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2003 Acura TL Review
Performance and luxury.
2003 TL Review Summary & Specifications
Acura TL is a sporty mid-size luxury sedan. The standard TL offers a good value in this class. Its suspension strikes a good balance between handling and a luxurious, well-controlled ride. The standard VTEC V6 provides a remarkable combination of performance and fuel economy.The Type-S model adds a raw, untamed edge with its 260-horsepower engine, but does not offer the chassis sophistication of some of the competition.
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| Vehicle Category | Luxury Cars |
| Editor | Sam Moses |
| Model Lineup | TL ($28,980); TL Type-S ($31,330) |
| Engines (standard) | 3.2-liter sohc 24v VTEC V6 |
| Transmissions (standard) | 5-speed automatic SportShift |
| Engines (optional) | 3.2-liter sohc 24v VTEC V6 with 225 horsepower (TL) or 260 horsepower (Type-S) |
| Transmissions (optional) | 5-speed automatic SportShift |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | side-impact airbags, dual front airbags, ABS, traction control, high-intensity discharge headlights, side-impact door beams |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | |
| Basic Warranty | 4 years/50,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Marysville, Ohio |
| Manufacturer Phone | 1-800-TO-ACURA |
| Manufacturer URL | www.acura.com |
| Base Price MSRP | 28980 |
| Model Tested MSRP | Acura TL Type-S NAVI ($33,480) |
| Standard Equipment | automatic climate control, leather seating, heated front seats, power windows, power mirrors, power locks, power driver's and passenger's seats, wood-grained trim, tilt steering column, cruise control, Bose AM/FM/CD/cassette with steering wheel-mounted audio controls, power moonroof, power heated door mirrors, keyless entry, theft-deterrent system, auto-off headlights, and the Homelink Universal Transceiver System; Type S adds perforated leather seating surfaces, vehicle stability assist system, 260-horsepower engine, torque-sensing steering, P215/VR17 high-performance tires; NAVI adds DVD satellite navigation system and OnStar |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | none |
| Destination Charge | 480 |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Price as Tested | 33960 |
| Layout | front-wheel drive |
| Horse Power | 260 @ 6100 |
| Torque | 232 @ 3500-5500 |
| Fuel Economy | 19/29 |
| Wheelbase | 108.1 |
| Length/Width/Height | 192.9/70.3/56.1 |
| Track Front/Rear | |
| Turning Radius | 39.7 |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 39.9/56.0/42.4 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | 36.8/55.0/35.0 |
| Trunk Volume | 14.3 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | |
| Front Suspension | independent, solid upper wishbones, tension strut and lateral arm forming lower wishbone, coil springs, anti-roll bar |
| Rear Suspension | independent, multi-link, coil springs, anti-roll bar |
| Ground Clearance | 5.9 |
| Curb Weight | 3538 |
| Stock Tires | P215/50VR17 Michelin MXM4 |
| Brakes Front/Rear | disc/disc with ABS |
| Fuel Capacity | 17.2 |
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