2004-2008 Acura TSX

Pros :
- Attractive shape with sharp styling.
- Smooth i-VTEC engine.
- Great handling thanks to double wishbone suspension.
- Flawless build quality, as with all Honda products.
- Ergonomic upscale interior.

Cons :
- Much heavier than the four-door Integra GS-R.
- Engine is low on torque.
- Still a front-wheel-drive competing with rear-wheel-drivers.
- High level of interior equipment raises base price.
- Buyers may opt for similarly-priced powerful V6 alternatives.

Interior :

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Press Coverage :
The 2004 Acura TSX sedan will be priced at $26,490 for both the 6-speed manual model and the 5-speed automatic model, when it goes on sale this week. The Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition is the only available factory-installed option and is priced at $2,000 and the destination and handling charge is $500.
The TSX features a 2.4-liter DOHC, i-VTEC engine that generates 200 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 166 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. The i-VTEC "intelligent" valve-control system adjusts valve timing and lift for enhanced performance across a broad power band in addition to improved fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions.
The TSX is equipped with a drive-by-wire throttle control system for smooth acceleration. It comes with either a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission or a performance-oriented 5-speed Sequential SportShift' automatic transmission for precise control of the powerful engine.
To deliver precise, responsive handling, the TSX utilizes an extremely rigid unit body structure, a race-bred, 4-wheel-independent double-wishbone suspension, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), 17-inch alloy wheels and P215/50R17 all-season performance tires.
The TSX features an aggressive wedge design with strong character lines and a highly aerodynamic body. In front, styling cues include Acura's signature 5-sided grille, stylish High Intensity Discharge (HID) head lights and lower air intakes that evoke the image of racing brake ducts. In the rear, the backlight slopes to meet a short trunk lid, which terminates sharply to help air separate cleanly off the back of the car at speed.
The cockpit of the TSX is sporty yet refined. It is comprehensively equipped with deeply-bolstered perforated leather seating, a power moonroof, a leather-wrapped three-spoke sport steering wheel with integrated audio and cruise controls, dual-zone automatic climate control, an Acura premium audio system, power windows and door locks and keyless entry. The Acura TSX sport sedan will go on sale at Acura dealerships nationwide in April 2003.
Acura.com

The suspension setup, with dual control arms up front and a five-link independent rear, is the same basic configuration that underpins the Accord in this country. The TSX's suspension, though, is tuned considerably stiffer with a larger rear anti-roll bar than on the U.S. Accord. The Acura rides on standard 17-inch wheels carrying 215/50 all-season performance Michelins. The result is a surprisingly agile car. Even at more than 3200 pounds (about 120 heavier than a four-cylinder Accord EX), the TSX feels light on its feet in a way that will be familiar to Honda owners. German sports sedans, by comparison, tend to feel stout-even heavy-over the road.
The TSX has far better body control than does an American Accord. There's a bit more body roll than expected, though, so it's not exactly in BMW territory. But it leans in a controlled and progressive manner that doesn't really inhibit hard driving. Midcorner bumps and hillocks upset the car almost not at all. This inspires confidence-perhaps a bit more than the tires are prepared for. We applaud Acura for using a decent-size tire, but we'd like more aggressive tires than these.
Despite its general handiness, the TSX can conceal its front-drive nature for only so long. Drive really hard, and the 3-series posing fades quicker than the front tires' grip on the pavement. The quick-ratio steering is light, accurate, and nearly immune to kickback, but its numbness doesn't warn the driver that those tires are about to give up the fight. Driven as if you were the guy making the payments, the TSX is plenty satisfying. Acura tried to reduce the weight up front, including using a lightweight magnesium manual transaxle case, but, like an American Accord, the TSX carries 60 percent of its weight over the front axle.
The engine is a version of the DOHC 2.4-liter four-cylinder also used in the American Accord. Thanks to a higher compression ratio (10.5 versus 9.7), tuned-length intake runners, a freer-flowing exhaust, and variable valve timing and lift control on both intake and exhaust cams, the TSX makes 200 hp at 6800 rpm (40 hp more than the Honda). Lest you think a power peak that high in the rev range would render the TSX weak-kneed around town, be aware that that engine makes a credible 166 pound-feet of torque, which is delivered in a hiccup-free, linear fashion. As long as you keep the crankshaft spinning at more than 3000 times per minute, there's plenty of squirt. And lest you think a big-displacement four-cylinder sounds rough, remember that this is a Honda-the undisputed champ of four-bangers. Thanks in part to twin balance shafts, the engine is smooth from idle to redline.
Nestled in a supportive, well-bolstered seat, you ease to a halt in utter peace. There's no engine vibration through the steering wheel. No gear whine. Nothing. This car may conjure front-drive performance cars of the past, but it is executed at a level of refinement unattainable 10 years ago. In the transformation from mass-market Accord to 15,000-sales-per-year TSX, Acura has wisely focused much of its attention on the interior. Every element has the look and feel of precision.
Take the pedals. All three of them on our six-speed-manual primary tester had remarkably short travel, and each felt perfectly linear in operation. These are the sorts of unnoticed but predictable and reassuring interfaces that make for a satisfying performance car. The precision of the manual shifter would make a surgical instrument jealous.
Caranddriver.com

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History:
1993-2001 Acura Integra GS-R
1,797 cc / 170 hp / 128 lb-ft / 2764 lbs / 0-60 mph 7.1 sec.