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2005 Acura EL Premium Road Test

4-11-2005

by Alexandra Straub


Driving Peace of Mind

The Acura EL is a plain-Jane kind of car, in my opinion. It offers reliable and comfortable transportation with a few extra

While the Acura EL is sort of a plain-Jane car, my driving experiences with it have always been pleasant and relaxed. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
goodies like an optional leather-trimmed interior and such amenities as power windows and locks, keyless entry, optional power-operated moonroof, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and EBD, alloy wheels, air conditioning and cruise control, but it's not a vehicle that knocks my socks off. However, my driving experiences with the EL have always been pleasant and relaxed. The EL I drove most recently came equipped with an optional four-speed automatic transmission, featuring grade logic control and a lockup torque converter, which was linked to the 1.7-litre, 16-valve, four-cylinder SOHC engine that produces 127 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 114 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. The

The EL I drove most recently came equipped with an optional four-speed automatic transmission, linked to the 127-hp 1.7-litre, 16-valve, four-cylinder SOHC engine. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
engine doesn't have a ton of power, but it's extremely refined and refreshingly fuel efficient, ideal for city driving and highway coasting. I have to admit to being kind of relieved that I had an automatic transmission, which is an unusual thing for me to say, but the last few cars I tested were manuals and I just wanted a break from shifting. Because of the nominal horsepower and even lower torque, the engine often gets a little loud or revy when needing to accelerate a little faster, especially ascending up hills, which I do often since I live near one, but the gear transitions were always smooth and never jerky.

My pleasant and relaxed experiences came mainly from the smooth-riding and strong-handling characteristics of the car. The

My pleasant and relaxed experiences came mainly from the smooth-riding and strong-handling characteristics of the car. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
P195/60R15 all-season tires wrapped around 15-inch alloy wheels enhance the four-wheel independent suspension, which is comprised of a front toe control-link independent strut with coil springs and rear double-wishbones with coil springs, creating a soft but sturdy suspension with good grip. In addition, the variable power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering connecting through to the leather-wrapped steering wheel allowed me to execute turns with precision and ease. The wheel was very well designed, making it easy to grip it at the optimum 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, not to mention that the leather felt soft and supple in my hands.

As mentioned, the EL Premium comes with a leather-trimmed interior. The front bucket seats are quite comfortable to sit in, plus they come standard with seat warmers. I know it is spring, but when I go to the gym or to work early in the morning, I love starting my day off with

The interior also includes both wood-print trim and silver accents which, in my opinion, don't work all that well together. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
warm buns! Besides, the leather still gets a little crisp after a cold night in the garage. The interior also includes both wood-print trim and silver accents which, in my opinion, don't work all that well together. It almost seems like Acura was trying too hard to amalgamate both a sporty and sophisticated interior into one, but the overall effect struggles to properly blend the two trim lines together. For me, it's either or. The brown and silver combo is not so hot. Still, if sporty and sophisticated is what you are looking for, holding out just a little longer until the redesigned Honda Civics hit the market in 2006 might just be the answer. After all, the Civic is, in essence, the same car as the EL. It's no secret.

Another reason why I feel relaxed behind the wheel of an EL is because I don't have to spend a fortune on fuel when it's

All in all the 2005 Acura EL is a decent little sedan with better than average fuel consumption, great handling and a strong list of standard features. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)
time for a fill up. And with gas prices hovering above the $1.00/litre mark, the less a car consumes the better. To get specific, the EL's estimated fuel consumption is 7.9 L/100 km in the city and 6.0 L/100 km on the highway. Because the EL is a nicely-sized small sedan, visibility is relatively good in all directions. It's easy to see around what would normally be blind spots, but a little trickier to see out of the rear. The trunk sits quite high, so backing up and parallel parking takes a little extra time.

All in all the 2005 Acura EL is a decent little sedan with better than average fuel consumption, great handling and a strong list of standard features. It offers its driver comfort, convenience and reliability, and most importantly, peace of mind.

Specifications (Premium):