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Acura TL vs Honda Accord

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Comments

  • slzslz Member Posts: 10
    For everyone's information - I am comparing a 2001 3.2 TL (which I just leased - base price I paid was $26,200 - basically invoice) vs a 1998 Accord EX V6:

    I drove my Accord EX V6 for 3 years and put on 36,500 miles - I thought it was a great car for the price. My 2 big complaints were - (1) some funky transmission shifting when I jammed on the accelerator - it seemed to lag a little bit, and (2) I thought the engine was overpowered for the car - at highway speeds if I had to quickly stop or maneuver I would feel like the car was unstable.

    The 3.2 TL on the other hand has a much smoother and responsive transmission - no problems when jamming on the accelerator. The suspension and braking feels MUCH more secure to me than in the Accord (I don't know if Honda has changed this in the past few years - I am comparing against my 1998 Honda).

    The Acura feels like a more refined car than the Accord. Make no mistake - if you go with the Accord you DO save money but you also DO give up some of the refinement present in the Acura. The HID headlamps are also quite impressive.
  • carguy62carguy62 Member Posts: 545
    Using your logic, if I buy an Acura instead of a Mercedes I save money and also give up refinement. These cars (Accord and TL) are different, the cost is different. Anyone with a brain knows which car is better.
  • w900lw900l Member Posts: 5
    Carguy - your opinion on the similarities between the Accord and TL seems to waver depending on the point you are arguing. Make an argument and then stick to it please. Sorry you couldn't afford the TL!
    -W9
  • carguy62carguy62 Member Posts: 545
    Have you seen my bank account? I doubt it, so how could you make such an idiotic statement. I guess if the shoe fits.... I don't need to prove anything to you but if I wanted the TL it could easily have been done. Your comment was flat out ignorant.

    My argument has been the same from the beginning. I compared the vehicles and felt the $3500 difference wasn't worth it to ME. The cars are different, yeah they share many of the same underpinnings but they are different enough to have a $3500 price difference.

    I still believe this thread is pointless, they are two different vehicles in different classes. Comparing the TL to the different Lexus' makes much more sense.

    Sorry you feel the need to justify the 27 large (or more) you spent on a Honda!
  • cmartinercmartiner Member Posts: 2
    Suck it up, buy the TL Type S and give your Accords to your grandparents.

    Thank God Acura FINALLY put some distance between the 2 cars with the Type S. If Honda comes out with a 260 HP Accord or an MDX with a Honda badge, then I'm selling my Type S and getting a BMW.
  • truvboy18truvboy18 Member Posts: 1
    Yes, I do agree with you, buy the 2002 TL Type S. I have a TL myself but not the type I and it is much better than my friend EX V6 Accord. He told me that his EX V6 Accord is the best car in it's class, and that my TL is nothing to compare. But when we both tested our cars, he changed his mind. The tests were from the feel of the car while driven, the comfortable feel of the interior , the music system, the overall feel and look of the whole car and most of all, we raced a 1/4 mile and we can say he was 5 car lengths in front of him. So even my friend said that if he knew about the TL, he would of bought it instead of his Accord, and put in the few extra grand to get it, because it is worth the few extra dollars. And my TL just has a much more Luxury Feel and Ride.
  • teleios13teleios13 Member Posts: 1
    I had a friend tell me that when Honda made the 1998, they gutted the old 1997 and put in cheaper parts. He says there is more engine/road noise in the '98+ than the older models. Has enyone heard the same? What can you tell me?

    Also, is one V6 better than the other (from 1997 to 1998+)??

    thanks
  • kolansureshkolansuresh Member Posts: 1
    I have recently purchased Acura 3.2 Tl 2001 model.I like the car very much, but I have feeling that I get lot of wind noise driving on freeways above 50 Mph.I wonder if it is normal.I feel it's not silent on freeways. Please let me know if anybody else in this discussion grour facing the same problem ???.

    Thanks in Advance
  • jfavourjfavour Member Posts: 105
    I agree with dmallinder about the lower level accord arguement. I personally own a 2000 LX-V6. It has exactly the same mechanicals as the 2000 EX-V6, but it doesn't have leather, a moonroof, a cd player, alloy wheels, and auto climate controls. I added a cd player at the dealer after I bought it. The other stuff didn't matter to me. The price of the car was almost exactly the same as a EX 4-cyl without leather. For me, this is the best value for the money and makes a better arguement for value vs. the TL. For 2001, all V6 accords have traction control, so it is really just a matter of how many luxury features one wants. The TL is a more "sporty" vehicle in its driving dynamics, but (until the TL-S comes out) not different enough for me to justify the higher price of entry. Instead, I just kept my '95 Integra for sporty driving.
  • merkaba624merkaba624 Member Posts: 1
    Well, I decided on the '00 Accord. Mostly because of one thing: economics. I test drove the TL back in July and was very impressed. Lots 'o power! I also tried the ES300, wow very quiet and refined. I should mention that I had just sold my '92 Lexus ES300 at the time.(It was a very rare 5 speed model). So naturally I was accustomed to the Lexus way of things. But, the TL was looking pretty good (cool headlights!) and I thought the price would be better than Toyota's answer for 4-door mid lux sedans. Well it was, and I almost got one until I just happened to drive an EXV6(don't know why I did that). I felt like I was driving theTL! For $5k less? I thought if I was going to spend that much, why not just get the ES? Well I'm the kind who likes to try new things, and my first car was an '82 Accord, so I have a place in my heart for them [Accords]. And it is a new thing to me, I'm glad I got it! Plus I saved some cash. By the way, my next car will probably be the Lexus, but I'll always be a Honda fan.
  • liposlimliposlim Member Posts: 3
    LIFE IS TOO SHORT! and..

    SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY:

    "WHAT THE FLOCK!"

    From "Liposlim"
  • j_walkerj_walker Member Posts: 99
    I test drove both the 2002 TL and TL-S this weekend and easily noticed the wind noise at 30+ MPH. The noise is from the outside mirrors. The mirrors were supposedly changed this year to address the wind noise. If that is the case, I wonder how much louver the noise is in the 2000-2001 models.
  • wolf22301wolf22301 Member Posts: 10
    I'm in the market for a retirement car, replacing my still perfect but dated Infinite J30 ('94). I've driven the AL, and the TLS. I'm very impressed with them both, but would opt for the Type S. Just for comparison I drove a new Accord EXV6 and was also impressed. Very many of its interior parts are shared with the L. For me from the perspective of pure transportation and economics the Accord would by just fine, but from my love of performance I'll probably opt for the TLS. At this point in my life I can afford what ever I want. The TLS is a real performance bargain. I've also driven Bows, Jaguars and Audio. I'll stick with the bullet proof reliability of Japanese products. I hate having to take a car into the shop for repairs.
  • soberssobers Member Posts: 496
    this talk of TL vs Accord was more appropriate when Accord was going say 500-700 over invoice and TL for MSRP+. Accord presented a strong argument when it was atleast $7000 cheaper than the TL. BUT TL was supposed to be compared with the Lexus ES300 & it presented a good argument too with atleast $6000 cheper fully equipped. With demand and supply macthing for TL I guess TLs extra price is justified with the amount of equipement, power, Transmission, HID, Warranty, dealer service(loner), strict quality checks.

    If you compare Accord and TLs invoice, I think what Honda demands for both of them is justified & it is up to you to decide. When the Accord goes for invoice and TL for MSRP....then it shifts slightly towards Accord but consumers compare it with ES300 instead of Accord.

    Mind you, TL & Accord are based on the same global midsize platform, but TL has longer wheelbase and more rigid chassis with extra crossmebers in back & more re-inforcements. Thats the reason why TL lack the Accords legroom and folddown rear seats. Answer liles in better chassis dynamics.
  • ipngipng Member Posts: 2
    Can someone comment about the ride quality
    of TL and Accord V6?

    Thanks.
  • slzslz Member Posts: 10
    I had a 98 Accord EX V6 and just got the 2001 3.2TL. Although the Accord was a nice car the TL ride quality is far superior. Better handling, suspension, braking, and engine. No comparison as far as I am concerned.
  • mattandersmattanders Member Posts: 2
    I have a '99 4 cyl EX, and am already looking at what's next. My only complaints on the EX are the road noise (both from the engine and the wind) and the occassional shift hesitation (which I think would be eliminated in the TL). Question: How quiet is the TL? I've heard the Honda's been quieted a bit since '99, and a 6 cyl would help, too. How much do I gain with a new TL? Also, since it's not a big car to begin with, I am concerned about the smaller interior on the TL. I know the leather and seats are supposed to be better in the TL, but that won't matter much if there isn't enough room.
  • dannyledannyle Member Posts: 43
    Both are great cars .. but there's no comparison between them ..

    They are in different class. TL should be comparing to I30 or ES300 and Accord should be compare to camry or Maxima ..

    Theses car are in different class that's why there's a gap of 5K in between them.

    If's Accord is comparable to TL , then might as well compare it to the ES300 and the I30 .. they are only 6-7K difference ... which is only 1-2K more when compare it with the TL.

    Both are great car from Honda, but one is a luxury department. They may look similar, but they did not share any sheet metal ...
  • ptvmanptvman Member Posts: 1
    Wow! I'm surprised to have found such a timely thread. I'm deep in the decision making process myself. I almost convinced myself to save the bucks and go with the EX-V6 (got an awesome deal from a local dealer... $3000+ off MSRP) which just makes it all the harder to justify the extra $11,000 for the full-blown TL-S Nav, but it is one awesome car and you guys are tempting me back into the TL camp.
    Not much mention of the sport-shift (or whatever Acura calls the darn thing). Does anyone bother to use it regularly? I'm sure gonna miss the stick. This might be the one car that makes me part with my noisy but beloved Miata.
  • carguy62carguy62 Member Posts: 545
    ptvman-be careful about dealing from MSRP down. You should always go from invoice up. The Accord's MSRP is 25540 (i think), 3000 off is 22540 which is good but they are dealing on these cars.
  • lhh5144lhh5144 Member Posts: 2
    I have owned both vehicles and now have a 2000 TL/w nav.
    The car is a joy to drive and the comfort level is on a different plane than the Accord.
    The navigation system is the greatest option ever and even after 10 months of owning this car I still use it often.
    I enjoyed my Accords ( I owned 2 of them ), but saying it compares to the TL is just crazy talk.
    Later.
  • suhtisuhti Member Posts: 14
    I have been reading this Town Hall thread for some time ...
    so what is the verdict ?

    Is $7k-$11k price difference between Accord and TL worth it ?
    Accord is offering (as low as) 3.9% APR ..
    Acura has, well, the Acura name on the car ..
    Acura, according to many people here, has better ride and comfort (and performance) overall.
    Based on my research, both cars seem to be equipped with same features (audio, leather, moonroof,etc)

    I know comparing and buying cars are subjective but any opinion is greatly appreciated.

    one confused, undecided car-buyer.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Hi folks,

    Now that we have moved to our new platform, we no longer have the requirement to stop and restart discussions after the numbers of posts exceed a certain limit. To keep from confusing our newer members down the road, we are going through the discussion list bit by bit and dropping the "part" numbers associated with some of our extended discussions.

    Since this will be the permanent home of debates about the TL vs the EX V6, I have removed the "Part 2" from the title of this discussion.

    Please continue....

    Pat
    Host
    Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
  • vonlinzvonlinz Member Posts: 12
    Suhti,

    I've trying to solve that very problem. Is the extra money for a TL over an Accord V6 well spent? Well, yes, I think, from an added feature viewpoint. For your extra five thousand or so bucks you'll get ... a more powerful engine, upgraded interior, HID lights, fog lights, Sport-tronic 5 spd transmission, 16" alloy wheels, heated leather seats with memory, better warranty, etc. However, may be the real question is "Is an Accord V6 good enough for your driving habits/values?" You'll still get the main features that the TL has ... V6, auto climate control, leather, moonroof, alloy wheels, 6-disc CD, etc. ... but save a few thousand bucks, especially with Honda's current financing offer.

    My current Honda Accord has lasted over nine years and 162,000 miles. I keep trying to remind myself to buy exactly the car that I want and will find fun to drive because I may have it a long time and be spending a lot of time in it.

    Hope this helps. Good luck!
  • suhtisuhti Member Posts: 14
    volinz,
    thanks for such thoughtful and meaningful comment :)
    i think i will go for a test-drive and see what happens.
  • acuraabqacuraabq Member Posts: 1
    I'm deeply disappointed in the Acura TL 3.2 cup holders. They look they'll hold two drinks, but won't. One 32 o. convenience store cup actually has a hard time by itself. We live in the desert and start out long drives with two cold 32 o. drinks, and my husband has to hold his on his lap or between his feet. Two cups just won't fit in the cup holders. You can take an insert out for more room, but then the cups are unstable, and you don't want to spill drinks on your beautiful new car. So if you care about where your big gulp is going to ride, take some cups along for the test drive.
  • mattanders1mattanders1 Member Posts: 10
    An EX V6 will go around $24k, a TL w/o Nav will go for $28k. Four $4,000, you get nicer leather, nicer wood trim, more comfortable seats, 25 more horsepower, quieter, smoother ride, tighter handling, better looks, and a little less room for back seat passengers.
  • suhtisuhti Member Posts: 14
    TMV for 2001 accord ex v6 w/leather is 23k
    TMV for 2001 acura TL w/o nav is 27k
    TMV for 2002 acura TL w/o nav is 29k

    i guess it's not fair to compare 01 accord against 02 tl but in my case i was considering either 01 accord or 02 tl ( since 02 tl has in-dash 6 cd changer and quieter ride )
  • shopper101shopper101 Member Posts: 11
    I am thinking about whether to buy an Ex V6 or TL.
    I like the idea of buying an EX V6 and keeping
    the extra money saved in a mutual fund. But since
    I plan to own my new car for a long time (my
    '89 Accord is still running fine), I also like the
    idea of getting a better car, so that I can
    enjoy it for a long time.

    What do you think?
  • dineshonedineshone Member Posts: 2
    I drove a 99 AL and it is much quitter than the current Accord. However it is not as quiet as a Lexus ES300 or a Toyota Carry, 2 cars that are noted for their quietness. In fact those two cars are quitter than my 97 L.(The AL is quitter than my AL too). Still, the AL is more than quiet enough. Engine and wind noise is hushed, however depending on the road surface, tire and road noise can be evident.

    The Accord, on the other hand, lets way too much road noise in, in my opinion. If comfort and quietness in a $25,000 car are your top priorities, a Camry or a pre-owned 99 Lexus ES300 or TL is a better choice. I'm suprised with all it's engineering talent, Honda has not yet been able to beat or even match Toyota in the isolation and quietness department.
  • dineshonedineshone Member Posts: 2
    I drove a TL and it is much quieter than the Accord. However it is not as quiet as a Lexus ES300 or a Toyota Carry, 2 cars that are noted for their quietness. In fact those two cars are quieter than my 97 RL.(The TL is quieter than my RL too). Still, the TL is more than quiet enough. Engine and wind noise is hushed, however depending on the road surface, tire and road noise can be evident.

    The Accord, on the other hand, lets way too much road noise in, in my opinion. If comfort and quietness in a $25,000 car are your top priorities, a Camry or a pre-owned 99 Lexus ES300 or TL is a better choice. I'm suprised with all it's engineering talent, Honda has not yet been able to beat or even match Toyota in the isolation and quietness department.
  • good2359good2359 Member Posts: 4
    We have a 2001 Accord LX V6 and a 1999 Toyota Camry I4. They're both quiet cars, and I alternate between them for my daily 80 mile commute. I think that the Accord is quieter than our Camry, but then again the camry doesn't have the V6 like the Accord. Seems like most noise above 40 mph in either is due to wind and road noises. Pretty close in any case.

    For what it's worth, the 2001 Accord supposedly has a bunch of improvements to address noise. As a car stereo enthusiast, noise is important to me, and you won't be disappointed with the noise levels in either the Accord, Camry, or TL.
  • ukrickukrick Member Posts: 66
    A loaded Accord EX-V6 goes for just over or right at invoice, $23k. The 3.2TL goes for about $4k more. Is it really worth paying the extra $4k? Comparing these two vehicles is not comparing apples and apples. The TL is a sport sedan and the Accord a family sedan. So any comparison between the two is somewhat irrelavent in my opinion.
  • mattanders1mattanders1 Member Posts: 10
    As much as I really, really want a TL, after driving and pricing them both, I just can't justify the $6k difference. I think the TL is better looking, but really only for the rear end. The leather is nicer in theTL, but the rest of the interior shares to many components with the EX. I didn't find the 25 HP to translate into much (extra weight in the TL?), and the smaller rear seat area is CRIMINAL. If I was getting even a slightly bigger car, I could probably justify it ty myself, but it's SMALLER! Anybody who says the two are that much different on the road are either lying or hasn't driven new versions of each.
  • starbuster1starbuster1 Member Posts: 2
    Agree with you that a standard TL is 6k higher. Actually - probably 7k higher. Best price I received for a fully loaded Accord EX is $22,900. (invoice is 25.5k)
    Add $600 for adding heated seats to the leather.
    Add $600 for paint protector and sound dampening undercoating. Makes it $24,100.
    Still has no memory seats. Is a rougher ride over bumps than the Acura TL, but has very good pickup. Regular 2002 TL no nav - best quote I have received is $500 off invoice. Would be about $28,900 - but that is exceptional. (May 31st 2001 at the moment) So round up to $29,100.
    That is a $5,000 difference. More than $6,000 if you don't add the paint protector and heated seats to the Accord. TL has better ride, better leather, seat memory, fogs, tilt right mirror,
    better horsepower. Is it worth an extra 6k? Depends what you want. I bet the Accord gets better gas milage. From what I have heard - the TL's gas milage doesn't come in too well vs. sticker - and you have to use premium. Accord uses regular - and has same gas specs. So - I don't know which we will buy yet. Tough decision.
  • starbuster1starbuster1 Member Posts: 2
    Accord EX invoice is $22,774. Anyone who says they can get it for lower than that is nuts.
  • ukrickukrick Member Posts: 66
    There are a couple of dealers here in my area that sell Accords for invoice or just over invoice (1% over). They have a lot full of them. Not a bad deal.

    And yes, the TL needs premium unleaded fuel. With gas prices the way they are and not much relief in sight, that would be a concern of mine also.

    You also lose some interior room in the TL. It sits lower to the ground to help aerodynamics. The rear seat is not as roomy as the Accord.
  • ripinrocketripinrocket Member Posts: 157
    I looked at both the 2000 Acura 3.2TL, 3.2CL, and Accord EX-V6 coupe last May/June. I ended up picking the Accord EX-V6 coupe.

    Partially, I piced the Accord coupe because of price, but mostly because of interior & exterior styling. The excessive fake wood in the 3.2TL turned me off as well as the bulky feeling when driving it. Not to mention the front end of the 3.2TL doesn't look very good.

    ALso, I didn't really see the need or difference for the extra 25bhp and about 1/2 second in 0-60 difference.

    Overall, very happy with my Accord Coupe.
  • mattanders1mattanders1 Member Posts: 10
    With Edmunds reporting that the Accord is likely to get a little larger and step up to 240 HP this fall, the base TL starts to look just plain stupid. It's bad enough that it is smaller inside and shares the Accord fake wood, but to have a 15 hp shortfall makes you wonder exactly how vain you would have to be to pay the extra money for the TL.
  • ripinrocketripinrocket Member Posts: 157
    I believe a totally redesigned Accord will debut for the 2003 model year, when we will most probably see 240bhp from a V6.

    I'm also betting by 2003, the base 3.2TL's power will be upgraded also. Don't you think?
  • dkamdkam Member Posts: 3
    Does anyone know when Honda will issue a restyled Accord? I don't mean minor updates, but a whole body, etc. restyle. Thanks.
  • huthut Member Posts: 3
    I must thank all the folks here for the information. I decided to buy a new car about 2 weeks ago and could not make up my mind between 2001 Accord EX V6 and 2002 TL 3.2. I test drove both and decided that 2002 TL 3.2 was not worth the extra 6k. The deal was also too good to believe: $22200 (including destination) before tax and fees! Just for your (whomever planning to buy the same) reference, my zip code is 22207.

    Oh, boy, isn't this car smooth and powerful? I love it.

    Thanks to all!

    Hut
  • ripinrocketripinrocket Member Posts: 157
    dkam,

    Read post 141
  • tgif888tgif888 Member Posts: 351
    How about this comparsion?
  • sneufeld1sneufeld1 Member Posts: 2
    I test drove both cars yesterday and it seems that the Acura gives a lot more for the money than the Volvo. Any opinions?
  • ripinrocketripinrocket Member Posts: 157
    tgif,

    Where's the comparison? THe Accord EX-V6 is a $25K car at retail, while the 3.2TL-S is a $34K or so car at retail. I would expect more features, performance, quality in even a base 3.2TL over a Accord EX-V6, but a Type-S? Come on.

    sneufeld1,

    Yes, the 3.2TL is a better value. The 3.2TL, even 3 years later, is still the best value in the entry level luxury segment, IMO.
  • mattanders1mattanders1 Member Posts: 10
    taht is significantly below invoice, unless maybe they gave you $2,000 lesson your trade-in.
  • ripinrocketripinrocket Member Posts: 157
    If he traded in a car chances are they juggled the numbers around to make it seem like he paid under invoice for his Accord but he might have really not.
  • huthut Member Posts: 3
    Hi, guys, no trade in. It is just a good deal. I think you can get this, too. Especialy since Accord 2002 is coming out pretty soon.

    Trust me. There is no reason why I post trash on the net where I got loads of good information.

    Good luck!
    Hut
  • ripinrocketripinrocket Member Posts: 157
    I bought my Accord last June for invoice, so I guess under invoice is possible in a slowing auto market.
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