Honda Car Forum

What would make a car buyer decide to purchase one over the other? Are they geared towards different demographics?http://www.acura.com/

The TL is sporty. The RL is luxurious. The TL is geared to a younger demographic. RL is there biggest and most expensive car, so it will appeal to those that want something that everyone won't necessarily be driving. Although, I think the RL looks too much like a Honda Accord for its price.

The Acura RL is the flagship car for the division, it features a 3.5L V6 300HP engine and SHAWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) which is state of the art in drivetrain. It also has a more luxurious interior and allot of luxury features.The TL uses a 3.2L V6 260HP and has less features and is less expensive. Both are targeting the sports sedan market and similar demographics.For the price the TL is a better deal and Acura best seller. I have had great luck with my 2005 TL. It offers a ton of features that are options on Lexus or Cadillac. The price is excellent for the standard features and the resale value is very good as well

The biggest difference is the SH-AWD. The TL is front wheel drive only, the RL has drive to all wheels. This make it handle and grip better on the bends. The RL has a bigger engine (unless you are comparing to the top of the line TL type S, which shares the same engine as the RL).I'd say that the RL is also geared towards the luxury market, ie older people. The TL is more for the younger crowd.Having owned the TL, I have to say, you should really test drive the BMW 3 series before you consider purchasing one. It is infiniately more fun to drive. The TL is not great on twisty country roads compared to the BMW, and it lacks soul. It will also develop a series of annoying rattles that the dealership will fail to fix. Apart from price, I can't think of a single good arguement for buying the TL over the BMW. After all BMW give you totally free service for the warranty of the car. Acura is going to charge you for every service.