Acura's Tasty TSX

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Up Front



Choosing a sporty, entry-level luxury sedan is a lot like perusing the menu at Dunkin' Donuts: There are too many choices, and nearly all of them are sweet.



You could go with the new '09 Acura TSX, a sweet-handling compact sedan that comes packed with high tech gear. But the many other tantalizing options include the Mercedes C300 [BusinessWeek.com, 9/21/07], BMW's (BMWG) 328i [BusinessWeek.com, 10/17/06], the Audi A4 [one of BusinessWeek's Best New Cars of 2009 [BusinessWeek.com, 10/2/08]], the Lexus ES or IS 250, or the Infiniti G35 [BusinessWeek.com, 4/30/07]. Or you opt for a loaded up midsize sedan such as General Motors' (GM) new Chevy Malibu [BusinessWeek.com, 12/7/07] , the Nissan (NSANY) Altima [BusinessWeek.com, 3/6/07] or Honda's (HMC) own redesigned Accord [BusinessWeek.com, 11/16/07].



In tough economic times, the TSX stands out mainly for its price and heavy dose of high-tech standard features. First introduced in 2004 and redesigned for the '09 model year, it's an excellent choice for young families who want a sporty sedan that also has five-star safety ratings and decent fuel economy. It can't match the performance of European rivals, but it's good-looking, fast enough for most people, and a lot less expensive than a Mercedes (DAI), BMW, or Audi, to say nothing of an Infiniti or Lexus.



Excellent Mileage

Some reviewers have carped about the TSX's small engine, and the fact that it's essentially a rebadge of the European version of the Honda Accord. There's something to that, but it isn't a deal-killer except maybe for heavy-duty driving enthusiasts. For now, the front-wheel-drive '09 TSX comes with only one choice of engine, an inline four-banger rated at 201 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque. But for 2010, according to reports in the automotive press [which Honda won't confirm or deny], the TSX will be offered with the company's 2.2-liter i-DTEC four-cylinder diesel engine, which is currently available on the European Accord. That engine is designed to perform like a V6 and also get mmore than 40 mpg.



In the meantime, the gasoline-powered TSX gets excellent mileage. With the automatic transmission, the '09 TSX is rated to get 21 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway, with highway mileage dropping to 28 with the stick shift. In 379 miles of hard, mainly highway driving, I got 27 mpg in a TSX with an automatic transmission.



Personally, I love the TSX's carved and sculpted European exterior styling, especially when viewed from the side and rear. The front grille bugs a lot of people because it looks like a weird, stylized mustache. But at least it's distinctive.



Price Is Right

The TSX also offers an extraordinary amount of bang for the buck. The base version of the '09 TSX costs $29,720, whether with a six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic. That price includes much gear that you usually have to pay extra for, such as a sunroof, fog lights, leather upholstery, power adjustable front seats, Bluetooth capability, satellite radio, a CD player, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and Xenon headlights.



There's only one available option, a Technology Package that raises the TSX's price to $32,820, and adds a backup camera, a navigation system with real-time traffic and weather reports and voice commands, and an enhanced, 10-speaker sound system. At that price, a loaded-up TSX is a real bargain.



The TSX's sales are holding up reasonably well, considering the current dismal state of the car market. U.S. sales only fell 1.6% in the first 10 months of this year, to 27,982 vehicles. In the disastrous month of October, the worst for the auto industry since 1983 [BusinessWeek.com, 11/3/08], TSX sales fell 23.1%, to 1,844 units, holding up slightly better than Acura's overall U.S. sales during the month, which fell 24.5% during the month.



Behind the Wheel



The TSX isn't anywhere near as fast as its European rivals. I clocked my test car at 7.8 seconds in accelerating from 0 to 60, compared with around six seconds for a BMW 328i and about 5.5 seconds for an Infiniti G35. However, the Acura is plenty quick for everyday driving.



The '09, unlike the previous version of the car, also has steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for those who want to do the shifting themselves. I wasn't able to test the stick shift, but it's promoted by the company as tight and sporty, with short shift throws and a short-stroke clutch pedal. For driving enthusiasts, a big negative about the TSX is its new electric steering system. It's good for parking in tight spaces but isn't as precise and responsive as the steering in, say, an Audi or BMW.



The '09 TSX is three inches wider and more than two inches longer than the previous model. Most of the extra size went into expanding the car's wheelbases so it would sit more solidly on the road than the previous TSX; interior space is only slightly greater, and the rear seats remain cramped for full-size adults. The TSX is still a compact car by American standards -- eight inches shorter than the U.S. version of the Accord, for instance.



The TSX's ride is exceptionally smooth. You can barrel down a bumpy back road at 55 mph with virtually no jarring or excessive noise. Highway noise also is minimal. Acura has added extra sound-deadening material that makes the '09 TSX noticeably quieter than the previous version of the car.



Maybe I'm getting jaded, but all these entry-level luxury cars look good [and similar] inside, with a cockpit-style front seating area, a curving dash, and attractive, well-made materials. The one negative that sets the Acura apart from its main rivals is its center stack, which is crowded with buttons and knobs and a little daunting to use.



For a sporty compact, the TSX's cargo-handling capabilities are decent. The rear seats fold down in a 60/40 pattern [a feature that's optional on a Bimmer 328i]. I bought a 10 ft. length of gutter at my local Lowe's and was able to fit it inside the car with room to spare. The TSX's trunk has 12.6 cu. ft. of space, vs. 14 cu. ft. for an Accord sedan, but should be adequate for most purposes.



Buy It or Bag It?



Here's Acura's PR pitch on the '09 TSX: "[It's] designed to appeal to young professionals who are previous TSX owners, conquests from other luxury brands such as Audi, BMW, and Lexus, as well as to customers who are moving upscale. Demographically, they are expected to typically range from 28 to 34 years old and hold a college degree Slightly less than half are married. They are image seekers and will appreciate the [TSX's] styling, technical allure, and total performance "



Translation: If you're young, don't want to shell out for a German car, and are looking for something more distinctive and sportier than a Honda Accord, the TSX is the car for you.



The '09 TSX sells for an average of $30,455, according to the Power Information Network [PIN], which puts it at seven grand less than the average for the compact premium sedan segment. By comparison, the '09 A4 from Volkswagen's (VOWG) Audi Div. averages $38,418, the BMW 328i $45,714, the Mercedes C300 $36,543, the ES 350 from Toyota's (TM) Lexus Div. $37,732, and the '08 Infiniti G35 $35,604. [PIN, like BusinessWeek, is a unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.]



Alternatives to consider in about the same price range include the Saab 9-3, which sells for an average of $31,233, and the Volvo S40, which averages $29,827. However, considering all the technology packed into it, the TSX is an excellent choice. My main doubt about the TSX: whether to wait a year and see if Honda offers a diesel engine on it as expected.



Click here to see more of the 2009 Acura TSX.