Acura TL 1999 - 2003 review

2003 Acura TL. (Photo: Acura)

The 1999-2003 Acura TL is a stylish, well-equipped premium sedan based on the Honda Accord. The Acura TL offers sporty handling, smooth and powerful V6 engine and roomy comfortable interior with luxury feel. The TL is a solid, well-built vehicle, but it has its downsides and there are few things to look for when buying it used. Read further.

• Overview
• Pros and Cons
• Overall
• What to look for when buying a used Acura TL
• Few maintenance tips
• Specifications
• Acura TL photos

Overview

2002 Acura TL interior. Click for larger photo

The 1999-2003 Acura TL is a front-wheel drive, four-door sedan. The only powertrain choice is a transversely-mounted 3.2L SOHC VTEC V6 engine with a 4-speed automatic transmission (later replaced with a 5-speed automatic). The 1999-2003 Acura TL 3.2L V6 engine has a timing belt that needs to be replaced in recommended intervals. The Acura TL has disk brakes on all four wheels. The anti-lock braking system (ABS) is standard.

Inside the Acura TL offers plenty of room and comfort with luxury feel. The fit and finish is excellent. User-friendly controls are well laid out; large instruments are simple and easy to read. The audio system sounds good and there is even a tape player. Front seats are very comfortable, with good side support. The rear seat offers plenty of room. The trunk is spacious, but loading access is fairly narrow and the rear seatback doesn't fold down.

On the road, the Acura TL offers sporty handling with precise, responsive steering. The car feels very solid on a highway; stable on curves. The ride is firm, with good road feel. It's fairly quiet inside the cabin, although some road noise is noticeable. The 3.2L V6 VTEC engine is very smooth. The car accelerates quickly and offers good passing power, yet it has one of the best EPA-estimated highway fuel economy among upscale sedans with a V6 engine (see specifications below).

In the NHTSA frontal crash tests, the 2001-2003 Acura TL scored four stars for both the driver and the front passenger. In the side-impact crash tests, the 2001-2003 Acura TL received four stars for the front and five stars for the rear seat protection. For more details, visit Safercar.gov. The 1999-2003 Acura TL also received "Good" overall rating in the frontal offset crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS).

Pros

- Strong and smooth V6 engine
- Sporty handling
- Comfortable upscale interior
- Well laid out and easy to use controls
- High level of standard equipment
- Good sound system

Cons

- Requires premium gasoline
- Parts are quite expensive
- Transmission issues
- Brakes wear fast
- The rear seat doesn't fold down

Overall

The 1999-2003 Acura is a well-equipped premium sedan with comfortable and spacious interior, sporty handling and decent highway fuel economy. On the downside, the Acura TL requires premium gasoline and parts aren't cheap. Also, there is a fair amount of complaints about the automatic transmission problems. Still, it's a solidly-built and comfortable to drive vehicle with a smooth and powerful engine and plenty of amenities inside. A friend of mine had the 2001 Acura TL for over six years, and other than brake rotors the car didn't have any problems.

What to look for buying a used Acura TL

Check used car history records to find out about potential problems the car might have had in the past, such as accidents, flood damage, rolled back odometer, etc. Read more: How to check used car history. If the "ABS", "SRS" or "Check Engine" light is on, have the problem assessed with your mechanic or a dealer before buying a car; sometimes, the repair might be quite expensive. Pay more attention to test the automatic transmission. Watch for anything irregular with the way the automatic transmission behaves; a strong thump, jolt or clunk when shifting into Reverse could indicate a problem. Check the auto-dimming mirror. Check with the Acura dealer if all necessary recalls have been performed. Read more what to look for when buying a used car. Before signing a contract, have the car thoroughly inspected by a mechanic. Check our step-by-step used car buying guide for more information.

Few maintenance tips

Regular oil changes are important to keep your engine in a good shape. Change transmission fluid in recommended intervals; it's important to use the original transmission fluid. The brake pedal pulsation and vibration in the steering wheel while braking usually points to bad front rotors, although there could be some other reasons. As with any brakes-related problem, I'd advise to take your car to a mechanic and have it checked out to be safe. If the brake rotors need to be replaced, I'd advise to use original Acura brake pads and rotors, because this problem could also be caused by the inferior quality of the aftermarket parts. Have your car inspected, at least once a year, in a garage on the lift to keep it safe.
Visit My Acura for Acura maintenance tips, recalls, radio codes and more - registration required. If you have a Check Engine light, check what it means here: Why the Check Engine light comes on. Check more car maintenance tips.

2003 Acura TL short specifications

Dimensions:
Overall length: Overall width: Overall height: Wheelbase:	192.5 in (4890 mm) 70.7 in (1795 mm) 53.7 in (1365 mm) 108.1 in (2745 mm)
Cargo Capacity:	14.3 cu. ft (405 liters)
Turning circle: (curb to curb)	36.8 ft (11.2 m)
Engines:
TL TL Type-S	3.2-liter SOHC 24-valve VTEC V6 225 hp @ 5600 rpm, 216 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm 3.2-liter SOHC 24-valve VTEC V6 260 hp @ 6100 rpm, 232 lb-ft @ 3500-5500 rpm
EPA Fuel Economy:	city: 17 MPG (13.8 L/100km) hwy: 27 MPG (8.7 L/100km)
Recommended Fuel:	Premium Unleaded
Fuel Tank Capacity:	17.1 US gal (65 liters)
Engine oil capacity:
Oil change, including filter:	4.6 US qt (4.4L)