You'll use it too- as the engine provides very few sound effects. It feels like it shuts off when you come to a stop, and its so darn smooth you'd imagine it running on butter cream, not premium unleaded. It's a good
thing it's so peaceful a mill, because to take advantage of its 205 horses, you've got to absolutely wring its neck. With the i-VTEC system engaging at around 6000 revs, the exhaust note becomes sharper and there is a noticeable step up in power. Trouble is, about 900 RPM later, you need to shift gear and start back from scratch. Acceleration during modest driving at lower revs is peppy, though concentrating the majority of the engines power into such a narrow space leaves me wondering why the system wouldn't engage sooner.
Highway mileage at real-life speeds is about 9 litres per 100 kilometres, with combined city and highway travel averaging around 10.5.
The six-speed manual gearbox fitted to my test car made it a joy to extract every last drop from the K24 engine. It's one of the very best, although the electronic throttle feels a bit too artificial when heel-and-toe shifting or rushing the gearbox. The power delivery is excellent and
entertaining overall, but a few electronic tweaks to the throttle control and VTEC system would make it perfect.
To answer the threat from competitors which offer V6 engines in the 250 horsepower range, I wonder if Acura would install their new turbocharged mill from the RDX into the TSX, maybe creating a TSX type S for instance...
Just an idea.
One thing that can be left alone is the suspension. On normal roadways, its nothing but quiet sailing. But when the roadway gets twisty, the TSX encourages you to play. Turn in is quick and instant, the steering loads up beautifully and feedback is plentiful. When pushed hard, there is a mild understeer, during which the car still holds its chosen path well. In some instances, I nearly forgot the TSX wasn't rear-drive- it just doesn't have the softness in the front end you feel in most other FWD cars. This is front-drive handling the way it should be.
Outside, the styling carries forward the confidence and athleticism you'll find in the handling. Angles, wedges, slits and points are the name of the game for the lines, though the wheels present a visual disconnect from the body- they're soft and rounded spokes are of a stark contrast to the
audacious sheetmetal.
In a nutshell then, the TSX covers off the bases in terms of options, technology and looks. With a simple checkmark beside the "Navi" option on your order sheet, you're getting a fully loaded model- one priced at a respectable $38,700. You could get into a BMW 3 series, an Audi A4 or a Mercedes C Class for similar cash, but you'd be at the lower end of that models lineage.
With the TSX, you get a truly top of the line vehicle for an entry level price- one with great handling, an eager engine and some of the best looks in its class. This could very well be the best way to spend your dollar on an entry level luxury sedan.
Whats Hot: Roomy for its size, great list of standard features, clever shifter, powerful stereo, looks great, I can use the navi-system!
Whats Not: Frustrating electronic throttle, could use more jam, navi-screen hard to see in daylight
Don't Miss: handsfree link wireless phone system, i-Pod input, VTEC wails over 6000 revs
 |
| 2006 Acura TSX (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com) |
Highway mileage at real-life speeds is about 9 litres per 100 kilometres, with combined city and highway travel averaging around 10.5.
The six-speed manual gearbox fitted to my test car made it a joy to extract every last drop from the K24 engine. It's one of the very best, although the electronic throttle feels a bit too artificial when heel-and-toe shifting or rushing the gearbox. The power delivery is excellent and
 |
| 2006 Acura TSX (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com) |
To answer the threat from competitors which offer V6 engines in the 250 horsepower range, I wonder if Acura would install their new turbocharged mill from the RDX into the TSX, maybe creating a TSX type S for instance...
Just an idea.
One thing that can be left alone is the suspension. On normal roadways, its nothing but quiet sailing. But when the roadway gets twisty, the TSX encourages you to play. Turn in is quick and instant, the steering loads up beautifully and feedback is plentiful. When pushed hard, there is a mild understeer, during which the car still holds its chosen path well. In some instances, I nearly forgot the TSX wasn't rear-drive- it just doesn't have the softness in the front end you feel in most other FWD cars. This is front-drive handling the way it should be.
Outside, the styling carries forward the confidence and athleticism you'll find in the handling. Angles, wedges, slits and points are the name of the game for the lines, though the wheels present a visual disconnect from the body- they're soft and rounded spokes are of a stark contrast to the
 |
| 2006 Acura TSX (Photo: Justin Pritchard, Auto123.com) |
In a nutshell then, the TSX covers off the bases in terms of options, technology and looks. With a simple checkmark beside the "Navi" option on your order sheet, you're getting a fully loaded model- one priced at a respectable $38,700. You could get into a BMW 3 series, an Audi A4 or a Mercedes C Class for similar cash, but you'd be at the lower end of that models lineage.
With the TSX, you get a truly top of the line vehicle for an entry level price- one with great handling, an eager engine and some of the best looks in its class. This could very well be the best way to spend your dollar on an entry level luxury sedan.
Whats Hot: Roomy for its size, great list of standard features, clever shifter, powerful stereo, looks great, I can use the navi-system!
Whats Not: Frustrating electronic throttle, could use more jam, navi-screen hard to see in daylight
Don't Miss: handsfree link wireless phone system, i-Pod input, VTEC wails over 6000 revs
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