Acura EL Touring/EL Premium The EL’s 4-cylinder 1.7-litre engine is borrowed from the top-of-the-line Civic Si, and it makes 127 hp to the more pedestrian 115 hp that comes with the Civic’s lower lines. A $1,400 difference separates the EL’s base price from the Civic Si, covering such add-ons as four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, side air bags, six speakers instead of four, and fog lights.
New for 2005 are a power moonroof on both trim models, and a new interior wood trim colour on Premium. Both models come with a 5-speed manual transmission that can be upgraded to a 4-speed automatic.
The EL Touring comes very generously equipped, including 15-inch, 7-spoke alloy wheels, fabric interior, leather-wrapped steering wheel, air conditioning, power windows and locks, and power heated mirrors.
The EL Premium adds 15-spoke 15-inch wheels, leather-trimmed interior and heated front seats.
That said, the EL provides a starting point for buyers who want to move into the Japanese “big three” luxury marques: the least expensive Lexus is $37,990, while it takes $39,900 to step into Infiniti. Acura has priced this model to appeal to those who prefer an “A” to an “H” on their trunk lid, or to tap into the lucrative tuner-car market, where Acura commands slightly more “street cred” over its Honda sibling.