acura rl 2006
acura rl 2006
A dealer-installed A-Spec performance package is new for 2006. It includes a sport-tuned suspension that lowers the car by nearly three-quarters of an inch, along with 18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport tires, a rear spoiler and other aggressive-looking exterior trim.
The current-generation RL is sportier and more stylish than the model it replaces. But being that it only comes with all-wheel drive and a V6 engine, it struggles to match the performance and handling of competing luxury sport sedans, such as the Audi A6, BMW 550i and Infiniti M45, all of which have potent V8 engines.
That said, the RL’s 290-hp 3.5-liter V6 packs plenty of punch and is one of the most sophisticated, efficient and smooth six cylinders available. However, with only 256 pound-feet of torque, this V6 can feel slower than competing sedans with torquey V8 engines when accelerating from a standstill and when overtaking vehicles on the highway.
A five-speed SportShift automatic transmission offers manual gear selection via a console-mounted shifter or steering-wheel-mounted paddles.
Rather than the rear-drive configuration favored by most luxury brands (enthusiasts feel rear drive offers better handling), the RL comes only with all-wheel drive. To its credit, this AWD system is highly sophisticated and can split power not only between front and rear wheels, as is typical, but from side to side, as well. A four-wheel independent suspension with Acura’s superb double-wishbone configuration up front and a multilink array at the rear further helps the car deliver lively handling and a relatively smooth ride.
The RL is loaded with innovative gadgets in addition to the expected upscale features (such as myriad chassis-control and safety systems, keyless access/starting and adaptive headlamps). It’s the first vehicle to offer real-time traffic reporting through its standard, voice-activated navigation system for major U.S. cities. Using XM satellite radio’s NavTraffic service, which carries a monthly fee, the system can warn drivers of road delays and suggest alternate routes.
There are a number of standard safety features geared toward children, most notably an “anti-pinch” feature for all of the windows and the sunroof (they automatically reverse direction when obstructed while being closed) and retractable rear sunshades — the likes of which can be found on most midsize and larger luxury sedans.
acura rl 2006
A new Technology Package ($3,800) includes a Collision Mitigation Braking System that automatically alerts the driver, tightens up the seatbelts and applies the brakes if it detects an imminent crash. The package also comes with run-flat tires and a laser-guided, adaptive cruise-control system that maintains a set speed and distance from traffic ahead.
The leather- and wood-trimmed interior exudes the high levels of quality we’ve come to expect from Acura, but it’s more cramped than would be expected for a sedan of this size.
Consumer Reports says the RL is more reliable than average. The RL receives five out of five stars on all of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s crash tests.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates fuel economy to be 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway.
The RL replaced the Acura Legend which, along with the former Integra (now the RSX), was one of the original Acura models that Honda used to launch its luxury brand in the U.S. in 1986.
When we reviewed the 2005 Acura RL, it set the high-water mark among high-tech cars. Its sheer volume of technologies was vast and included some that no other car had at the time, particularly NavTraffic live traffic data incorporated into the navigation system. Since then, however, the market has become more competitive, with the Infiniti M35 and the Cadillac STS as interesting alternatives. So how does the 2006 Acura RL stack up against the competition? Let’s start with a summary of the changes since we first drove it.
Weightiest is a new set of vehicle-control and collision-avoidance technologies called the Technology Package, an odd name on a car with this much technology to begin with. It includes the collision-mitigating braking system, which applies the car’s brakes to avoid hitting obstacles sensed by its forward-looking radar. This system is integrated with adaptive cruise control and bundled with Michelin run-flat tires to justify the $3,800 additional cost.
Also new for 2006 is Acura Music Link, an intelligent iPod adapter that plays, powers, and controls iPods through the in-dash factory audio system, which already plays just about every other source of sound known to man. Music Link is a dealer-installed piece with a list price of $214.
Engine power appears to be down at first glance, but this reduction is due to Acura following the new SAE J1349 horsepower rating method when it published the specs on the 2006 car. As a result, the horsepower calculation drops from 300hp in 2005 to 290hp on the 2006 RL. The torque number is also revised down slightly under the new rules, from 260 pound-feet in 2005 to 256 pound-feet today. Also, Acura dropped the 3.5 from the car’s name, although the RL is still powered by a 3.5-liter V-6.
acura rl 2006
Loaded with every tech option on the build sheet, the Acura RL comes in at about $55,000. People who prefer a high-tech premium coupe but need a sedan would find that the RL makes a good compromise. For 2006, it continues to be a–if not the–class leader in high-tech driving.
The 2006 Acura RL’s navigation system is one of its biggest selling points. Along with the Cadillac STS, it remains one of the only cars that integrates NavTraffic live traffic data into its built-in GPS system. Unlike with the much cheaper STS, NavTraffic is standard on the RL. Since we first reviewed this car in 2005, NavTraffic coverage has expanded to 22 markets, and by the end of March 2006, it should be in 31 major metro areas. We’re big fans of live traffic information and think it makes an otherwise pricey, occasionally used luxury a lot easier to rationalize.
The yellow line on one side of Interstate 80 means slow traffic, while the green line on the other side means a clear road.
NavTraffic conditions are displayed clearly as color-coded roads and icons on the map, and the car can be set to read traffic alerts aloud. This service comes at a cost, of course. After a new RL’s complimentary 12-month XM Radio subscription expires, NavTraffic costs $9.99 a month on its own or $16.94 a month bundled with XM Radio. XM Radio normally costs $12.95 a month, so the bundle with traffic represents a no-brainer savings.
The Acura RL’s 8-inch LCD is still big and bright, but it’s starting to look a little dated; its resolution is no longer the best in the business, and it doesn’t offer a bird’s-eye-view mode. It doesn’t have touch-screen capability either, which is becoming more common, although the RL’s screen is too far back in the dash for this to be simply added without repositioning the display closer to the driver.
Getting turn-by-turn directions from the RL remains a good experience, thanks to the viewing layout that puts an overview map on the left-hand 60 percent of the screen, while turn-by-turn directions occupy the right-hand 40 percent. We like that the RL doesn’t treat the driver like a child and lock out destination entry while you’re underway. And being able to use the internal Zagat guide to plot a course to a good meal is a boon to the foodies among us.
The RL’s unique onscreen menu interface for navigation, audio, climate, and other settings bugged us in 2005, and it bugs us now. It still seems a bit nonintuitive–unlike any PC, cell phone, or ATM machine on earth. Fortunately, the voice-command system, which understands 560 instructions, works well as an alternative.
Every spoke on the Acura RL’s steering wheel has buttons controlling various techie features. The Acura RL’s Bluetooth hands-free system was easy to set up with a Cingular Treo 650, and the call quality seemed excellent with the test calls we placed. Call status is shown in a bright electrofluorescent display nestled at the bottom of the speedometer, rather than interrupting what’s on the main LCD. The RL’s hands-free system needs some updating in the phone-book department, as it can’t copy over contacts from a cell phone. Its 50-entry phone book must be manually populated using voice commands and voice commands only.
When we reviewed the 2005 Acura RL, its audio system was quite remarkable in its support for DVD-Audio discs. The 2006 model remains exceptional in that aspect–not a good report card for the progress of DVD-Audio in cars, but that’s another issue. The RL’s standard-issue Bose audio system uses Cabin Surround and Center Point technologies to create very accurate imaging when playing any disc, but with their 5.1 surround-sound coding, DVD-Audio discs especially stand out. There are 10 speakers onboard, driven by a 280-watt, 6-channel amp.
The car also has Acura’s active noise-cancellation system, which works whether or not the stereo is on. It samples and cancels low-frequency noise from the car’s exhaust note, letting softer musical nuances be heard without cranking up the volume.
We believe the RL remains the only car with a climate system tied to its GPS navigation unit. By calculating the position of the sun, the car adjusts the two sides of the climate system to account for which side of the car is, assumedly, warmer. We’ve never been able to figure out how the car knows if it’s driving in sunny weather or a downpour, however.
The 2006 Acura RL’s 3.5-liter V-6 pulls well and seems to do so more seamlessly over the previous model year. We suspect transmission programming has been revised, rather than any change to engine’s torque curve. We like the absence of numb-throttle syndrome felt in so many other cars today, where hitting the throttle kicks in a whole series of sensors and servos rather than making the car respond in a satisfying manner. The RL’s drive-by-wire throttle still feels like there’s a cable running to the engine, and that’s good. That said, the V-6 utters a slightly cheap note when accelerating, a problem that a couple of extra cylinders would cure.
Steering wheel paddles let the driver manually shift the automatic transmission.
Just as the RL comes with only one engine choice, Acura offers just one transmission to go with it. Its five-speed automatic can be manually shifted by either stirring the gear lever within a dedicated portion of its gate or by the use of two small shift paddles mounted on the back of the steering wheel. The left paddle downshifts, while the right upshifts. None of this matters since the paddles follow the steering wheel as it spins around, making a grab for either of the paddles a complicated guessing game. The gear lever is a much better way to influence this transmission, though we find its gate needlessly labyrinthine.
acura rl 2006
acura rl 2006
The car can also be manually shifted with the stick.
Braking was sure and smooth, with good, solid pedal feel. The car’s roadholding technologies include Acura’s Super Handling all-wheel-drive system and the vehicle-stability-assist program. Both work well to inspire confidence during freeway driving, as well as urban-cut and thrust-traffic negotiation.
When underway, this car feels like it looks: a biggish coupe in sedan clothing. It’s light on its feet and has clean, quick reflexes rather than overprocessed smoothness. And while not truly a performance attribute, the interior cabin styling communicates a message of sporting readiness more than stately travel.
EPA-rated mileage for the 2006 Acura RL remains at 18mpg and 26mpg, city and highway, respectively. In our mix of about 250 miles of city and highway test driving, the car calculated an 18mpg average with a speed of 30mph.
The newest feature on the 2006 Acura RL is its Technology Package, which bundles adaptive cruise control (ACC), a collision-mitigation-braking system (CMBS), and Michelin Pax run-flat tires.
