Guide Note

The Acura RL is a mid-sized luxury car built in Saitama, Japan, by Honda. The first RL was built on January 4, 1996, to replace the Acura Legend.¹

Fast Facts

1. Manufacturer: Honda
2. Production: 1996-Present
3. Assembly: Saitama, Japan
4. Predecessor: Acura Legend
5. Luxury, Mid-Size
6. MSRP: $46,280 - 53,700²
7. Invoice: $41,560 - 48,212²
8. Fuel Economy: 16 mpg - (city), 22 mpg - (highway) and 19 mpg - (combined)³
9. First generation RLs: 1996-2004
10. Second generation RLs: 2005-2010
11. Wing-shaped crossbar grille³
12. All-wheel drive³
13. Five-speed automatic transmission³
14. Back-up camera³

"In road tests, we found that the Acura RL gets better the harder it's driven thanks to the SH-AWD system that tenaciously maintains traction. The ride is tuned more on the cushier side of the spectrum, so despite offering notable handling abilities, it is still principally designed to be a comfortable cruiser. Our chief complaint has been a lack of low-end grunt. Unlike its competitors, there is no V8 offered." —Edmunds.com review⁴

"The car was completely redesigned for 2005 as a larger and more luxurious vehicle, coming with the automaker's advanced Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive System and a long list of amenities. Its 3.5-liter V6 engine is more than adequate for what it is, but the RL still lacks a V8-powered model or rear-wheel drive." — Forbes Autos⁵