TSX named Best Sport Sedan
Only the geekiest among us would get all worked up about an item buried in the press materials for Acura’s TSX sports-sedan.
However, since it says so much about the way Acura approaches the art of the car, I’m going to share it with you, my clearly non-geeky reader.
Here’s the back-story: The TSX offers buyers the choice of two transmissions, a five-speed automatic with Sequential SportShift mode, or the base six-speed, short-throw manual.
Of the two, it’s the manual that tickles my fancy. It employs multi-cone synchronizers on all gears for quick, light shifts (have we crossed the geek threshold yet?), but here’s the cool part: the case is built of lightweight magnesium alloy, a material normally reserved for racing applications.
It weighs 6.6 pounds less than a case fashioned more conventionally of aluminum, but it is also extremely rigid, which helps subdue transmission-related noise and vibration.
Maybe it’s just me, but I admire a manufacturer that goes to those lengths on a sub-$30,000 car.
Here’s another one, assuming you’re not yet geeked-out: the quick-ratio, variable power-assist rack-and-pinion steering system in the TSX includes a valve that reduces kickback through the steering system on rough roads.
Less kickback means more accuracy and better steering-to-driver communication in high-speed corners on pocked or rutted asphalt. Paired with the TSX’s extremely rigid unit-body structure and race-derived four-wheel independent suspension, the system helps the TSX hold its line in fast corners and difficult conditions.
Acura, along with its parent company Honda, has always understood that if the devil is in the details, so are the angels. Its cars are rarely the fastest, most flamboyant or even best handling in their respective classes, but invariably they embody the notion of balance, a virtue that can’t be underestimated.
It is exactly that quality Car and Driver had in mind when naming the 2006 TSX Best Sport Sedan for the third consecutive year in its annual 10 Best Cars competition:
“…It’s not the most potent player in the edge-of-luxury sports-sedan league,” the editors wrote, “… (b)ut when it comes to the other virtues that distinguish the best from the also-rans—agility, comfort, quality construction, luxury features—the TSX has the field covered.”
The TSX is perhaps the least demanding of sports-sedans. Legendary build quality and top-shelf materials and components keep it out of the shop and on the road. It’s handsome and its interior is not just comfortable but also packed with standard features.
The TSX is available in only one trim level, so even at the base price it’s loaded with extras. For example, a new-for-‘06, Bluetooth-enabled hands-free phone system can be programmed for six phones and will store up to 50 numbers.
Perforated-leather seating surfaces, dual-zone automatic climate control, power moonroof, and power windows, mirrors and door locks with remote keyless entry are included on every TSX.
The driver’s seat is adjustable eight ways and features two-position key-fob memory. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes and the passenger seat adjusts four ways.
A 360-watt watt sound system with standard XM Satellite Radio and auxiliary MP3 input jack produces audio with remarkable clarity and presence and a full set of airbags include front-seat, side-impact bags and side-curtain bags for both rows.
The rear seat is among the most accommodating in the compact sports-sedan class, although as always the fifth position is more fiction than fact.
The TSX’s optional navigation system with voice command has been upgraded this year with more memory and a faster processor for improved responsiveness. It now includes access to the Zagat Survey Restaurant Guide.
So, given all this great stuff, what’s the catch?
In my estimation, there isn’t one, although some drivers may disagree, and that is this: The only powerplant available is a 2.4-liter inline four, whereas other makers offer turbocharged fours and/or sixes in their compact sports-sedans.
Even so, the engine is a good one. It makes 205 horsepower (up from last year’s 200) and features Honda/Acura’s i-VTEC valve-control system that increases the width of the power band, improves fuel economy and reduces tailpipe emissions.
The TSX ride-and-handling package produces a nice balance between comfort and aggression. Less aggressive than that of the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, its most direct competitor, it’s a better choice for drivers who prefer a softer ride.
A front-driver, the TSX responds to hard cornering with understeer at turn-in; however, it is easily induced into a neutral stance. Nicely spaced gears keep the engine in its sweet spot while exiting a corner and power delivery is instant via the drive-by-wire throttle.
Were it mine, I’d ditch the TSX’s 17-inch 50-series all-season tires for rubber with a lower profile and more aggressive tread profile. The improvement in handling characteristics would more than compensate for the minor penalties exacted in terms of road noise and ride harshness.
Today’s batch of entry-level sports-sedans offers buyers more exceptional choices than ever before; that the TSX has been able to ride atop the wave three years running is a testament to the brilliance of its design and the competence of its execution.