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I test drove an Acura TL-S before we got the 5,
personally, I loved the design and interior of the car, It had that 'cozy' japanese feeling to it, without the american 'big' feeling. However... then I took the car out for a drive...
the thing didn't communicate at all to me, I really couldn't tell where its limits were. During an onramp to the freeway, I was afriad to push it beyond 30mph, and I couldn't tell if the car was handling it fine or if it was stressed to the limit. Also, other than that, the TL-S had really high gearing, I can almost swear it had two overdrive gears, the engine never went above 3000 rpm...
basically, it didn't feel sporty enough for me.
the MDX however, looks to be a great car, I didn't test drive it, my father did that, but once again, I loved the general feel of the acura interior. We almost got that car if it wasn't for the fact that we had to wait 4 months for one =
funny, our garage was suppose to be an MDX with a TL-S, and we ended up with an X5 3.0i and 540iA
My parents have the regular 02 acura TL. The suspension is a bit soft for good handling. Maybe the type S is a stiffer. Otherwise, it has great ride/interior/smooth poweful engine. It's a good car for long trip. I test drove the 2002 MDX before. The 2003 is more powerful and has more goodies (therefore, more expensive.) Anyhow, the one I test drove was surprisingly powerful and handled like a car. It's very roomy and nice interior. The third row seat has very little leg room and can only access through the passenger's side rear seat.
I have seen the Pilot in person, but never drove it. It looked bigger to me. It has a lot more pockets here and there for storage.
My wife drives an Acura CL; she loves it. I wouldn't say it is an enthusiast's car; however, it is comfortable, quiet and has a great stereo. It all depends on what you want.
We just had a similar situation. We wanted to replace our 1995 Accord EX. This car was used primarily by my wife. I drive the S2000 and we both use the 4Runner as our "other car" beater.
My wife is not a high performance driver, but she always enjoyed the tight sporty feel of the 1995 Accord. She was never happy driving the 4Runner, and didn't like the typical "American" feel of the other sedans like the Camry that she's driven over the years. I too found the Accord to be fun to drive. While not an S, it was fun for a car with 4 doors and 4 seats.
The natural thing was another Honda as we've owned 6 over the years and have been very satisfied. We looked at the 2003 Accord EX and were convinced until we drove it. It seems like Honda has traded the "sporty" feel for the cushy "American sedan" feel. The steering and brakes were squishy. It wasn't fun to drive.
We tried an Acura TL and a TL-TypeS. We weren't impressed by the TL, but we liked the TypeS. We ended up buying the Acura TL TypeS.
My wife (and I) agree that the steering is real tight and the ride is firm and precise (if that is the correct word for a sedan). It feels a bit heavier then the 1995 Accord but the trade off is that it is quieter, more powerful and more comfortable. All in all, we are satisfied with our purchase. You probably should consider the TypeS if you want/need 4 doors and 4 seats (also if like us you want to stay in the Honda family).
I need a new car...Please Help!
