Mechanical |
| 2006 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T (Photo: Amyot Bachand, Auto123.com) |
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| 2006 Acura CSX Premium (Photo: Amyot Bachand, Auto123.com) |
Under the hood of the Jetta 2.0T, we obviously find the 2.0-liter engine producing 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque at only 1,800 rpm. In fact, an enormous quantity of torque is available at just about any rev range, and makes for a very entertaining engine. We can barely feel the turbo at work; it seems to be in the game at any engine speed. The shift lever is not among the best we've worked with, but it does its job.
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| 2006 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T (Photo: Amyot Bachand, Auto123.com) |
The brakes are very powerful, and stop the car with authority. There is a price to pay to benefit from this performance, however. The engine requires premium fuel, and consumes an average of 10.3 L/100 km in our hands.
The CSX, on the other side, has to make do with 155 horses. It's still 15 more than in a Civic sedan, but in comparison with the Jetta, it's at a disadvantage. The power peak is only felt above 4,000 rpm, and the torque curve is rather thin, in typical Honda fashion. Our test car is also equipped with the optional 5-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel, which helps holding a gear when pushing the car through curves. Of course, the CSX is slower than the Jetta in acceleration. The manual gearbox wouldn't have helped much; it would've taken a second off the 0-100 km/h time, but we're still pretty far from the thrust of the Jetta 2.0T. Also, the engine emits am irritating metallic sound when urged. This CSX gives us a consumption average of 9.5 L/100 km, which is not bad at all.
On the road |
| 2006 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T (Photo: Amyot Bachand, Auto123.com) |
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| 2006 Acura CSX Premium (Photo: Amyot Bachand, Auto123.com) |
We won't beat around the bush. The Jetta is the king of the back roads. The CSX is not far behind, but it bites the Jetta's dust. We feel much more at ease behind the wheel of the Jetta in curves, because it always stays on course. The CSX has a little more suspension travel, and requires prudence when barrelling down back roads at the Jetta's pace. Also, the steering of the VW is very communicative, while the Acura could benefit from being a little more so. The CSX still manages to perform well, but we can't wait to jump back into the Jetta.
On the highway, the CSX shines more brightly. It consumes very little fuel, and it's an excellent cruiser, quiet and comfortable. The Jetta is too, but its tighter suspension and seats transmit the imperfections of the road straight up to the driver, which becomes tiring on long distances.
