The CL's instrument panel is identical to the TL sedan's. It is clean in appearance and efficient in design, with high-grade switches that work with a soft, satisfying click. The no-magazine CD changer is handy: simply load up to six discs, one at a time, into the slot.

Standard safety features include dual-stage front airbags that deploy at different rates depending on the severity of a crash, and a position-detection system for the passenger side airbag, borrowed from Acura's big RL sedan. Six sensors determine the stature and position of whoever is sitting in the passenger seat; so the airbag won't fire if a child happens to be leaning against the door.

While the focus in the CL falls toward the front of the cabin, there's a surprising amount of space in back. All interior dimensions are larger than those in Acura's 2000 3.0 CL (and among the largest in the class), for an overall increase of 4.6 cubic feet in cabin space. The two-place back seat leaves enough room for medium-sized adults, and it's easy to climb into. The electric sliding mechanism on the front passenger seat works more quickly than any we've encountered, yet the seat stops sliding back with any hint of obstruction for improved safety.

The CL's trunk is impressively roomy, too; with 13.9 cubic feet of space it's one of the largest among similarly sized coupes (the C70 has 13.1 cubic feet, the CLK 11.0). Acura's engineers claim the CL's trunk will hold four golf bags. We can't vouch for that, but we can tell you that the CL will handle more suitcases than two people will need for a one-week trip, with room left for most of a professional photographer's shooting gear.