Acura TL

The TL — short for 'Touring Luxury' — replaced the Vigor for 1996 and ran for four generations until 2014, when the TLX absorbed both the TL and TSX. First generation (1996-1998) was Japan-built with two engines: a 2.5-litre five-cylinder and a 3.2-litre V6. Second generation (1999-2003) moved production to Marysville, Ohio, V6-only, and added the Type-S in 2002 with 260 hp. The third generation (2004-2008) was the high point — a sharper-driving sedan with 270 hp standard and 286 hp on the 6-speed manual Type-S, well-reviewed and Acura's best-seller. The fourth generation (2009-2014) introduced Acura's controversial 'Power Plenum' shield grille, but more importantly added the SH-AWD all-wheel-drive system, an optional 305-hp 3.7-litre V6, and a six-speed manual on the 3.7 SH-AWD — a full-size luxury sedan with three pedals and AWD, which is rare. The 1999-2003 cars are infamous for transmission failures (Honda extended the warranty to 109k miles); buyers should look for replaced transmissions with March 2005 or later production dates that include the redesigned 3rd-gear clutch pack.