Why does this car keep winning comparison tests?

Author's Rating:

Pros: Refinement, upscale interior fit and finish, excellent shifter, precise handling, price

Cons: Engine a bit introverted, styling nothing special, tight trunk passthrough

The Bottom Line: 
Excellent handling and extensive array of features for the price. But I'm still waiting for the Type-S.

Author's Review
Back in September 2003 I drove the then-new Acura TSX and was mildly impressed. I liked the precise handling, loads of features, and high level of refinement, but the car just didn't excite me.

Since then, the TSX has won or nearly won just about every comparison test it has been part of. Had I missed something in my test drive?

For 2006 the TSX has been freshened, so I took the opportunity to give the car another look. Like last time, I drove the six-speed manual. A five-speed manually-shiftable automatic.

Styling

The TSX is sized like the pre-1998 Accords, putting it on the border between a compact and a midsize. Its styling resembles some recent Alfa sedans we don't see in the U.S., especially in the sharply cut off rear end. Unlike its big brother the TL, it's not a strikingly beautiful car. Many no doubt find it plain. But it does look a bit different than anything else in the U.S. market.

For 2006 the car gets standard fog lights and slightly more aggressive styling along the lower part of the body. Unfortunately, the wheels gain a couple of spokes, for a total of nine, which is a move in a less sporty direction. Perhaps a slight improvement overall, but most people won't notice that anything has changed.

Inside the TSX more resembles the Honda Accord and Acura TL. For trim, tan interiors have fake wood, charcoal interiors have fake aluminum. I prefer the look of the latter. The wood, a medium orangish shade as in the TL, doesn't look very sporting. The blue circles in the instrument graphics are a bit strange. Reportedly the instruments light up neon blue at night like VW instruments.

The interior material quality seems a half-step up from the Accord. Fits are very tight and precise, and the dash and doors feel solid, as in a European car. The Mazda6, for example, looks and feels downscale inside in comparison. The new Toyota Camry does a bit better than the Mazda, but suffers from hard plastic bits on the door panels and doors that don't make as solid a whoomph when shut. The TSX's front doors do good whoomph.

I did note a couple of fit and finish issues this time around. In both the TL and TSX Acura tends to not quite align the door and dash trim. And the more puckered leather of the redesigned 2006 seats had a large pucker along a seam in the TSX in the showroom. The seats' seams in general are on the wavy side. Small details, but I expect the best from a brand that proclaims its precision.

Accommodations

The driving position is good, with good visibility all around, though the dash is higher than in Hondas of yore. Last time around I requested more lateral support. The redesigned seats in the 2006, though still not aggressively bolstered, do provide more support than before. The bolsters might not be large, but they are spaced narrowly enough to make contact with my fairly slender (if not as slender as it should be) torso. Though not plush, the seats are well-shaped and comfortable.

As before, the rear seat cushion could be a bit higher to provide adequate thigh support. Rear seat room is adequate for two adults as long as the front seats aren't near the end of their travel. As in a BMW 3-Series, rear kneeroom is tight but generally adequate. Rear headroom is relatively abundant.

Trunk space is also just adequate. The hinges are the conventional sort. The rear seat folds in two parts to provide a pass through, but the opening is very small. Folding the small portion of the seat creates such a narrow opening it serves little point. More and more sedans have this limitation as the manufacturers seek to make body structures ever stiffer. The folding rear seat may be on its way out as a result.

On the Road

Power is nominally up five horses this year, to a total of 205. But the gain is actually at least twice this, as Honda has adopted the new, more restrictive SAE testing procedures.

Though less peaky than the smaller engine in the RSX, this four still lacks the torque of the sixes found in any number of similarly-priced Japanese midsize sedans. For a four-cylinder it's extremely smooth--last time around I hit the rev limiter more than once because the engine's note and feel provide no warning that the redline is approaching. At idle the engine is silent, and it's never loud.

Last time I felt that a bit more engine noise might lend some needed character to the car. This remains the case. Acura has refined its VTEC system to reduce the transition from the low-profile to the high-profile cam. They have perhaps succeeded too well. I sought a spot where the engine would suddenly come alive and scream to the redline, but failed to find it. Even at the 7,000 RPM redline--which is also where the engine's power peaks--the four calls little attention to itself, good or bad.

The shifter is among the best in a front-wheel-drive sedan. Throws are very low in effort, moderately short, and very crisp, recalling those in the RSX. My main complaint about the TSX shifter is easy to fix: the knob is very small in diameter. I suppose it's designed to be help lightly between the fingertips and flicked from gear to gear, but I sometimes prefer to get my whole hand around the things, especially on longish drives.

The TSX's compact size gives it a leg up over midsized Japanese cars in the handling department. All of those, especially the Altima but even the 6, feel too large and bulky to me.

Last time I noted that the the steering felt a bit light in effort for my taste. Since then I traded my Ford Contour SE for a Mazda Protege5. The latter car has far lighter steering than the Ford, and I have developed an appreciation for a car that can be delicately steered with the fingertips rather than a firm hand. The TSX is such a car.

Because its light, delicate feel, the TSX's steering is well-weighted, fairly quick, precise, and provides decent if not great feedback. The chassis feels light, nimble, and very balanced for a front-driver, with little in the way of understeer until the limit is approached. Lean in turns is significantly lower than in an Accord, and the TSX generally has a tauter feel than its sibling.

Even with chassis revisions for 2006, though, it's still not BMW Sport Package taut. Driving along my favorite, imperfectly paved curvy road, I noted how the composure of the TSX is more easily upset than that of the compact BMW. Hit a bump mid-turn, and the car bobbles about a bit. Similarly, it has a touch of float over rises in the road. It's still better in this regard than the majority of sedans, but it's not the best.

The compliant suspension tuning affords a smooth ride over most surfaces. Noise of all sorts is largely absent. This is a quiet car.

As with the engine, the main thing that kept me from deeply enjoying the handling of the TSX is the bias towards comfort and refinement--an absence of sensation detracts from the fun at anything short of crazy speeds. While I appreciated the delicate feel of the car more this time around, I'm still not in love with the whole package.

Acura TSX Price Comparisons and Pricing

The two most popular comparisons (base to base, without rebates, adjusted for feature differences):

Honda Accord (V6): $1,700 more at MSRP, $1,300 more at invoice

BMW 325i (with HK audio): $8,800 more at MSRP, $8,200 more at invoice

One thing that draws many people to the TSX is the lengthy array of standard equipment. Xenon headlamps, Bluetooth connectivity (new for 2006), memory for the heated driver's seat (ditto), satellite radio, and a 360-watt premium sound system aren't often included in a $28,000 pricetag. A lengthy list of safety features including stability control and six airbags is also standard.

Alternatives to the TSX have fewer features, cost more, or both. You can get a more powerful engine elsewhere for the same money, but it won't come in as nicely equipped or as solidly constructed a car. Said car also won't handle as delicately or precisely as the TSX. This is why the compact TSX keeps winning the comparisons.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Acura TSX:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/TSX.php

Last Words

The TSX remains technically excellent. But the revisions for 2006, though generally in the right direction, did not yield the Type-S I asked for back in 2003. I can better appreciate the delicate handling now, but the engine even after its power boost continues to do little for me. As before, those into comfort, refinement, and a generally upscale feel for well under thirty grand will be happy with this car. Myself, I continue to desire a more visceral driving experience than the TSX provides.

A stronger, more vocal engine would likely do the trick, especially if combined with some aggressively bolstered seats. The engines in the Accord V6 and Acura TL are more satisfying. On the other hand, those car's don't handle as tightly or precisely as the TSX. If forced to choose, I'd go with the handling of the TSX over the more exciting engines in those cars. But I'd prefer to not have to choose.

A note on Acura TSX Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a TSX rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Acura TSX reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the TSX--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. For non-participants, this access will cost $24.95.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

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Some of my reviews of related vehicles:Acura TL review
Audi A4 2.0T review
BMW 325i review and BMW 330i review
Cadillac CTS review
Honda Accord review
Infiniti G35 review
Lexus IS review
Lincoln Zephyr review
Mazda6 review
Mercedes C-Class review
Saab 9-3 review
Subaru Legacy GT review
VW Jetta review
Volvo S40 review