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With commentary on today’s Acura TL review struggling to move past the sedan’s jarring styling, this seems like a good time to discuss alternatives to the TL… or, at least the alternatives to that jangly beak. Remember, even if you like your TL enough to get past the “distinctive” looks, the rest of us still have to look at it. Here, for your consideration, are a number of ways to improve the looks of the TL, starting with Acura’s official cure, the “Full Nose Mask.”
Once again, the Nose Mask.
Acura’s other official fix: a “midnight chrome” sport grille.
Aftermarket firm RonJon makes several grilles as well.
But, for some, there is only one way to fix the TL’s front-end styling…
32 Comments on “How Do You Fix An Acura TL’s Looks?...”
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How about a large paper bag?
How bout an incendiary rocket launcher?
A brick wall at 65 mph…
There you go! Full nose mask, less than $200 bucks! Black Acura, black mask, tinted windows, GO SAVE GOTHAM!
I appreciate how the solutions get progressively better as you scroll down the page.
How about a $10 rubber mallet from Home Depot
How about a botched lasik job or with some cannibis?
Sorry, but covering the front bumper still leaves the horrible rear exposed – unless they will sell a rear bumper mask as well.
Whenever I’m following one of these atrocities I try to switch lanes so I don’t have to even look at that disgusting rear end.
As a previous Integra, Legend Sedan and Legend Coupe and NSX owner, I am truly sad at the direction Acura has taken – what a shame.
The ron jon is not that bad. Can you get it without the badge?
Call me crazy (you wouldn’t be the first), but the first RonJon car made me wonder for a second how a Chevy Volt picture got stuck into the gallery.
Your not crazy… I thought that same thing.
Best fix – just paint it the same color as the car. http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd162/mugen_kid/IMG_5789.jpg
Same goes for the 3-bar Ford grill on the Fusion, once painted the same color as the car it improves the looks 10 fold.
You could always try a 12 pack. It works with women.
But what happens when you wake up the next morning and find it in your garage?
Be a gentleman. Offer a ride home, of course.
The Ron Jon grill is quite tasteful! Should have been done like that from the beginning.
+1 The problem with the RonJon nose is it costs $700 on top or the cost of the Acura TL. The RonJon grill or a licensed copy should go directly to the factory in Marysville and the current OEM part should probably be discontinued.
Acura’s other official fix: a “midnight chrome” sport grille.
That picture looks like a modified Chevy Volt, if you ask me, looks a lot better than the current TL. That last TL was so nice looking. Ugly stick found this one.
Anything is an improvement, but what about the rear? Maybe you can get a sheet of plywood, cut it to 2′ x 6′ and bungee it across the back , then cut out holes for the tail lamps and license plate? Oh , at some point you just have to throw in the towel Still , you know what’s underneath.
This may just be the funniest thread I’ve read yet on TTAC.
Skip this model and wait ’til the next generation comes out.
What has Honda done in the last 10 years that gives you any hope that the next generation will NOT be uglier?
Reminds me of the current iphone fix. Buy something to fix something that is a faulty design. If Apple can do it , why not Acura?
Seriously , Under Mr. Honda’s reign a design that falls this far from popular would have been changed within 90 days.Today the Honda bean counters have full control and can be heard saying “volume of this car does not warrant any redesign, and it’s 100% functional.” Alas, there’s the rub. Ugly design means no sales , no sales means no dollars for improvement. Honda lays lots of eggs…… (Insight,Ridgeline,RL) but so far Honda continues to bask in the glow of the Civic & Accord. Don’t peek behind the curtain…the Wizzard isn’t what you perceive him to be.
Normally I’m a duct-tape-&-trash-bag kinda guy, and for some situations I would consider asking the local skate community to come art my ride, but in the case of a current-gen Acura there may be only one solution:
http://visualfunhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/camouflaged-volkswagen-beetle-illusion.jpg
I think the only solution is to buy a different car.
Why is it that Honda has gone from being leading the technology charge to chasing GM in the “mid-lux” segment? I’ve certainly switched brands after buying a string of 5 Acuras.
The only solution is to throw the entire body away and start over. For every car in their stable.
Best way to fix it is to not buy one and when sales drop to such low levels those who green lighted it get demoted or moved to other positions where they can’t cause so much damage and hopefully someone with a clue green lights something better.
How can they make the 1g TSX – such a beautifully designed car from front to rear – make some small designed changes on the outside and make it hideous with so little work.
The TL is known as the Honda Accord Euro in most markets. It outsells the fugly and dull US Accord about 10 to 1 here in Australia, even though the US Accord is about $5k cheaper and better equipped and has a plush ride compared to the hard as nails suspension in the “sporty” Euro. In fact, I see more New Beetles than I see US Accords.
Honestly, there is a huge disconnect between styling tastes in the US versus everywhere else. I think this car and the UK built Civic hatch are the best things out of Honda in a very long time.
Don’t get me wrong, sedans are completely useless as family haulers and completely unsuitable for pretty much everyone else unless you’re approaching 90 and have very low expectations, so I’m not likely to buy one soon. But if I had no choice but to get a sedan, this one would be it.
thanks,
Andrew
the EU/UK Civic hatch is gorgeous. so futuristic.
then we (Europe) got the Civic sedan with the
different front. “WHY in hellll????”
hatch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2006_Honda_Civic_5-door.jpg
sedan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:06-07_Honda_Civic_LX_Sedan.jpg
EDIT: btw, (info for the hatch version)
in case of a front collision, the H sign retracts so that less injury is
inflicted on the pedestrian
Andrew, I think you’re confusing the TL(based on the American Honda Accord,and assembled alongside it in Ohio) with the smaller TSX. In Europe, what is sold as the Accord is, in the States, the Acura TSX. If you’ll toggle between the Australian Accord Euro site and the American Acura site, you’ll find this to be the case, as well. But,as you wrote about Australia, sales of Accords (as well as larger Toyota models)in Europe are surprisingly low compared with the States. A typical middle class car in Europe is the VW Golf, and even many police forces favor Golfs and other similar-size cars for patrolling.
How Do You Fix An Acura TL’s Looks?
sell it and buy a car that isn’t fugly
The Acura Burqa — an elegant, inexpensive solution.
The TL with a bra looks exactly like a smiling Lightning McQueen.