What kind of transmission does the Acura TL have?
The Acura TL uses primarily traditional automatic transmissions, with a six-speed manual option available only on the TL Type-S variant of the second generation.
The following article explains how transmissions varied across the TL’s three generations, including gear counts and the availability of manual versus automatic gearboxes.
Transmission options by generation
Here is a concise breakdown by generation of what transmissions were offered and when a manual gear was available.
- 1999–2003 (First generation): Standard 4-speed automatic transmission; no factory manual option was offered.
- 2004–2008 (Second generation): Standard 5-speed automatic transmission; the performance-oriented TL Type-S offered a 6-speed manual transmission.
- 2009–2014 (Third generation): 5-speed automatic transmission with available SH-AWD on some trims; no manual transmission option.
In summary, the TL began with a 4-speed automatic, moved to a 5-speed automatic with a 6-speed manual option on the Type-S during the middle generation, and ended with a 5-speed automatic in the last generation, with manuals not offered on non-Type-S trims.
TL Type-S specifics
The Type-S variant, part of the second generation, was equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. This was the defining manual option for the TL lineup.
Legacy and context
The TL line was discontinued after the 2014 model year, with the TLX succeeding it starting in 2015. Across its life, transmission technology evolved, but only the Type-S variant offered a manual gearbox in its era.
Summary: Across its three generations, the Acura TL primarily used automatic transmissions (4-speed in early years, 5-speed in later years), with a six-speed manual option available only on the TL Type-S during the second generation; later generations did not offer a factory manual option.
