- sedan 150,981
- 722 below average
- 7,495 good
- Orlando, FL
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- autoshopper.com
- 722 below average sedan 150,981 gasoline blue automatic
2006 acura rl review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. All-wheel-drive luxury sedan with cutting-edge technology. introductionthe acura rl is sporty and fun to drive. The acura rl combines a free-revving, 290-horsepower v6 engine with all-wheel drive for improved grip and superior stability. The rl delivers the responsive handling of a sports sedan yet rides smoothly. And it's certainly more fun to drive than a mercedes e-class. acura's innovative all-wheel-drive system makes the 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, smoothes over minor driver errors and makes the driver look and feel skillful. And it works exceptionally well in adverse weather. The 290-horsepower vtec v6 provides plenty of power yet the rl is rated 26 mpg on the highway. for 2006, a new collision mitigation braking system is available that works with a new adaptive cruise control system. Using radar, the system will alert the driver, pretension the seatbelts, and slam on the brakes when it senses an imminent impact. We tested this system in a controlled exercise and were very impressed with its ability to warn the driver and help avoid an accident or, in the worst case, reduce the severity of the impact. lineupthe acura rl 49,300) comes loaded with every luxury and convenience feature imaginable, including leather upholstery and acura's navigation system. options include the technology package which includes the collision mitigation braking system, adaptive cruise control and michelin pax run-flat tires 53,100). 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 acura rl looks sleek and sporty, attractive if not interesting. The sleek exterior styling is designed to suggest abundant power. in front, a dramatically sloping hood leads down to an aggressive front fascia with angular headlight treatments, acura's signature five-sided grille, and distinctive lower air intake openings. The front end is smooth with nicely integrated bumpers and headlamps. the rear is short to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve maneuverability. The rear three-quarter view is vaguely suggestive of some of the newest designs from bmw, which are controversial. Viewed from the side, the rear deck seems separated from the fenders. the rl's high-intensity discharge headlamps employ acura's active front lighting system, which swivels the headlight beams up to 20 degrees in either direction when the steering wheel is turned for better visibility when cornering. interiorinside the acura rl is a luxurious and functional cabin. The seats are comfortable for cruising yet 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 do. 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. It shows. 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, eight-inch screen. The acuralink satellite communications system delivers in-car traffic information in real time for major cities. It's an impressive feature that could make commuting easier by helping drivers avoid heavily congested areas. It works best in cities that have the infrastructure to support it, and los angeles is the best example. Traffic flow is shown by color-coding the highways in three levels (low, normal, and hopeless). Unlike radio reports, which just hit the highlights and don't provide detailed instructions for getting around tangles, this system uses live 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 commuters may find it's well worth taking the time to fully master this navigation aid. even without this 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 as always the case when dealing with other human beings, that isn't always true. It grips the corners, has excellent transient response and stops in a short distance. The ride is a nice balance, firm enough to feel expansion joints but not so firm as to be harsh, and it cruises easily and comfortably. 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. The system controls this distribution of power precisely to enhance handling. As a result, the rl doesn't plow in corners. It simply motors around them. we found the rl's sophisticated all-wheel-drive setup particularly helpful in tight corners where it keeps the nose of the car tucked in. The car seemed to respond well to throttle in the corners. The effects of overdriving one of the rear wheels is most noticeable at racing speeds, but the system improves handling feel even at a moderate pace. The rl just feels precise. The 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. The e320 felt heavy and lethargic, like an old mercedes. Compared with the acura, the mercedes lacked grip and suffered from understeer and slow steering; plus it was hard to modulate brakes and hard to modulate the throttle. (the mercedes-benz e-class has been upgraded somewhat for 2006.) the rl was easy drive, and easy to drive quickly. A bmw 530i we drove felt livelier and more fun with its rear-wheel drive and sports suspension than the rl, which is bas. Anti-lock Brakes✔ Climate Control✔ Cruise Control✔ Navigation System
7,495 Orlando, FLOrlando, FL at autoshopper.com