2005 Acura RL Test Drives

2005 Acura RL

Despite complaints that it's too cramped, the new RL offers impressive handling and very intelligent design.

The scribe had many things to say, some of which we'll get to here, but his biggest point about Honda Motor's latest upscale offering was that it's just too small inside: "Here's the lesson Japan, Inc. seems to be missing: if you are going to charge 50 large and target aging baby boomers, then don't scrimp on the space. Our girth is expanding; and even though I cheerfully drove around in a Fiat X 1/9 in my youth, I desire space now."

What was interesting about this comment was that the writer also said that although he really loves the way German cars drive, he's fed up with some of the reliability issues with Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Also, he was excited to find that Acura has once again embraced sporty handling machines (more on this in a moment), but was disappointed that the RL was just too tiny inside.

All points well taken, but if it comes down to space, then we're confused. See, if you do the math on leg-, shoulder-, hip- and head room and compare the RL's capaciousness with that of the BMW 5 series the Audi A6 and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class all cars in the RL's competitive set, and cars that the reader implies he likes (sporty, luxurious, sharp looking) the interior space is nearly dead even. Yep, one car might have a few millimeters more room overhead, another might be slightly more generous with leg room in the back seat. And a third might be a little wider, door to door. But none of these cars is full-size, and although a few automotive magazines have pointed out that the new RL is no bigger inside than a Honda Accord, these publications fail to point out that the same could be said of an E-Class.

Do we detect a little bias on the part of these publications (and the letter writer)? Perhaps. This columnist, also, has been a fan of German engineering for some time, and it's always the mid-size sports sedans that enchant. When Audi, Mercedes, or BMW go up in size, the handling, naturally, gets softer, less kinetic, less interesting. What all of us who are fans of those mid-size cars forget is that they handle well because they weigh less and can carve a tighter arc with their shorter wheel bases and lower masses. What's upsetting about the Acura RL isn't that it has got a relatively cramped backseat if you want to take a foursome out for 18 holes, but that, like every other car in its set, its backseat is tight.

Why couldn't Acura break the mold?

Meaning, why couldn't Acura do what both Infiniti, Nissan Motor's upper marque, and Toyota Motor's Lexus have failed at so far, and make a $50,000 sedan that isn't trying to be an S-Class or a 7 series, but is trying to be just a bit bigger than an E-Class or a 5 series?

We think the answer lies in what the RL that we just tested actually manages to achieve - what it offers and what it doesn't. Should we quit being cryptic and tell you what we think of the dang car already? Okay. Move that mouse then.