Acura TSX History
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The Acura TSX is a four-door sedan and the junior member of Honda's upscale vehicle lineup. Introduced in the 2004 model year, the TSX has been offered in two generations in the U.S., mostly with four-cylinder engines--though a new six-cylinder version has been added to the lineup recently.
In its first generation, the 2004-2008 Acura TSX (below, top) had a lithe and lean body donated by the European version of the Honda Accord. The trim TSX already had the larger Acura TL and RL sedans offering V-6 engines, so Honda decided the smallest Acura four-door would be fine with a four-cylinder only. Enthusiasts loved the package. The 200-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine teamed with either a five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual gearbox and routed power to the front wheels. Though it looked a bit anodyne and basic, the TSX handled very well and accelerated nearly as quickly as the larger V-6-powered TL, thanks to its lower curb weight. Inside, the TSX had somewhat tight interior dimensions, but a raft of luxury add-ons included satellite radio, leather seating and a sunroof--which you could also get with the somewhat less expensive, and more roomy, American-market Honda Accord. The TSX remained almost a cult car through this first generation, earning good reviews and good crash-test results for frontal impacts, too, but side-impact crash protection didn't score quite as well. Over time, the engine found 5 horsepower for a total of 205 hp, and Bluetooth became standard.
The 2009 Acura TSX brought with it a heavier, bigger body and to many admirers, the best interpretation of Acura's shield-style grille. The four-cylinder engine carried over with a new power rating of 201 hp, and the gearboxes were carried over, along with nimble front-drive handling and a firm, absorbent ride. The TSX added more features, such as a USB audio interface and a premium audio system, and improved its safety performance to earn a "Top Safety Pick" designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Rear-seat room remained at a premium, however.
In the 2010 model year, the TSX carried over its four-cylinder powertrain while it added a new V-6 engine option. The new six-cylinder engine antes up 280 hp and comes only with the automatic transmission. Handling remains reasonably sharp--though the price of the V-6 TSX soared to nearly $37,000 in top trim. Because no roof-crush tests of the TSX have been performed, the IIHS dubbed its crash performance "good" but failed to re-name it a Top Safety Pick, as is the case with many vehicles in the 2010 model year.
A new TSX Wagon model (bottom, below) will be sold in the 2011 model year. The wagon's sole drivetrain will team the four-cylinder and five-speed automatic.
Acura had planned to offer a 2.2-liter turbodiesel in the TSX for the 2010 model year, but has since scrubbed those plans.
