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Ride with Tender Lovin’
Car of Choice: 2005 Acura TL
Point A: I-94 East of Ann Arbor, Michigan
Point B: Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, Illinois
Arms full, I pried the deep-blue door open with my hip. I handed her the cup and hands freed up, reaching in to roll back the ridged cover of the cup holder. I secured our treats -- my coffee creamed by swirling soymilk, hers jet black and kicking as steam piped into the crisp morning air.
It was early and I knew she wouldn’t need caffeine to perk her up, but it would be gone within 30 miles. She always sprang out of bed like she was chasing the checkered flag, as I on the other hand, was still wiping sleep from my eyes. Perhaps I relaxed, because I knew she would be on top of the mission with a plan. All I had to do was drive.
Few things in life can be counted on, but the ones that pull through certainly make the ride that much sweeter, like the Acura TL, our trusty chariot. Smart, sensible, safe, well put together -- with a little bit of extra spunk -- and most importantly, down for the long haul. The Acura is not a bad looking car - it’s not flashy, and it’s the kind of ride that works for a young buck or a seasoned driver. It never hurts to have a Tender-Loving-Car on your side. Just like my travel companion, my mother.
But the Acura had to live up to the hype -- charged with toting us from suburban Detroit to Chicago in the midst of the Midwest wild -- where the weather is always unpredictable. We needed something that was comfortable, yet nimble and tough enough to weave and bob through Chi-town streets without attracting too much attention. The Acura with a 3.2-liter V-6 engine and automatic tranny was it.
 
 
We agreed that we wanted to get an early start -- and so there we were 7 a.m. East Coast time, about to go back in time to Central. We could make the 300-mile trek from Detroit to Chicago in four hours – if weather and weekend trippers cooperated. With adjustable leather-trimmed lumbar support seats, this didn’t seem too long to be lounging. Yet shots of precipitation could delay our journey if we ran into Lake Michigan’s blustery effect.
The Acura TL also knows how to handle a budget, getting 29 miles per gallon on the open road and sporting Honda’s rep for long-term reliability and reassuring resale value.
First order of business: plot the route. I introduced my map-loving mother to navigation, which I knew she would warm up to as yet another version of fact-gathering Heaven. I focused in on I-94 and left her to play as I settled on an XM station we could both jam to -- Channel 64, The Groove -- with plenty of 70s soul for an easy ride. Like the chords to the song, the hum of the race-inspired engine at work seemed perfectly in tune as the music revved like the 270 -horsepower working it out below.
Steering was nimble and despite 18-wheelers barreling past us, the accurate Acura was steadfast, bearing down on the plotted course. Though Acura teeters into the midsize luxury category, it differs from Germanic preferences for rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. But, sometimes it’s not about using all fours or just the hind legs. After all, Honda manufactures more engines than any other company in the game. Acura TL goes to battle with some big dogs - the Big Bad BMW 3-Series, the Chrysler 300 and the Infiniti G35. But, it’s a trusty fighter, and is perhaps why it’s emerged as the top seller in its category.
Just like that I looked down, and we had knocked out 250 miles. It’s astonishing that a simple, solid sedan can be so smooth. A few minutes later, Lake Shore Drive beckoned as TL, Mom and I hit the pavement running. |
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