- sedan 162,361
- 879 below average
- 6,950 good
- Wichita, KS
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- autoshopper.com
- 879 below average sedan 162,361 grey automatic
2005 acura rl review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. All-new design is a solid sports sedan. introductionthe acura rl is all new for 2005, and it's sleeker, sportier and more fun to drive than last year's model. The rl still uses a v6 engine, but it's much more powerful than before. And while previous rl models were front-wheel drive, the 2005 rl uses all-wheel drive for improved grip and superior stability and to handle the higher horsepower. It's more fun to drive than a mercedes e320. And while it may not offer the sporty rear-wheel-drive dynamics of the new bmw 530i, it's right with it on a race track. acura's innovative all-wheel-drive system makes the new rl easy to drive and helps keep its driver out of trouble. Called super-handling all-wheel drive, the system overdrives the outside rear wheel when motoring around corners, improving the handling balance and enhancing stability. It feels solid in corners. It forgives minor driver errors and makes the driver look skilled. Honda's 300-horsepower vtec v6 provides plenty of power yet the rl is rated 26 mpg on the highway. the rl is acura's flagship luxury car. It's more luxurious and slightly larger than the sporty tl. The new 2005 rl is smaller outside but larger inside than last year's previous-generation model. lineupthe 2005 acura rl 48,900) is available as one loaded model. No options are available. The navigation system comes standard along with just about every luxury and convenience feature we can think of. active safety features include sh-awd, vehicle stability assist with traction control, anti-lock brakes (abs) with electronic brake-force distribution (ebd) and brake assist. passive safety features include a driver's and front-passenger's dual-stage, dual threshold airbags, side curtain airbags designed to provide head protection for passengers in all outboard seating positions, and side-impact airbags designed to provide torso protection for driver and front passenger with an occupant position detection system for the front passenger. A tire pressure monitoring system is also standard. walkaroundthe all-new 2005 acura rl is actually smaller than the previous-generation model. The new rl is shorter overall and rides on a shorter wheelbase. The track is wider, though. The engine is more compact. That, and other space-efficiency measures, have resulted in a cabin that's roomier than the previous model's. It's a sure sign of improved space efficiency when the outside of the car is smaller but the inside is larger. the new rl looks sleeker and sportier than the previous model. It's attractive if not interesting. The front end is smooth with nicely integrated bumpers and headlamps. Xenon high-intensity discharge headlamps employ acura's new active front lighting system, which swivels the headlight beams into corners for better visibility. from the rear, the rl looks vaguely similar to the newest designs from bmw, which are controversial. Viewed from the side, the trailing edge of the rl is somewhat reminiscent of the 7 series where the rear deck seems separated from the rear fenders. It's far less pronounced on the acura, however, and won't rise to the level of a controversy. interiorthe interior of the rl is luxurious and functional. The seats are comfortable for cruising and supportive for hard driving. The wide armrests have a nice soft feel. This is a roomy car, though the back seats don't offer as much room as some of the competition's. the cabin is finished in handsome leather with attractive stitching. Real wood is used sparingly, tastefully around the cabin and it's not too shiny. Acura says it used the finest materials and exacting attention to detail in the interior design. The rl's cabin is attractive, comfortable and functional. The biggest nitpick we noted is inconsequential: the cigar lighter cover was reluctant to open on the car we drove, and that was a pre-production model, a car built before the assembly line started. the display is not a touch screen. Instead, an interface dial is used to control all functions. Positioned on the center stack, in front of the shifter, the dial is rotated like a knob and rocked like a joystick to select among function menus displayed on the navigation screen. Pushing down on the knob selects the highlighted function. Functions controlled by the interface dial include the climate control system, audio, navigation, and the acuralink satellite communications system. This interface dial is similar in concept to that of bmw's controversial idrive, but acura added redundant buttons on the instrument panel and steering wheel for most of the commonly used functions, making this system easier to use than bmw's. For its part, the interface dial has great feel. as mentioned, everything described here comes as standard equipment, including the navigation system with voice recognition, which features a large 8-inch screen. The all-new acuralink satellite communications system delivers in-car traffic information in real time for major cities. La has the most mature infrastructure to support this, and it's an impressive feature that could make commuting easier by helping drivers avoid heavily congested areas. Traffic flow is shown by color coding the highways in three levels (flying, normal and forget about it). Unlike radio reports, which just hit the highlights and don't provide detailed instructions for getting around tangles, this system uses data from the highway departments and technology developed by xm satellite radio to give the rl driver the level of detail needed to change routes on the fly. The rl is on the leading edge of this technology, and it may prove to be well worth taking the time to fully master this navigation aid. even without this newest twist, acura's navigation systems are perennially among the best available. In the past, we've praised them for their ease of operation, clear instructions, speedy route calculations, and absence of errors. As with all of these systems, there is a learning curve. We've found most of them cheerful, friendly and engaging, patient, often with a sense of humor, though that isn't alway. driving impressionthe all-new 2005 acura rl is much more of a driver's car than last year's model. It's tauter, more poised. It grips better in corners, has tauter transient response and stops in shorter distances. The ride is comfortable, firm enough to feel expansion joints but not so firm as to be harsh, and it cruises easily. The cabin is quiet, benefiting from a noise cancellation system that reduces road noise and tire noise but especially boom from the engine exhaust. acura's super-handling all-wheel drive improves the handling of the rl considerably. Sh-awd distributes power not only between the front and rear wheels but also between the left and right rear wheels. This distribution of power can be controlled, and it uses this capability to enhance the handling. It simply motors around them. we found the system particularly helpful in tight corners where it keeps the nose of the car tucked in. The rl seems to respond well to throttle in the corners. The effects of overdriving one of the rear wheels is most noticeable at competition-level speeds, but the system improves handling feel even at a moderate pace. All-wheel drive also brings improved traction and stability on snow and ice. The system is biased to the front. When cruising along, 70 percent of the engine's power goes to the front wheels, and 30 percent goes to the rear wheels. Stand on it, however, and up to 70 percent of the power goes to the rear wheels. Of particular note was how the rl compared with a mercedes e320 4matic (all-wheel drive). The e320 felt heavy and lethargic, like an old mercedes. Compared with the a. Anti-lock Brakes✔ Climate Control✔ Navigation System
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