The Newly Redesigned 2012 Acura TL

Exterior Styling Changes
When Acura smoothed out the front and rear of the TL, they also decreased aerodynamic drag by 5.4 percent. Engine performance was also increased by re-routing the air intake so it takes in more outside air, which is much cooler and provides more horsepower than air that is inside the engine compartment. These changes improved the fuel economy of the AWD model by 5 percent and the FWD model by 11 percent. The design changes have also made the 2012 Acura TL much nicer to look at.
Performance Increases
The handling of the 2012 model has also been improved compared to past model years. New Goodyear RS-A all-season tires come standard on the top of the line SH-AWD trim level. Together with a steering system that has been completely redone, the 2012 Acura TL hugs the road like a sports car. The new tires also do not cost as much to replace as the previous summer tires that used to ship with the top trim levels. Expensive tires had been one of the major customer complaints about the 2009-11 models. The steering can adjust depending on road speed and G forces and provides a much more satisfying driving experience overall.

Improvements have also been made to other components under the hood. A new six-speed transmission shifts much quicker than the previously used five-speed model. The 2012 model uses paddle shifters on the steering wheel, making gear changes easy and seamless. It is also still available with a six-speed manual transmission for drivers who want to have the most control possible. The Sequential Sportshift automatic transmission also has new features which will come in handy during more spirited driving sessions. These include a mode in which the driver can choose to skip gears when downshifting quickly without fear of doing any damage to the transmission. The Sequential Sportshift will also automatically blip the throttle on all downshifts, making them smoother and eliminating any chance of wheel hop, which can be a problem when quickly downshifting a manual transmission with a clutch. Another new feature, Cornering G Shift Control, has sensors that will prevent the car from upshifting if it senses the car is currently cornering. This helps keep engine RPM as high as possible for a good launch off the corner.
All of these features together make the 2012 Acura TL the best TL yet. It still has the luxurious interior and exterior styling people come to expect from Acura, with plenty of performance thrown in.