Acura TSX: Wimpy or Fuel-Efficient?

Acura's redesigned TSX has less horsepower than its previous incarnation but better fuel economy. No wonder it's selling so well

by Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Sporty suspension, low price, good fuel economy

The Bad: Busy interior design, lack of quickness

The Bottom Line: A European-style entry-level luxury sedan

Reader Reviews

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Up Front

To my mind, there are two ways of looking at the new Acura TSX, a sporty, entry-level luxury sedan that has been redesigned for '09. On the one hand, you can view it as a wimpy, underpowered afterthought, a Honda Accord that hasn't been adequately adapted to American tastes.

Alternatively, you can view it as a turning point, an exception to the unwritten rule that every new American model must be speedier and more powerful than the one it's replacing—a European-style sedan that handles well but doesn't gulp gasoline like a drunk with a hollow leg.

The way gasoline prices have been going, I suspect the second view will prevail. TSX sales soared 53.7% in May, to 4,564—setting a monthly record for the model. It's too soon to know whether that increase is a blip or a trend, but it could be a sign that American consumers are finally ready for an end to the horsepower race. If the TSX does well, it also will be a welcome change for Honda's (HMC) Acura division, which saw its U.S. sales fall 13.8% in the first five months of this year, to 65,458.

Like most redesigned models these days, the new TSX is bigger and roomier than the old one; three inches wider, 2.2 inches longer, and 160 lb. heavier. Given the TSX's increased size, Acura could have plunked a V6 engine into the '09, dramatically increasing horsepower. Instead the company did something radical. It cut the power rating of the 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine by four horses. As a result, the TSX's engine-power rating remains among the lowest in the premium compact sedan segment.

However, the front-wheel-drive TSX now gets slightly better fuel economy than before. The '09 is rated to average 25 mpg (21 city/31 highway) with an automatic transmission, and 23 mpg (20/28) with a stick shift. That's two mpg better than the outgoing TSX with an automatic transmission, and one mpg better with a stick shift. (In 280 miles of fast mixed driving, I got 25.3 mpg.)

The TSX also remains one of the least expensive cars in its segment. The base model starts at $29,675, whether you choose the stick shift or the automatic, and comes well-loaded with such amenities as leather upholstery, a power moonroof, and a premium audio system with standard XM satellite radio and a USB connection.

Otherwise, the main choice is to add a Technology package, which raises the price to $32,775, again with a choice of either transmission at the same price. The extra money gets you such features as upgrades to the already stellar sound system, a navigation system with real-time traffic and weather information, dual-zone climate controls, voice recognition, and a backup camera.

Behind the Wheel

The TSX's European origins are immediately evident in the way the car drives. Even while cutting the TSX's horsepower slightly, Acura increased its mid-range torque, or pulling power. To me it drives like an Alfa Romeo I recently rented in Spain. It isn't enormously fast off the mark: I clocked my test '09 TSX with a stick shift at about 8 seconds in accelerating from 0 to 60, while Road and Track magazine timed it at 7.5 seconds. That's 1.5 to 2 seconds slower than BMW's (BMWG) 328i.

However, the Acura is plenty fast for everyday driving. The high-revving engine provides decent acceleration when the car is under way, and there's lots of oomph for passing at highway speed. Plus, you can always shut off the traction control if you want to drive the car hard. I did so often and found myself squealing the tires when taking off from a dead stop.

Still, I have a few other quibbles. For one, I don't like the steering system. A front-wheel drive vehicle, by definition, doesn't have the same feel as a vehicle with rear-wheel drive.