by Martha Hindes
(excerpted from the June 2009 issue of Sister 2 Sister magazine)

The adage “be careful what you wish for or you just might get it” holds true for a lot of things. Applied to Acura’s premium TL sports sedan, redesigned for 2009, it could be considered prophetic. After all, how many times have you seen a car drive down the street wearing a permanent smirk on its face?

Elbowing into the winner’s circle

If a stylish front grille with a wicked “smile” seems conflicted, know that there’s history behind the 2009 TL’s bold new look. Dedicated TL lovers had been begging for a visual move from safe to edgy. And while previous updates made noticeable changes, they hadn’t created many waves. Evident in the background was the TL’s close bloodline with the mainstream Accord sedan (from parent company Honda)—perhaps too close for some. After all, a car that kicked off near the $40,000 luxury range should have a feeling of exclusivity, not of extended family.

The TL’s redesign was meant to challenge entry-level luxury autos from Audi and BMW with their fearless Germanic images. To elbow its way into the same winner’s circle, the new TL’s planes and edges were ratcheted up from cautiously restyled to dramatic. It had grown a bit in size for added interior room; then there was that unexpected new face, derived from front features of earlier models but with a slash and burn presence of its own. It made me feel emboldened as I hit the aluminum start button to kick the engine to life.

Pick up the June 2009 issue of Sister 2 Sister magazine for more on the Acura TL.