ACURA RL 2008-2012 Photos, engines & full specs

The second generation of the Acura RL has received a mid-model change, as the Acura named the facelift, in 2008 for the 2009 model year. The improvements were found in most parts of the car.

After a slow start in the premium market, the luxury brand from Honda introduced the first generation of the RL in 1996 with a front-wheel-drive model. It was more of a name change from the European Honda Legend to the U.S. version named Legend. A similar name was used before in the U.S. by Honda and the Japanese car-maker didn't want to confuse its customers with the same names for both brands.

The second generation of the RL was introduced in 2004 and it featured an electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system, named Super Handling AWD. A computer sensed the cornering direction and speed and adjusted the torque sent to the wheels, aiding the cornering abilities of the car. Even though the vehicle was not a sports sedan, it was able to achieve good performances while cornering.

From the outside, the facelift showed the new design for the grille, which looked like a shield. New, 18” light-alloy wheels were installed as standard, replacing the 17” wheels from the no-mmc version. The MMC RL suspension was upgraded with higher-rate coil springs, larger diameter anti-sway bars and stiffer bushings all around.

The engine was upgraded from a 3.5-liter to a 3.7-liter unit and it was mated to the same 5-speed automatic gearbox, but with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.