2011 Acura Rl
If you do not have a strong enough budget to purchase or lease a BMW 5-Series, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class or an Audi A6, you may be able get away with purchasing an Infiniti M-Series. For me, I would definitely pick any of those cars mentioned, but since I am also looking for reliability, I believe that the Acura RL would be the way to go. The 2011 Acura RL has had some redesigned configurations since 2009 when it did a mid-model change with upgraded LED tail lights, wheels, as well as new transmission and front end.
The 2011 Acura RL has a lot of the similar features found in its little brother, the Acura TL including voice-recognition for hands-free Bluetooth, navigation system, dual climate controls, and AM/FM radio. I really loved how Acura had made the RL bigger on the outside and roomier inside, because you may never know when you might need to carry your in-laws in the back seats with the extended leg room and rear A/C vents with climate controls.
Of course, who could forget the RL’s cabin’s quietness thanks to its upgraded 3.7-liter VTEC V6 that generates 300 horsepower and 270 lb-ft. of torque from both the TL and the MDX. You can immediately save your voice from raising your voice to the people in the backseat while traveling at 65 miles per hour on the 5 freeway on the way to San Diego. The Japanese luxury sedan has a 0-60 mph sprint time of just six seconds flat and a ¼ mile time of 14.8 seconds, thanks to both the standard paddle shifters behind the steering wheel and “SPORT” mode engaged.
Now, I am a little more used to driving either the Acura TL or TSX, so the RL’s blind spots can be pretty noticeable; a backup camera and parking sensors are definitely recommended for a car this big. Other features that are included in the RL are a USB port for your iPod or iPhone (thank you, Acura), steering-wheel mounted audio and Bluetooth controls, and a very nice wood/aluminum trim along the doors and center console.
One of the things that I kind of don’t like about this car is the fact that the rear seats do not fold down 60/40 like the TSX. How would someone be able to put in a couple of big suitcases for a person who just stepped out of LAX airport? A stretchable tie-down (like the one you use when you rock-climb) would work, but I would not want to risk damaging the paint.
So, would I take an RL for a $47,000 starting price? Yes, and no. Yes, because it has all of the features I (or anyone else for that matter) want, and no, because of the price. I mean, $47k for an Acura? A BMW 535i or a Mercedes-Benz E350 (coupe) would come around the same price, and you get even more standard features when it comes to safety. Besides, has anyone forgotten that you can take advantage of BMW’s 4-year/50k mile no-cost maintenance? *smile* Not to sound arrogant, but it is true.
