the two rear doors (I could be wrong on this)!!! Family value???

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Legend, Accord, Patherfinder.

- TYPE-S ENGINE!!!
- TYPE-S HANDLING!!!
- Very comfortable seats
- Very nice standard featres
- Nifty sport-shift automatic transmission
- Great service from my Acura dealer.

- Cheap fake wood on Type-S with black interior.
- Limited headroom
- Acura label doesn't get much respect from other drivers on the road, UNTIL you open up that AMAZING engine!
- limited, but still ample, rear legroom
- Sub-par sound system

I fell in love with the type-S the moment I revved the motor to red-line. I've taken this car to 64 mph in SECOND GEAR!! This engine roars when you floor the acceleration, and will beat almost anything with four doors from 0 to 60mph.

I love all the little extras that come standard on this relatively in-expensive package, like the passenger side wing mirror that automatically tilts down while reversing; or the heated front seats; or the 6-disc in dash CD player. BMW and Mercedes absolutely ROB you if you ask for things such as these.

It's hard to believe this is a front wheel drive car, as the handling is better than a lot of BMWs I've driven. The VSA (Vehicle Stability Assit) is nice and non-intrusive, providing help only there is absolutely no chance I can recover the road myself. I also like that the sportshift doesn't upshift by itself(aside from going from 1st to 2nd). I've had a nasty experience with a Lexus that decided to shift from 3rd to 4th gear during a rather perilous turn, which caused it to almost spin off the road.

One interesting observation, is that although the TL offers limited head room (I'm 6'3 and have about two inches of room above my head), it is the ONLY car in my recent recollection that offers enough leg room so that I'm not driving with the steering wheel between my knees. The steering wheel placement is very nice, and the seat position offers GREAT visibility.

I dislike the cheap fake wood that comes standard with a black interior on the Type-S, and have had that replaced.

I would recommend this car to almost anyone. If you are in the market for a car that doesn't break the bank, drives like a dream, and still offers enough creature comforts to make those long drives enjoyable, PLEASE do yourself a favor and test-drive the TL Type-S, it won't disappoint.

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BMW 330 - I found the TL engine had a MUCH more satisfying roar, and was on-par in terms of handling. I personally didn't feel like paying around $40,000 for a car that looks just like the 325 that every other high schooler is driving. The TL also has a LOT more room than the teeny 330.

Mercedes c320 - I REALLY like this car, but I've had problems with Mercedes cars needing too much maintenence in the past, and the $45,000+ price doesn't help.

Nissan Maxima SE - A joke. The only thing I sort of liked was the engine. The TL still betters it, and you won't feel like the car is going to tip over everytime you take a turn at more than 40mph.

2001 Acura CL Type S - Pretty much the exact same car. I just like having 4 doors.

Lexus IS300 - Yuck! There is absolutely NOTHING good I can say about this car

if you want a car that will beat a 2002 TL type S on Paper this is it. Even Raced a 2001 CL type S 4 Times and beat it by 1.5 car lenghths by 60. its quick and fun despite having 4 doors. Also the spoiler has a reverse effect of the bland look. You wont regret this car!!!!!! Oh yeah,the nabigation is PHAT. Attracts attention and is in a reasonable price range that anyone else that offers it can touch.

tweeter speakers in the door like the CL type S. Also the manual shift mode wont let you go into 1st gear, but the secret is to put it in 1st gear yourself and race it past the redline then push it over to 2nd then so on.

Dollar for Dollar, and overall ptions and performance, NO ONE CAN TOUCH IT!!!

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Lexus IS 300, sucks. Maxima SE, Too slow. Lincoln LS, Too cheap

Powerful, smooth engine. Good fit and finish. No sqeaks or rattles at all. Smooth ride and handling. Great Acura reliability with no problems.

Rusty wheel rotors(nobody has ever mentioned this in any review), air conditioning cuts out completely in the shade, engine hesitates and "surges" when downshifting around corners. Thin paint chips easily. Weak gas mileage shocked this former Honda owner.

1999 TL's were improved with the 2000 model's new transmission. Now even a better overall car.

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BMW 530i is tighter and firmer and more of a fine road car with more standard features. But, BMW's are much costlier to buy and maintain so Acura gets my vote.