2007 Acura TSX Navi Road Test

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From Automobile.com

Several months ago we had the TSX in a near-premium sporty sedan throwdown that included several otherFWD contenders (see archives, January 19, 2007), and I liked it so much that I decided I wanted it again. While I, personally, didn't think it 'won' in every category, or in any category outright (okay, except the gearbox), I couldn't argue that it was probably a close second in almost every category (except power), reason enough to crown it as our overall pick. Between brand status, sporty performance, luxury features and technological sophistication, it gradually inches ahead of anything in that group (Mazda6, Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T, Volvo S40 T5), and after having it as my personal transportation for a week, I would have to rate it as one of the best luxury compacts on the market.

While Audi's turbocharged A4 2.0T has an edge in power, it also prices itself out of reach of so many working families once you get a sniff at the feature list. Pretty much the same goes for anything from Mercedes, BMW, Infiniti and even Lexus to some degree. In the luxury compact class, the TSX is the clear value leader, the entry price of $28,090 providing such an amazing array of equipment that I have to list it (I swear I don't get paid by theword). The list includes perforated leather seats, a power glass moonroof with sliding shade, HID headlights, a dual-zone climate control system, HandsFreeLink wireless phone interface, an auxiliary jack for digital music players, steering-wheel mounted switches to control the standard 360-watt sound system, 6-disc in-dash CD changer, cruise control and functions of the nav System. I won't pretend that I configured each of the competitors and priced them for comparative analysis, but with a fully loaded price of $30,090, which adds an easily mastered navigation system with voice recognition to the mix, most of the others are just starting to upgrade to leather seats.

So it's the cheapest, so what? It sure didn't feel like the cheapest when sat in the contoured leather driving seat and gripped the wheel for all it was worth as I pushed way past the level I would normally have expected understeer to kick in at, and push the car off line. It also didn't feel like thecheapest when I was talking to the ceiling over the Bluetooth connection or using the voice-command to set the nav system—okay I didn't do that last one, but I could have if I had needed directions anywhere. Sadly, I knew where I was going all week long. Shame on me.

I was not ashamed to show this subtly styled gem to my friends who value brand prestige with no regard to content or ability, but even I was continually impressed not only with the level of content, but also that the technological sophistication is integrated in such a pleasing manner. The multi-colored glowing gauges and soft ambient interior lighting welcome passengers at night, while aluminum spars that swoop across the dash lead the eye to the prominent nav screen.

I don't usually comment on storage in the cabin, but the TSX offered such well-thought-out, strategically placed cubbies for CDs, bottles, cell phones, keys, etc. that I had to mention it. The cabin is full of pleasing materials, assembled with impeccable accuracy and not a hint of slack to be foundin any of the buttons or dials controlling the climate control, nav system or stereo. The stereo itself was decent, but nothing compared to the TL or RL's DVD-based, 6-channel sound, and I couldn't really find the sweet spot for my Pixies or Weezer, with the bass and treble adjustments lacking the range to clearly deliver the high notes while offering decent volume and impact at the low end.

The exterior is the oldest of the designs in the Acura lineup, and you would think it would seem even more dated considering it was shipped over from the European Accord's styling, but if anything it seems more in tune with Acura's latest designs and concepts than the flagship RL—perhaps that was just an experiment that Honda wisely backed away from. Acura's sedans, crossovers and concepts continue to get edgier and sharper creased, with effective and almost classic proportions, and the TSX is no exception. A simple sedan shape, with a flat trunk and sharp drop-off at the tail and angular headlamps and grille creates a sense that the nose is pointing down at the road and eager to move ahead. Despite little detail breaking up the mass of the doors, the vehicle's small size means that it's not too much of a burden for the car to bear, and it's a great canvas to show off some of Acura's brilliant metallic paint, in this case Glacier Blue Metallic, but the cream white shade (Premium White Pearl) we had on the car for the comparison test is still my personal favorite.

The engine is a 2.4L four-cylinder mill making 205 horsepower and 164 lb-ft of torque. Many people bemoan the lack of a V6 and wish formore power, but the TL Type-S should be a lesson to those who would want to expose a dated chassis driven exclusively by the front wheels. While the Honda Civic Si Sedan can handle its 197 hp, the TL Type-S just feels overloaded with its 286, and I have a suspicion that too much horsepower on the TSX would be counter productive.

Even though acceleration is never overwhelming, either off the line or from highway cruising to highway passing, a tightly packed six-speed gearbox and i-VTEC (that's the slightly smarter version of Honda's variable valve timing and lift system) kicking in past 6,000 rpm means you can keep the engine boiling, toiling and up to plenty of trouble if you so desire. I particularly enjoyed some very twisty 25 mph roads at slightly higher than recommended speeds, and winding the engine right up to redline when I could followed by heel-toe downshifting into the tight corners. One thing that left me a little tentative was the brakes, which were plenty strong, and perhaps a little too strong as they seemed to unsettle the car when trying to pull it down from high speeds in a hurry. Apparently there's an automatic transmission available, but with a manual this sweet I don't think I can comprehend anyone getting one. Where's the fun in that?

The speed is there for the taking, and though it's no S2000 or MX-5, the two people in the backseat seemed well and pleased that they weren't reenacting a scene from a bad cop show hanging onto the spoiler by their strength of will. We were all comfortably strapped in with our seatbelts, and while the back seat isn't cavernous, it works. Back in front, with wheel to hand, I found the TSX eager to dive into corners and respond quickly, with sufficient pace and alacrity, but only decent steering feel through the
thin-rimmed steering wheel providing the necessary basics; although not the thrilling connections as in the aforementioned S2000.

But honestly, it doesn't need to. It has such a convincing mix of luxury, style and technology that it can meet the erratic standards of today's booming Generation X, who are just starting to come into their own as far as purchasing power to influence the entry premium segment. Even though it's one of the oldest platforms in the segment, it provides just enough entertainment value as a driving tool with its high-revving Honda powerplant and slick-shifting gearbox to take you to your favorite twisty road and back. Ultimately, though, it's not the out-and-out driver's choice in the segment (I'm looking at you 335i), but that uncompromised list of features offers a compelling argument for Acura's target buyer: young, hip technophiles who “have an emotional attachment to their cars, but require a rational base to support their purchases.” That feature list is rational enough to give me a rash, and you won't find anything else with a premium badge that gets near that sort of equipment for under $30K while still meeting the minimum 200-horsepower requirement. It's not the most spectacular offering in the segment, but it is good enough that Acura doesn't need to shout it from the rooftops because it quietly goes about its business convincing shoppers interested in a great value proposition.