Five years ago, Honda filled the space vacated by the four-door Integra by rebadging the more compact, four-cylinder-only European-market Accord as an Acura. Underpowered and undersized by current American standards, the first TSX carved out a niche for itself among people who priortized agile handling over brute acceleration. It also didn't hurt that the TSX combined a raft of standard equipment and price in the high twenties with a premium badge.

For 2009, the Acura TSX has been thoroughly redesigned. Too often with a redesign much of what made the original gets lost. Has the new TSX avoided this fate? I took one for a test drive to find out.

Styling

Most people don't seem to care for the much more dramatic styling of the new Acura TSX, especially not the "blade" grille gracing the nose. I personally found the original nothing special to look at, and prefer the new one. But I'm not crazy about it the way I was the Acura TL back in 2003. The new TSX does much more resemble the TL than the original TSX did, but with extra "styling." A bit less would have been more; too many of the additional details have been seen on other cars. Most notably, the wide flat wheel opening lips resemble those on various current Nissans.

The interior is sportily styled and nicely finished for the price--though I would prefer door pulls that are not hard plastic. The leather on the seats is softer and richer-feeling than that of most competitors.

Accommodations

The only aspect of the interior I really don't care for: the height and appearance of the upper instrument panel. The first Acuras, like the Hondas on which they were often based, were distinguished by low instrument panels and a very open view forward. My first reaction upon sitting in the new TSX: I'm buried behind the instrument panel. It's tall, and humped up in the middle to provide a hood over the high-mounted control screen (nav screen in those so equipped). I had to raise the driver's seat for a decent (but not expansive) view over this instrument panel.

The front seats are comfortable and well bolstered, including the upper shoulder bolsters found in other Acuras. They're won't hold you in turns as well as those in a 3-Series with Sport Package, but they'll do a better job than the standard BMW seats.

The rear seat remains on the tight side for adults and a bit low to the floor. This seat continues to fold to enlarge the trunk--a feature you won't find in other sedans from the Japanese premium labels, including the TL. The opening isn't very tall, but it is wider than before.

On the Road

Even since the RDX compact SUV arrived, many people expected the next Acura TSX to use the same turbo four, good for 240 horsepower. Well, the new TSX didn't get that engine. Instead, it got a revised version of the normally-aspirated engine used in the old TSX. The revised four actually produces fewer ponies than before--for a peak of 201--but is a bit stronger in the midrange. With the manual transmission, I found it peppy around town, only feeling somewhat insufficient in hard straightline acceleration.

This four is about the most refined I've experienced. It's suitable for a premium sedan.

The manual shifter is perhaps the best you'll find in a front-wheel-drive sedan. Throws are short, crisp, and low in effort without feeling at all floppy. The shifter is a joy to use.

Unlike some manuals I've driven recently, the clutch in the new Acura TSX makes smooth shifts very easy. There's not a lot of feel through the clutch, but this isn't so much an issue when it's so hard to botch a shift.

A number of reviewers have trashed the new Acura TSX' steering, saying that the new electro-mechanical unit provides far less feedback than the old conventional system. Perhaps because my expectations were so low, I found the new steering acceptable, even a bit better than acceptable. The steering is pleasantly firm and moderately quick, with good weighting, and certainly isn't bad.

Yet I can see the point of the critics. The feel isn't as direct or immediate as before. The high instrument panel I mentioned earlier doesn't help. Between this and the steering, the relationship between the driver and the new car isn't as intimate. Instead, the feel is somewhere between that of the old TSX and the larger, more insulated TL. And perhaps closer to the TL than the old TSX.

The ride is firm, but not too firm. Body motions feel well-controlled. Noise levels aren't the lowest, but are suitable for a semi-premium sedan.

Acura TSX Price Comparisons and Pricing

The new TSX starts just under $30,000. The automatic transmission is a no-cost option. A $3,100 Technology Package includes nav.

The hard part about analyzing the price of the TSX is deciding what to compare it with. There simply aren't many 200-horsepower four-cylinder near-lux sedans these days.

I operate a site, TrueDelta.com, that provides price comparisons. The car to which the TSX is most often compared: its cousin, the Honda Accord. The four-cylinder Accord is about $4,000 less. Adjusting for the Acura's higher level of equipment cuts this difference in half. $2,000 extra for the Acura strikes me as appropriate.

Next most often compared: the $11,000+ more expensive BMW 3-Series.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Acura TSX:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/TSX.php

Last Words

The new Acura TSX is a step forward in some ways, a step backwards in others. The new exterior and interior are more stylish, and appear more upscale. Okay, that's about the extent of the steps forward--and one with which many people don't agree.

The shifter remains as good as before.

Steps backward include the steering and the driving position. The steering is good, but not as good as it was. The driving position is a serious turn off for me. I'd much prefer a lower cowl (base of the windshield) and less massively styled upper instrument panel.

In the end, the Acura TSX continues to occupy a unique position in the market. And yet it's more mainstream and provides a less distinctive driving experience than before.

And so I still like the car, but not as much as I liked the old one.

A Note on Acura TSX Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a TSX rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Acura TSX reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need reliability data on all cars--not just the TSX--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Amount Paid (US$): 30000
Model and Options: TSX six-speed manual