For every Bette Midler or Barbra Streisand, who see no need to succumb to a plastic surgeon’s scalpel, it seems like there are 10 celebrities who get rhinoplasty.

For every Adrien Brody or Karl Malden, whose prodigious proboscises helped propel their careers, there are 10 Michael Jacksons who aren’t satisfied with the “schnozz” God gave them.

So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Acura decided to boost the popularity of its TL midsize luxury touring sedan by giving it a nose job.

Not that I thought it was necessary. When Acura introduced its fourth-generation TL for the 2009 model year, I thought it was hotter than Megan Fox or Brooklyn Decker.

I loved the chiseled snout and angular rear end, both accentuated by chunks of chrome.

I loved the fact that the TL looked simultaneously sinister and sexy, like a heroine in a “Street Fighter” video game.

And I loved the fact that Acura was bold enough to try to visually distinguish its entry in a class filled with great vehicles.

But I may have been in the minority, because the distinctive looking TL didn’t sell very well. Less than 34,000 TLs were sold during the 2009 calendar year, fewer than any year since 1998 and a huge drop from the more than 78,000 TLs sold in 2005.

A sour economy certainly contributed to the TL’s popularity plunge, which extended through 2010. But Acura obviously thought it was time to see if a new look might result in a sales surge and in March introduced the 2012 TL with a nose job and butt reduction surgery.

Up front, there’s a noticeable “de-chroming” along with a sleeker front bumper and less gaping grille opening. The headlights, turn signals and fog lights have all been restyled. As a result of these changes, the snout doesn’t protrude past the front wheels as much as it did.

It’s a similar story in the rear, where a new bumper, smaller reflectors, repositioned license plate holder and a thinner trunk edge trim add up to a shorter, tighter posterior.

It may be too soon to draw any conclusions, but the public hasn’t seemed to notice. According to the company’s sales figures, Acura sold a few more TLs this April than last. But sales were down over 18 percent in May and June compared to those months in 2010.

I can’t understand why, because the TL is a terrific and competitively priced car. While I preferred the previous design, it’s hard to imagine anyone finding fault with the TL’s sharp, new styling.

Although the restyling is its most conspicuous update, the TL benefits from some other modifications.

Foremost is a new, six-speed automatic transmission that improves drivability and helps boost fuel economy. City mileage is the same as last year, but the EPA highway rating for front-wheel drive TLs jumps three mpg.

Acura attributes some of that to friction-reducing internal engine modifications, but the extra forward gear and a new torque converter with a broader lock-up range undoubtedly help the most.

The new six-speed matches most competitors and delivers better shifting than last year’s five-speed. The new automatic delivers very smooth yet quick up- and downshifts in response to the driver’s throttle input and steering wheel paddle-shifting.

Unlike many cars, the TL’s automatic will hold the driver’s chosen gear even when its engine reaches redline RPM. I love that.

I loved the engine in my 2012 TL test car, too. Front-drive TLs such as the one I drove are fitted with a 3.5-liter V6 said to produce 280 horsepower and 254 pounds-feet of torque.

All-wheel drive TLs — the only ones available with a six-speed manual — come with a 3.7-liter V6 rated at 305 horsepower and 273 pounds-feet of torque. The extra power more than compensates for about 240 pounds of additional weight, but the combination also drops fuel economy 2-3 mpg in the city and 3-4 mpg on the highway (depending on whether the TL has an automatic or manual transmission.

I’m not sure how much quicker the TL is with the larger engine, but the 3.5-liter V6 was totally satisfying in my front-drive test car. It was quick off the line and passed effortlessly at highway speeds. There was never a time when I craved more power

Or a better ride or handling. Acura’s TL isn’t as much fun to drive as a BMW 3- or 5-Series because it never develops as intimate a relationship with its driver. But it is nevertheless deft and responsive enough to be plenty of fun on winding back roads.

It also provided uncompromisingly poised and comfortable transit during a 13-hour round-trip interstate journey that included a few hundred miles of slogging through a downpour.

The rain wasn’t unexpected because the test car was equipped with an “AcuraLink Communication System” that provides real-time traffic and weather information. That system was part of an optional “Tech Package” that adds about $3,700 to the TL’s base price.

Add another $2,200 for the “Advance Package,” and you’ve got an MSRP of $41,535. But you’ve also got a well-rounded luxury touring sedan that is bristling with features and costs less — in some cases considerably less — than most of its competitors.

When it comes to value, the 2012 Acura TL is already a winner. But if its new styling eventually leads to a sales resurgence, analysts might look back and conclude it won by a nose.

Scott Wasser is executive editor of MaineToday Media. He writes a weekly auto column for the Sunday Telegram and other newspapers. He can be reached at

swasser@pressherald.com.