In surveys that J.D. Power and Associates has conducted with verified owners of the Acura RL, the people that actually own one told us what they like and don’t like about their car.

What Owners Like:

“The engineering and assembly of the 2009 RL is outstanding.”

“Well engineered and well built.”

“Reliability and durability.”

“The quality is perfect.”

“Quality of construction is outstanding.”

“Best V-6 for balance between power and economy.”

“Engine is responsive and powerful.”

“Acceleration from stop position and passing.”

“Car’s passing power is exceptional.”

“Fun to drive.”

“Transmission is smooth and precise.”

“Handling and acceleration.”

“Great driving control and power.”

“Great feel of driving”

“AWD is awesome on ice and snow.”

“Performance in snow [and] adverse conditions is unbelievable.”

“Traction and stability – SH-AWD is best.”

“Overall handling is exceptional.”

“Driving dynamics – exceptional handling capabilities.”

“Comfort and ease of driving.”

“Ride [is] very comfortable.”

“Audio [and] navigation truly exceptional.”

“Absolutely incredible sound system.”

“Very user-friendly hands-free phone interface.”

“Seat comfort – best I have ever sat upon.”

“Heated seats warm up very quickly.”

“Interior comfort and style.”

“Interior appearance, quality.”

“Blue mood interior lights.”

“Interior lighting and controls are great.”

“Convenience and ease of controls.”

“This car has far more features than any competition in the $50K+ price range.”

“Great exterior looks.”

“[My RL] works flawlessly.”

“There is nothing on this car that deserves a low rating.”


What Owners Don’t Like:

“Front end a little gaudy.”

“Exterior styling looks too contrived.”

“[I don’t like the] front-end design.”

“Styling bland and so-so.”

“Ride could be much smoother.”

“Rough ride.”

“Suspension too hard. Noisy ride on freeway.”

“Interior noise. Louder on the highway than [I] would like.”

“Road noise is excessive.”

“Fuel economy [is] low.”

“Poor mileage.”

“Low MPG.”

“Bad fuel economy.”

“[Needs] better gas mileage.”

“MPG. [The RL] needs a bigger tank or better mileage.”

“Car smells. I think it’s the plastic.”

“Seat belt on driver’s side difficult to snap in – connector too short.”

“Steering wheel should be heated.”

“Glare on control panels and nav system.”

“Navigation screen washes out in bright light.”

“Vehicle controls/displays difficult to use/see.”

“Audio system difficult to use.”

“Rear camera could have more definition.”

“I miss having OnStar in the ’09 RL like I had in my ’06 RL.”

“Navigation map [is] 4-5 years old.”

“[I would like] a more updated tech offering for the price and status.”

“[The RL is] too technological.”

“Rear seat – kind of tight leg room.”

“Back seat leg room is small.”

“Back seat could be a little larger.”

“Trunk space is small.”

“Storage and space. The trunk is small and shallow in depth.”

“Storage capacity everywhere is too small!”

“I am not crazy about the exterior color – Silver Jade Metallic – but the RL is extremely hard to find on an Acura dealer lot. I needed a new car when I bought, so I was stuck with the only color available.”

Note: This review was published on December 18, 2009. It may not reflect data that has become available for this vehicle since that date.