AskMen.com’s review of the 2009 Acura RL fair as far as we can tell. Typical to AskMen.com form, they summarize their review with a number between 1 – 100 and a variant of some symbol we all learned in 7th grade biology class. There are a total of 3 scoring categories; performance, design and overall.

While the RL is the flagship for Acura, it’s also the most outdated vehicle in the 5 car line up. It is now smaller in stature and provides less horsepower than its “lower-level” 2009 TL sibling. However, the RL still packs enough new features and technology to keep it fresh. And what’s more, it proves that Acura can take a clean-sheet design and build a proper luxury car.

In the performance category, AskMen.com gave the RL a 75. According to Justin Kaehler, “Pressing the “go” pedal results in a lazy yet quick shove of acceleration. The car feels more alert should the gear selector find its way into sport mode, but the transmission has obviously been tuned more for smoothness than speed.”

In the design category, AskMen.com gave the 2009 RL a 55. As we mentioned earlier, the RL is the oldest car in Acura’s line up, so its design is a bit dated. Though it was slightly refreshed this year with the new Acura standard issue grill and sweeping taillights, the RL blends in to a sea of nondescript sedans.

AskMen.com concluded the review of the 2009 Acura RL by saying, “It may not have devastatingly good looks or track-worthy performance, but the RL is one of the nicer sedans we’ve ever been in.”

[Source: AskMen.com]