From the moment I close the door on this baby, the pleasing thunk lets me know I am in something different.
The dashboard feels well made. The gauges are delightful in color, contrast, and arrangement - white numbers on a black background, with just a touch of gray to liven things up.
The big speedometer and tachometer are offset on the sides by a small gas gauge and engine-temperature gauge. And the shifter has a nice leather cover.
Everything in its place, easy to follow and attractive.
Outside: Though they really Acura-ed up the TLs with the most recent angular redesign, the TSX wagon still looks sharp and sporty.
Underneath: A four-cylinder engine coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission seems a little dated for this price range. But the performance is still fairly solid and extremely smooth.
Tuning in: The stereo system is fairly easy to use, and the directional knob makes getting through the options fairly easy.
But no matter what I do, the CD always begins on the first song when I start the car. I guess people in this price range will all have iPods, though.
On the road: Driving the TSX is a pleasant experience. Its handling lands somewhere on the classy-sporty continuum, but not too sporty.
I get an answer to the question, "What makes Acura so special anyway?" when I almost get myself into trouble. I hit the accelerator a little too hard on an uphill curve, expecting much less performance than is provided. So I end up taking a 25-m.p.h. curve at about 55.
The result? The traction light flashes while the car just gently drives itself through the curve, kind of an automotive version of "Don't worry; I got this." Whew. Kids, don't try this at home.
Sad shifting: The five-speed Sequential ShortShift is not all it's cracked up to be.
