What an engine!

Acura's TL is considered as one of the best sport-luxury sedans. Powerful, comfortable, distinctive, well-equipped... there isn't much to complain about. But the car has a problem that tarnishes the driving experience a little bit, or at least during full-throttle acceleration: the engine's power is transmitted to the front wheels.

Does the new Type-S version fix this? Um, no.

The TL is a front wheel drive performance sedan.

Esthetical changes this year
Bumpers, grille, headlights, fog lamps, taillights; all this has been redesigned, but visually, the changes are barely noticeable. But the Type-S version is easily recognizable by its exclusive bumpers, its rear decklid spoiler, its quad exhaust tailpipes and, the most striking element, the magnificent gunmetal alloy wheels. The verdict? I love it, and I'll never grow tired of looking at the car.

Same conclusion inside; the dashboard is well-executed with bright trim here and there, to add a little contrast. The metal pedals fit well with the sporty character of the car. The fluorescent illumination of the instrument pod is nice, and the controls around the steering wheel are all well-placed and easy to use while we're driving.

However, Acura has the bad habit of assembling most climate control adjustments on the navigation system's touch screen; we must take our eyes off the road to operate them. There is even a backup camera to help during reverse motion, although it's not very useful; during the first two days of this test, I didn't even notice its existence.

The seats are perfect, but I don't really like the light grey portions of the leather; a more-contrasting color to go with the black would've been better. There is ample space up front, but curiously, this big car can hardly sit three across on the back seat. Let's just that the TL is perfect for four people.

The sound system with 6-disc changer is sublime. It can read DVD-Audio discs and, new this year, MP3 and WMA files. The radio can also receive XM satellite radio. But the tape deck really doesn't belong here, looking like a pimple of the face of a supermodel. The performance of the speakers is impressive.

The black interior is somewhat austere but well assembled.

The Type-S is also equipped with a noise-cancellation system called ANC (Active Noise Cancellation), a technology borrowed from the bigger RL. Microphones are installed in the cockpit and record ambient noise; opposed-amplitude waves are then emitted from the speakers to cancel out road noise and render the cockpit quieter. I'd have to compare it side-by-side with another Type-S, one that's devoid of this system to see the difference, but it was rather silent inside this TL.

The 3.5-liter V6 is very powerful and will cause torque steer.

It's all under the hood
The 3.2-liter engine of other TL models is pulled out to make way for a 3.5-liter V6, taken from the RL sedan. Slightly modified, this 286-horsepower V6 offers 28 more than the base TL, and benefits from an absolutely fantastic soundtrack. The 6-speed manual gearbox has no problem coping with the engine's power, and the clutch pedal isn't too stiff for the left leg. The car accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds. My fuel consumption average is 11.9 L/100 km, which is pretty good for this type of vehicle.

Now, regarding THE problem: it all depends on how you drive. If you always follow the flow of traffic, you probably will never notice it.

But if you're the always-late type and you always drive with the pedal to the metal, you'll feel the torque steer through the steering wheel during all-out acceleration. It's what happens when the front wheels have the double duty of turning the car and manage the engine's power.

The Type-S with the manual transmission includes a limited-slip differential, which seems to help. And the VSA (traction and stability control) has its work cut out for it, and intervenes frequently. I have to say that during the last few years, though, manufacturers have progressed in regards to minimizing torque steer in their powerful front-drive cars.

As for braking, the four-piston Brembo calipers are extremely competent and stop the car like an angry dog that hits the end of its chain. The front brake pads produce a lot of dust, however.

Braking power is sufficient to tame this mighty machine.

Superb handling
With stiffer anti-roll bars, springs and shocks, the TL Type-S is very agile and manoeuvrable. However, I still feel a little body roll in curves, which left me perplex; after noticing this, I checked out the tires to discover that, in the dead of May, the car still has its winter boots on. This car has a lot of mileage, so I think that I'm the last person to drive it before it gets taken off the press fleet.

The Type-S is easily recognizable by its exclusive 17-inch alloy wheels.

Competition
This TL Type-S costs $46,300, and the only option is the $1,300 automatic. You can also check out these sporty luxury sedans and their pricing once they're similarly equipped:

Audi A4 3.2 Quattro with navigation and options, $54,495;
BMW 335i with navigation, $60,745;
Dodge Charger R/T with navigation and options, $45,835;
Infiniti G35 Sport M6 with navigation, $49,740;
Lexus IS 350 with Sport Package, $53,950;
Lincoln MKZ with navigation and options, $43,314;
Nissan Maxima 3.5SE 4-seat with Navigation and Sunroof Packages, $46,448;
Saab 9-5 with navigation and options, $48,855;
Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Spec.B (navigation included), $44,995;
Volkswagen Passat 3.6L with navigation and options, $48,605;
Volvo S60 T5 with navigation and options, $56,095.

In short, the Type-S is very well-equipped for the price. The BMW and the Audi are compacts with mid-size price tags. The Charger, IS 350, MKZ, Maxima and Passat are only available with an automatic. As for torque steer, there are worst offenders than the TL in this bunch. And if you want a navigation system in the IS 350, you have to choose the Luxury with Navigation Package, and the price climbs to $59,950... ouch.

Conclusion
Acura may still not be a brand with the prestige of BMW or Mercedes-Benz, but it has created a sporty, comfortable, fast, attractive and inexpensive sedan. The TL Type-S has a few little shortcomings, but in general, it's a great cruise missile that has all it needs to please its owner. The models mentioned above are all competent sedans, but if I had to choose, I'd have a hard time making up my mind between the Type-S and the G35. Come to think of it, the fact that the TL is front-wheel drive doesn't matter all that much.


Powerful, growling and reasonably-frugal engine
Bang for the buck
Luxurious cockpit and impressive sound system


Touch-screen climate controls
Mild torque steer
Tight for three people in the back seat



A tape deck???