The redesigned Acura TL has a smile on its face.
Or at least the chrome across the grille looks a lot like a smile, or maybe even a smirk.
Honda of America hopes the Ohio-built sedan can help breathe new life into its luxury brand.
The fourth-generation TL had its coming-out party yesterday at the Honda assembly plant in Marysville, about five weeks before customers can buy one. The new version is larger, more powerful and looks different from its predecessor inside and out.
The front grille, with the chrome and the smilelike shape spread across the negative space, is a signature of design changes across the Acura line.
The TL is also notable for its rear, which is higher and more prominent than the demure hindquarters of its predecessor.
The TL has been the mainstay of the Acura line since the model was introduced in 1999. Its numbers have slipped this year, with 27,642 TL models sold through July, down 23 percent from the same period last year.
The sluggish sales follow two years of declines in annual sales. A Honda spokesman said the drop is largely because so much time has passed since the previous redesign in the 2004 model year.
And here's specifications for the new Acura TL:
Engine type: 3.5-liter V-6
Horsepower: 280
Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
Length: 195.3 inches
Width: 74.0 inches
Weight: 3,708 pounds
Fuel: premium unleaded
Fuel tank: 18.5 gallons
EPA mileage: 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Braking system: dual-diagonal, power-assisted, four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock braking system, electronic brake distribution and brake assist
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