Details on the 2009 Acura TSX

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When a manufacturer gets something right the first time, the imperative is to stick with the program.That's why you have to look hard to distinguish the "all new" 2009 Acura TSX. Introduced in 2003 as a 2004 model, the TSX fit neatly into the Acura lineup between the entry-level RSX sport hatchback and the mid-size TL sedan. It was based on the European and Japanese Honda Accords, which were smaller compact cars, distinct from the mid-size U.S. Accord and the TL. The TSX gave Acura a smaller four-door sports sedan to replace the failed four-door Acura Integra, the RSX's predecessor.Now, with the demise of the RSX, the TSX is the entry-level Acura. It has experienced steady sales, attracting enthusiasts who might otherwise be seduced by the likes of the Audi A4 or Lexus IS.In its first year, sales of the TSX were just shy of 19,000. They increased every year, peaking at 38,035 in 2006 before falling off to 33,037 in 2007.That's a sign of how fickle the car-buying public can be. Even if a car is essentially good and performing as well as ever, customers get fidgety if they don't occasionally get a shot of something new. At the same time, a manufacturer doesn't want a radical departure for fear of turning off loyal disciples.Enter the 2009 Acura TSX. At first glance, it looks a great deal like the earlier models, although it has a new, bolder grille that takes getting used to. But it also has a host of enhancements and improvements. At 15 feet 6 inches, it is three inches longer. With stretched dimensions in the cabin, it offers an additional four cubic feet of passenger space, with about 2.5 inches more shoulder width, though the back seat is still cozy. The trunk opening also is wider, as well as three inches lower.In addition, the TSX uses more high-strength steel in its body structure, as well as suspension system modifications and better sound-deadening materials for a more supple, quieter ride.But it weighs 169 pounds more than its predecessor and, with 201 horsepower, has only one horsepower more. However, the engine and drive train are more efficient, delivering 20/28 miles to the gallon on the EPA's city/highway cycle with the six-speed manual gearbox. That's better than the old car's 19/27, using the EPA's new measurement system.Customers likely enjoy fuel economy, but the main reason for buying a TSX is the fact that it's a tight and enjoyable sports sedan, along with a sub-$30,000 price tag. The company touts it as alternative to the way more expensive BMW 3-Series and the Audi A4, as well as cars like the Lexus IS and the Infiniti G35.In that company, the TSX doesn't quite stack up because it comes only with a four-cylinder engine. But the 2.4-liter four, with variable valve timing, is no slouch. With the six-speed manual gearbox, it clips off zero-to-60 miles per hour acceleration in less than seven seconds. Acura and Honda have some of the best front-drive manual shift linkages in the business, and the TSX's is no exception. Shifts are positive and so facile that you don't mind shifting even in stop-and-go traffic.Acceleration with the no-extra-cost five-speed automatic, which has a manual-shift mode and paddle shifters, is only marginally slower. In the 2009 TSX, Acura has dropped the old slotted shifter for the automatic in favor of a standard fore-and-aft layout, which can be operated more quickly. Acura's engineers also have programmed the manual-shift mode so that it defaults to automatic operation when it senses that the driver no longer is shifting. It saves embarrassment for a driver who forgets he's in the manual mode.Because it's a front-drive car, unlike most of its competitors, the TSX carries 60% of its weight on the front wheels. But you'd be hard-pressed to detect it. Though there's some understeer-that tendency of a car to press forward even as you turn-the TSX feels balanced and carves curves with precision.Inside, the front seats are big, comfortable and supportive. The instruments have been mounted in a higher location than before, making them easier to see without taking the driver's eyes off the road. Curiously, the sun visors do not slide on their support rods-as they do on the Acura TL-which means they are not as effective in blocking sunlight from the side.At its $29,675 base price, the TSX comes with a load of standard equipment, including stability and traction control, antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, tire-pressure monitoring, side air bags and side-curtain air bags, active head restraints, perforated leather upholstery, heated front seats, power front seats, a motorized glass sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth wireless communications and a seven-speaker audio system.An optional technology package adds a 10-speaker premium sound system designed by famed sound engineer Elliot Scheiner, a navigation system with voice recognition, XM satellite radio and Acura's real-time traffic, weather and satellite communications system. With all that, the TSX tops out at $32,775.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)