Acceleration, front-seat comfort, fit and finish, fuel economy, reliability.
Lows:
Steering feel, rear seat, small trunk opening.
The freshened 2012 TL is a pleasant car, but no longer excels in this class. Its slick 3.5-liter V6 and six-speed automatic form a strong powertrain that returns a good 24 mpg overall. We found the handling taut and the ride compliant, but the vague steering is short on feedback. Road noise stands out in the otherwise quiet interior. The front seats are well shaped and supportive but the rear seat is tight. The well-finished interior is cluttered with buttons, even without the optional navigation system. IIHS crash-test results are impressive. An AWD model with a 3.7-liter V6 and tauter suspension is also available.
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