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Feeling
at home on a track, or tracking its way back home, Acura's
luxurious TL sedan is something of a contrast. It blends
the expected smooth amenities of a well-loaded luxury auto
with some impressive handling credentials and high tech
secrets such as drive-by-wire technology.
Acura
had done a bang-up job in overhauling the TL a year ago.
Now, for '05, it fine tunes the entry level auto that has
been a top vote getter for the Japanese auto maker since
it started appearing in showrooms. Among those are safety
upgrades to meet new federal standards, including front
seat sensors to prevent air bags from fully inflating when
someone weighs less than 65 pounds, and monitoring driver
position to determine necessary airbag force in a collision.
Those sitting by rear doors get adjustable head restraints,
while side curtain airbags now are standard.
In
addition to sports handling and style, Acura has put a premium
on safety for the TL, including neck injury reduction seats.
It not only won five-star status in governmental crash tests,
but achieved a good rating in offset crash testing -- where
a collision is on an angle. And, Acura points out, its structural
design is safer for pedestrians if someone on foot is hit
by a TL.
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