Suspension-wise, the Acura is well equipped with independent front and rear suspension. A double-wishbone front keeps the drive and steering wheels true while the rear gets a multi-link setup. On paper that is a great platform capable of razor sharp steering and flat cornering when tuned for it. But the TSX is built for comfort and the sacrifice of handling for luxury is evident. So much so that Editor Jonathan Yarkony says the TSX suffers from a split personality.
   2013 Acura TSX. Click image to enlarge |
“The TSX is like two cars,” he says. “There’s the sweet, racy, frantic VTEC engine and slick manual transmission that just love to work together and feel most at home at high revs; then there is the big, comfortable (front-wheel-drive) luxury car that has plenty of room for you and three friends and a somewhat cushy suspension. However, the two do not necessarily work well with each other, and the powertrain and quick steering at the hands of an eager driver can easily overwhelm the traction of the front tires and handling limits of the TSX.”
That duality feels a lot like a dive to the middle ground and the result is a car that neither inspires nor captures in a warm embrace. Despite being a terrific little rig, the lack of contact between the leather-wrapped wheel and those wrapped in rubber leaves me cold.
In styling terms the TSX is again a little bland. As my father-in-law said, “Are you taking the Civic to Mid-Ohio?”
Ouch.
The TSX is a little more sexy than the Civic if you ask me. It has a nice front fascia with sculpted protrusions in the splitter and a really interesting headlight treatment. The front grille is striking and the two fog lights tie in nicely with the dual chrome-tipped exhausts at the back. Civic? Well, kind of. But not really.
|
Related Articles: Manufacturer’s Website: Photo Gallery: |
Acura and other pseudo-luxury brands seem to suffer from the same identity crisis that the TSX is struggling with. Or maybe I’m just missing the point of the TSX. Maybe its identity is supposed to be subtle – but I believe subtlety is for awkward teenagers, and the TSX is a car for adults.
Pricing: 2013 Acura TSX Premium with MT
Base Price: $34,050
PDI: $1,945
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $35,995
Competitors:
Audi A4
Buick Regal
Lexus ES
Lincoln MKZ
Volvo S60
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
