By the early 2010s, if you wanted a sports sedan with a slick-shifting manual transmission, the pickings were already getting slim. The Germans were once the champions of this arena, pairing the transmission option with powerful, smooth engines and optional AWD systems. However, you couldn’t miss the shift towards automatic and dual-clutch options, both of which offered greater durability, power, and faster lap times. If they were moving away from the transmissions, who in their right mind would be running towards them?
Acura, that’s who. Yes, the reserved, elegant luxury brand was tired of the accusations that it offered little more than gussied-up Hondas, so it decided to put its money where its mouth is, and produce a genuine sports sedan with a powerful V6, its advanced Super-Handling AWD system, and a six-speed manual to control it all. It wasn’t planned, it was a passion project cooked up by passionate employees, but the six-speed Acura TL SH-AWD would go on to be one of the most interesting and compelling cars of its era, yet hardly anyone remembers it even existed, which is sad, because it’s the kind of sports sedan that just isn’t available anymore.
A Manual AWD Acura That Shouldn’t Have Existed
Front 3/4 profile of the 2009 – 2011 Acura TLAcura
As with many of these stories, it started with a few renegade engineers. According to Motor Trend, which test drove the pre-production six-speed TL in 2008, a group of engineers at the company came up with the harebrained scheme of outfitting the sedan with the manual. A model with the new Super Handling AWD system was chosen, and then plenty of work went into the suspension and steering system to ensure it all meshed. They immediately fell in love, and after insisting that the higher-ups at the company drive it, so did management.
There wasn’t a big market for such a model then, but it was just enough to justify putting it into production. It was never going to be a volume seller, but it could be just the model to steal away some more BMW and Mercedes-Benz-loving individuals. While it wasn’t ready for the launch of the new TL in 2009, it arrived a year later in 2010, and it came with a host of upgrades that targeted individuals looking for more than just some leather seats and a nice badge.
Rear 3/4 profile of the 2009 – 2011 Acura TLAcura
But it did have those things. The fourth-generation TL was more of an evolution rather than a revolution, but it did make waves with the cars’ bolder styling. Acura called it “Keen Edge Dynamic”, and while it was “edgy” and “dynamic”, we can’t say too many were “keen” on it. It gave off a hawkish appearance, dominated by the big, chrome shield grille in the front, and a similar motif in the rear. Along with a slightly longer wheelbase and half a foot of extra sheet metal, there was no missing this car in the parking lot, and whether that was good or bad was in the eye of the beholder. Personally, in our modern world of massive grilles and exaggerated proportions, we somewhat like it, and feel the years have somehow softened the edges, and our opinion, of the car.
2014 Acura TL SH-AWD interiorAcura
On the inside, everything was eerily similar to the Honda Accord of the same era, such is the joys of platform sharing. But while the Honda was undeniably utilitarian in its offering, the Acura was much more pampering and comfortable. Some of the plastic was still there, but now there was an interesting matte-textured beltline that cascaded into the center console. Leather seating and steering wheel were standard, along with automatic climate control, an 8-speaker sound system, Bluetooth, a moonroof, and more.
As standard, it was very well-appointed, and could only be improved upon by adding the Technology Package, which gave you a rearview camera, an 8-inch display, tons of fancy connectivity that’s all controlled by your phone now, and nicer leather. Besides the rearview, we don’t see most of it as a necessity, but it was just a starting point, one that would be greatly improved by the driving experience anchored by the 6-speed manual.
Six-Speed Super Handling Performance In A Luxury Wrapper
2014 Acura TL SH-AWD front 3/4Acura
Let’s start with it then. The six-speed manual had close ratios and a new clutch system that promised better holding, reduced effort, and improved feel. As this was a Honda-derived unit, you can probably imagine how good it was, and if you can’t, you can always defer to Car and Driver’s assertion from the time that “There are a lot of good competitors bracketing the TL—some that put up better straight-line numbers and some we’d choose over it for a day at the track—but none has a better stick than this.”
The Super-Handling AWD system was, and is, rather exceptional. It debuted on the TL for this generation, and in most situations, it sent up to 90% of its power to the front wheels to ensure the most efficient operation. When more traction in the rear was needed, like for quicker launches, up to 70% of the power was sent to the rear, and of that torque, up to 100% could be sent to either the left or right rear wheels. As the rear is constantly overdriven by 1.7%, the car was able to counter understeer to an impressive degree, helping it drive like a much smaller car.
The manual transmission of the 2010 – 2014 Acura TLAcura
The SH-AWD models were mated strictly to a 3.7-liter V6, capable of outputting 305 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. It offered VTEC variable-lift timing on both the intake and exhaust valves, offering better high-end torque, while still achieving 17 city mpg and 25 highway mpg with the manual.
Further improvements came by way of the suspension, which benefited from improved springs, dampers, mounts, stronger drivehafts and CV joints, and a heavier-duty rear differential. The power steering was given a sportier tune, and the car was even given a hill start assist to make life for those in areas with real terrain a little easier. The company said this resulted in a lighter vehicle with better weight distribution.
2014 Acura TL SH-AWD engineAcura
There’s more, too, but the result was a vehicle that reviewers noted felt transformed. The feel the manual transmission offered helped to counter the still somewhat numb steering, and the AWD system pushed the car in whichever direction you chose. It just drove and did whatever you needed it to do, when you needed to do it. While the TL still wasn’t as tossable as some of its competitors, this was a sports sedan you could drive all year round, in any weather condition, in near-perfect comfort. For all intents and purposes, it was a success.
You Know You Want One, But Good Luck Finding It
2014 Acura TL SH-AWD front 3/4 Acura
The 2010 to 2011 Acura TL SH-AWD 6MT holds a unique status among US auto enthusiasts, translating to noticeably higher market values than its automatic counterparts. Combining a 305-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 with Acura’s torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive and a precise six-speed manual gearbox, this pre-facelift fourth-generation sedan accounted for under five percent of total TL production.
2014 Acura TL SH-AWD interiorAcura
Consequently, secondary market pricing varies significantly based on mileage, condition, and maintenance history. Higher-mileage daily drivers (over 120,000 miles) typically trade between $8,000 and $11,000. Well-maintained, medium-mileage examples (70,000 to 100,000 miles) routinely command $12,000 to $16,000.
Exceptionally clean, low-mileage, or unmodified collector-grade models featured on enthusiast auction platforms like Bring a Trailer or Cars & Bids can fetch $16,000 to $22,000 or more. Key factors influencing top dollar include completed timing belt services and documented management of the J37 engine’s known oil consumption tendencies. Due to its rare blend of analog mechanical engagement, Japanese reliability, and all-weather traction, the 6MT SH-AWD remains a resilient modern classic with strong value retention.
Keep in mind that this is a sublime driving experience that doesn’t exist anymore. There isn’t a single naturally aspirated V6, AWD, manual sports sedan on sale anymore.
Source: Acura, MotorTrend
