CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Considering these numbers:

2007 TL Type-S

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 212 cu in, 3471cc
Power (SAE net): 286 bhp @ 6200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 256 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 107.9 in
Length: 189.8 in
Width: 72.2 in
Height: 56.7 in
Curb weight: 3515 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.5 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 13.9 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 25.8 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 5.8 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.1 sec @ 101 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 150 mph

I just don't see what is essentially the same car with only marginally better aerodynamics and saddled with the automatic transmission doing better than the G37. Especially when it is down nearly 50 hp.

SSFTSX

Very good data to support my claim. 0-100mph under 15 second and 0-130 in 25 second. I bet this car can do 0-120 in 20 seconds.

Colin

LOL, he's probably wondering why he can't get through to you...

JeffS

Thanks dom and that's what I was thinking...

JD23

Remember that the TL-S had a 6MT while the TSX will be saddled with the 5AT.

SSFTSX

It will only matter untill 0-60 or quarter mile and that only 1 second difference at most. after that it is irrelevant.

JD23

The 100 lb. weight advantage that the MT TL-S gives over the TSX V6 is irrelevant?

SSFTSX

You are not fully understanding drag coefficients at higher speeds.
EuroAccord Type S weighs 3660lbs. (About 200 lbs heavier). Among the heaviest 4cylinder diesel.
It is full one second faster than Euro GT Idtec (despite 18inch rims) and 8 mph top speed but with only 30bhp difference.
Difference between 0.25~0.26 cd and 0.30cd can easily add tens of seconds difference at those speeds. TSX V6 should not have any problem to achieve 120mph in 20 seconds or 130mph in 25 seconds. Just put HPT tires like TL-SHAWD and remove those heavier all season.

SSFTSX

There is 150lb tested weight difference between 2004 & 2009 TSX and 2009 TSX has much larger front al area.
0.6 Sec performance gap @60mph changes into 1.1 second performance gap at 75mph. 3.5 miles difference at quarter mile. and it will be much larger at 100 mph & above.
Even beat it in slolam run. Edmunds tests are the slowest among all the magazines.


2004 TSX
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...8/pageId=56893
0 - 30 (sec): 2.8
0 - 45 (sec): 5.3
0 - 60 (sec): 8.3
0 - 75 (sec): 12.2
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 16.30 @ 86.33
30 - 0 (ft): 33.13
60 - 0 (ft): 127.87
Braking Rating (Excellent, Good, Average, Poor or Very Poor): Good
Slalom (mph): 62.5
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 40
Handling Rating (Excellent, Good, Average, Poor or Very Poor): Good
Db @ Idle: Lo
Db @ Full Throttle: 77
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 75


2009 TSX
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...8/pageId=56893
0 - 30 (sec): 3.1
0 - 45 (sec): 5.0
0 - 60 (sec): 7.7
0 - 75 (sec): 11.1
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 15.6 @ 89.8
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 7.2
30 - 0 (ft): 31
60 - 0 (ft): 127
Braking Rating (Excellent, Good, Average, Poor or Very Poor): Poor
Slalom (mph): 64.1
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 0.79
Handling Rating (Excellent, Good, Average, Poor or Very Poor): Average
Db @ Idle: 41.8
Db @ Full Throttle: 74.9
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 66.1

TSX69

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...t_drive_review
How does a big V-6 affect one of our longtime favorite sports sedans?

BY STEVE SILER, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MORGAN SEGAL AND THE MANUFACTURER
June 2009

Around here, we are all big fans of the Acura TSX—the lean, frisky, three-time-10Best-winning, first-generation version, anyway. With respect to the larger, more substantial second-gen 2009 TSX introduced just last year, our camp is split. Some of us believe that even despite the car’s newer and larger (but just 130-pound-heavier) body, the high-revving 201-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder carried over is still a great match, offering an excellent blend of power and prudence, especially with the available six-speed manual. The rest believe that along with the newfound size and substance, Acura should have added a heap of horsepower—and rear- or all-wheel drive.

In regards to the former group, nothing has changed on the four-cylinder TSX for 2010: it’s still the happy, front-drive, near-luxe sedan it’s always been. For the power-hungry bunch, the 2010 TSX V-6 will alleviate the horsepower deficit when it goes on sale in July. By slipping in the same, 3.5-liter V-6 from the base TL—tuned in the TSX to 280 hp and 254 lb-ft of torque—Acura turns its smallest four-door into a very quick sports sedan, even if it comes only with a paddle-shifted, five-speed automatic transmission.

How quick is it? Well, we’ll have to wait until we track test it to say for certain. Acura says it is capable of hitting 60 mph in seven seconds. But considering we hit 60 in 6.7 seconds with the last manual-equipped four-cylinder TSX we tested, we’re sure Acura is waaaaaay off with that silly estimate. Stay tuned.

Keep Your Hands on the Wheel

But alas, as the saying goes, with power comes responsibility. And in this case, the driver must be responsible for managing the V-6 model’s extra thrust—and 200-plus pounds of additional beef, most of which takes up residence over the front wheels. With its 62/38-percent front-to-rear weight distribution, this is a recipe for eminent understeer. And sure enough, our preview drive on some of the most challenging mountain roads through Malibu, California—with almost no runoff room and very few guardrails—provided us with more than a few intestine-twisting moments. We came to realize that the V-6 model truly isn’t as tossable as the four-cylinder, despite Acura’s fitment of flared-spoke 18-inch wheels (one inch larger than those on the four-banger) and firmer front shocks. Torque steer, however, is very well managed considering how much power is being dumped upon the front axle. After all, the front tires have to steer, too.

The brakes were also worked up a bit, with a new master cylinder, brake booster, and uprated rear brake pads. The pedal, however, still exhibited some slop in the first inch or so of travel, and that only got worse during our admittedly harsh flogging. We also saw considerable fade. In every other respect, however, the TSX is unchanged. The only exterior alterations involve the aforementioned wheels, a slightly revised front fascia and the V-6 badge on the trunk. Inside, other than a new active noise-cancellation system, there is no difference whatsoever. And that’s just fine with us: the comfortable, spacious and exceedingly well equipped interior is one of the TSX’s strongest suits, especially dressed in a dark color and equipped with the Tech package and its solar-sensing climate-control system, 10-speaker ELS surround-sound stereo, and navigation with real-time traffic reporting.

Steep Price for Power

Well, there is one more difference: price. At $35,660, the TSX V-6 will cost a monstrous $5,540 more than the $30,120 2010 TSX four-cylinder that’s available now. That’s right, two extra cylinders will run a guy nearly $2,800 each. That’s especially notable given that the TSX has proven that it can do its job just fine with the four it was born with, to say nothing of that engine’s clear fuel economy advantage (21 city/30 highway mpg versus 18/27).

Hmmm. So how much is all that power—and understeer—really worth to ya?

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

BASE PRICE: $35,660

ENGINE TYPE: SOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 212 cu in, 3471cc
Power (SAE net): 280 bhp @ 6200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 254 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 5-speed automatic with manumatic shifting

DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 106.4 in Length: 185.6 in Width: 72.4 in Height: 56.7 in Curb weight (C/D est): 3650 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.0 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.6 sec

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 18/27 mpg

SSFTSX

If Car&Driver quarter mile estimate of 14.6 sec is accurate than it is only 0.5 sec difference with 3G TL Type S 6MT despite being Auto & having 100 lbs extra weight. I am sure this gap will be practically eliminated at higher speed.


Here 2009 TSX Auto. at 0-60 it is 0.3 sec slower than 2004 TSX 6MT but at 75mph & quarter mile it is already identical performance despite being 200 lbs weight difference with much larger frontal area. And it is Auto is quieter than even 6MT 2009 at 70mph. TSX 2009 have even bigger side mirrors than 2004 TSX.

2009 TSX V6 Auto should match atleast 2008 TL 6MT Type S with more refined ride as i dont think it will be reviving engine like 4cylinder.



http://www.edmunds.com/acura/tsx/2009/testdrive.html
Performance

0 - 30 (sec): 3.3
0 - 45 (sec): 5.5
0 - 60 (sec): 8.6
0 - 75 (sec): 12.6
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 16.3 @ 86.0
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 8.3
30 - 0 (ft): 34
60 - 0 (ft): 133
Braking Rating: Poor
Slalom (mph): 63.9
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 0.79
Handling Rating: Average
Db @ Idle: 47.2
Db @ Full Throttle: 75
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 65.5

ESHBG

Nope, not at all. I just can't get out of my head how dumb of a move this seems to be pricing-wise.

SSFTSX

Two important things. Diesel can come quickly seeing how Diesel market works.
Car has active nosie cancellation like RL. And 4 cylinder TSX is already bench mark in quietness. I can see it matches lexus GS/BMW 5 in quientness.
18/27 is not outstanding but atleast better than 17inch FWD TL or G37.
Car is essentially for those who want straight line performance with quiet ride.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blog...s/4320512.html
2010 Acura TSX V6 Test Drive: 280 hp Sport Sedan is Transformed

LOS ANGELES–As sprightly and as poised as the four-cylinder Acura TSX is, a quick scan of the spec sheet would probably send torque junkies to more powerful pastures. That car has just 201 hp and 170 lb.-ft. of torque–not exactly the stuff of our 1/4-mile dreams. Well, Acura decided that the TSX could use a bit more muscle under the hood too. So iit has added a new model to the lineup and shoehorned the 280 hp V6 from the Acura TL sedan into the TSX's smaller package. The result? Perhaps our favorite sedan in the Acura lineup. –Ben Stewart


The Specs
The V6-powered, 3,600 pound TSX is fundamentally the same car as the four-cylinder model–both are based on the European Honda Accord. The only cues that this car has two more cylinders under the hood are the functional air intakes next to the fog lights, new wheels and that little V6 badge on the trunk. Under the skin, engineers fitted what is essentially the 3.5-liter V6 from the base-level Acura TL paired to a 5-speed automatic controlled by steering wheel paddle shifters. Thanks to the 11.2:1 compression ratio, and tech like VTEC variable valve timing and lift, and a magnesium dual stage intake manifold, the V6 makes 280 hp at 6200 rpm and 254 lb.-ft. of torque at 5000 rpm. The V6 is rated at 18-mpg city and 27-mpg highway, which isn't too far off the four cylinder TSX that is rated at 21-mpg city and 30 mpg highway.

Beyond the engine transplant, V6 models get firmer springs and dampers to compensate for the 210 lb weight increase over a four-cylinder automatic TSX. The brake system (11.8-inch front discs and 11.1-inch rear discs) gains a new brake booster, larger master cylinder and new rear brake pads. Wheels have been upgraded to 18X8-inch and tires grow to 235/45R18 over the 225/50R17s on four-cylinder TSX sedans. The electric power steering system has been re-tuned for V6 duty as well.

Inside, the TSX V6 comes with a long list of standard features including a leather steering wheel and heated leather power seats, a 7-speaker 360 watt sound system, USB port connectivity for iPods and iPhones or a removable memory stick. But the smartest standard system on the TSX V6 is the new Active Sound Control, which decreases engine boom noise below 2000 rpm as well as high frequency noise during engine cruising. The system uses mics strategically placed in the cabin to determine the sound level and then decides when and how much noise-cancelling sound (inaudible to the driver) it should pump through the sound system to mute the bad stuff. According to John Watts, Acura's Sr. Manager of Product Planning, the system not only effectively quiets the cabin but it does so with less weight gain to the car than adding additional sound deadening material would. Opt for the Technology package and you'll get a navigation system with rearview camera, dual-zone climate control and a 10-speaker, 415-watt audio system.


The Drive
Plant your right foot in a four-cylinder TSX and you'll wait until the tachometer hits high noon before you feel the grunt of the motor. Flat-out, the four-cylinder isn't slow, it's just not sport sedan quick. The experience in the TSX V6 is markedly different. The V6 model leaves the line with a torquey thrust as the steering wheel dances in your grip ever so slightly and the traction control attempts to limit wheelspin. It's quick. Acura says the V6 TSX will hit 60 mph in around 7 seconds, but it feels quicker–especially after driving a four-cylinder TSX.
On our drive through some of the best roads in the Santa Monica Mountains we noticed the steering feels a bit heavier and a touch quicker than the four-cylinder TSX too. And that, along with the additional weight makes the car feel more substantial. The TSX V6 drives a lot like the previous generation TL. And since the new TL has grown slightly from its predecessor, some Acura loyalists might view this TSX as it's proper successor. Bend the TSX into a tight corner or a gentle sweeper and this sedan generates serious smiles. And that's really what separates a good sport sedan from an average one. Did you enjoy the last 17 hairpin turns, or did it seem like work? The Acura TSX V6 is quite fun to drive hard.
The V6 experience is also more serene than the base model TSX. The four-cylinder car generates a fair amount of engine noise when it's working hard. But the V6 is smooth and comparatively silent. There's enough exhaust note to let you know it's a six. But don't expect to hear a sonorous wail comparable to a V6 Infiniti. Perhaps Acura will offer a Type-S model with a more vocal exhaust note.


The Bottom Line
When Acura launched the new TSX last year, many speculated that there would be two optional engines–and both of them would be four-cylinder. The 2.3-liter, 240 hp turbocharged four-cylinder from the RDX seemed like one powerplant Acura would choose. However Acura's Watts mentioned to us that not only did this engine not fit into the bay of the TSX without serious modification, but its fuel economy hasn't been as good as the company had hoped and wouldn't deliver the consumption consumers would expect in sedan like the TSX.
Speaking of fuel consumption, Acura had announced that it would include a diesel option in its lineup soon. And since the European Accord comes with a diesel option, the plan was to use the 148 hp 2.2-liter i-DTEC diesel in the TSX too. With consumer demand for diesel in state of flux due to fluctuating fuel prices and the still-nagging perception among US buyers that diesels are either dirty or noisy, Acura has decided to wait. However, Watts eluded to the fact that if the company perceived a stable demand, a diesel TSX could move into the product plan relatively quickly.

The 2010 Acura TSX four-cylinder starts at $30,120 and the V6 model begins at $35,660. That extra five grand is no small sum in this economy. But the larger, smoother engine does make the TSX a more compelling sport sedan. And even at its fully loaded $38,760 price point, the V6 model still undercuts many of its competitors. Now if we could only get that diesel option too.

JD23

How about the poor brake rating and average handling rating of the 2G TSX? Going by the comments from C&D, the V6 TSX has even more understeer than the I4 TSX, which had inferior handling to the 1G TSX.

SSFTSX

How is 2G inferior handling to 1G? 2G has larger tires, better G values, better slolam run. u can see it from Edmunds specification sheet for both Auto & MT.
Not single publication can contridict performance and handling being inferior to 1G.
But in context 2G is inferior as we are in 2009 where alot of cars are either AWD or RWD. In 2003 TSX it was not an issue as competition was lacking.

Type-S RPh

Good review. Makes me want to drive it back to back with the 4-cyl.

JD23

I mentioned the handling because the electric steering in the 2G has been called extremely numb and considered to be inferior to the 1G's hydraulic steering in most reviews.

SSFTSX

Steering feel is different than handling. 2G TSX in all tests put better numbers than 1G TSX.
TSX also gets 21/30 on EPA cycle. it has some thing to do with steering. It takes alot of effort to improve fuel economy, performance, improve refinement, increase weight, size all in one package. 225/50 95 is sure bigger than 215/50. summer performance tires on lighter rims can improve performance further.

EZZ

Why would anyone get this car? A G37 would murder this thing in both handling and straightline and I like the G37 interior better. Its also within spitting distance of the G37 price. At least the TL is competing against much larger cars and offers a slightly different value proposition. You could also get a Nissan Maxima which is bigger and just as fast for the same price.

dom

You can get a G37 with MT, premium and Nav packages for only 1K more.

Or one with the 7 speed AT for under a grand.

JD23

The main reason I'd consider the TSX V6 over the G37 is that the nearest Infiniti dealer is over 100 miles away. Infiniti seems to have the least developed dealership network of any of the major luxury brands.

ESHBG

EXACTLY! Not to mention getting vehicles that were originally designed for a V6 engine and with sportier characteristics.

Of course these next comments come without driving one, but as of now..."no thanks" to the V6 TSX and I'd be really surprised if this sells at all. I had some hope for this new model, but not so much now unfortunately.

jjsC5

I've been watching this thread closely, but missed the pricing until today. Background - I've owned three Acuras (last being a 04 TL), four Honda cars, seven Honda motorcycles and a Honda lawnmower.

My current car is a 08 CTS Cadillac that has nine months left on the lease. I HATE the styling of the new TL, and when I saw that the TSX would be getting the V6, I was sure I would be buying one next March.

But seeing the pricing listed here, assuming it's correct - I can say uncategorically that I will not be buying an Acura of any kind if that is correct.

I think Honda has a really bad case of arrogance right now. I just bought a new Goldwing a few months ago to beat a $1200 - $1500 (depending on level of equipment) announced price increase on it. Fortunately, there have been some killer deals on the Goldwings. But I don't think there will be a good enough deal to put me in a TSX with Technology it if starts at 38K.

Simply amazing!

SSFTSX

I havent seen G37 tests on all season 17 or 18 inch tires but general consensus from Magazine tests it is louder and less fuel efficient with firm ride on performance tires.
5AT is ok for 4cylinder car but is short coming for V6 car. Atleast they should have put 6AT for 2010 model year.

darmok

Just a quick counterpoint on the pricing: I was surprised at how high it seemed too, but try finding another comparable option for less. I certainly can't find one, especially amongst the remaining FWD options in this class. Yes, I know it's shocking, but there are people who actually prefer FWD cars especially up here in the snow belt (where a FWD car can actually be better than a RWD-based AWD setup).

I think the closest option is the ES350, and I'll bet anything that the TSX V6 is more fun to drive than that

Colin

I agree. It does take some time to get used to. I think that you're right, a V6 with 280 hp and all the luxury goodies probably should sell for around this price. The old TL-S did.

My only real gripe is that there could have been more separation between the TL and TSX. Maybe the exchange rate caught up with them after the project was green lit?

ESHBG

Yeah but wait a minute: the TL-S came w/ different dash lighting, different pedals, a different shifting transmission, different suspension, paddle shifters, quad exhaust pipes, extremely noticeable body changes, etc., etc. You could justify the higher pricing in that case, and very easily I might add...plus there was absolutely no mistaking a TL-S for a TL when it drove past you or you saw it parked.

Colin

Whoa! Hold the phone. I was only saying that within the current market, the price it not out of line for a well equipped V-6 sedan from a luxury manufacturer. I think this also shows the dramatic difference in cost for domestic production vs. Japanese production. It shows us why Acura insists on making the TL in Ohio.

rpate27

0-60 in 5.8 secs.....not bad at all

Tigmd99

Back on 2/26/09, i wrote this:
Boy, i was dead accurate with my prediction! I should have bought lottery ticket back then! Anyway, my opinion is still the same with the official pricing.

SSFTSX

TSX also has 18inch standard Rims (way better looking than any Acura Rims), Active noise cancellation, further dampening of noise in body panels. TL-S simply lacks these things.
different does not mean better. I like standard TL rims much better than rims on TL-S.

and comparing 2008 car price to 2010 is unreasonable in current inflation environment.

TMQ

I think this price is just Acura's wish, like what they did with RL. The market will decide the actual price of the V6 TSX, and I bet that the price will come crashing down when you have more appealing options like G37 out there. And the perception of the high price will hurt the sales for sure.

SSFTSX

some early numbers are in. 0-60 5.9 second from MotorTrend. quarter mile at 98mph.
Pretty respectable for 18inch all season tires compared to 17inch TL/ES.


I am sure C&D can beat this number.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...v_6/index.html
Not only is the auto's manual mode responsive, smooth, and relatively quick, it also helps scoot the TSX down the dragstrip with alarming alacrity. Zero to 60? How about 5.9 seconds. Quarter mile? Try 14.5 at 97.8 mph. Neither the 290-hp Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV (6.0, 14.5 at 99.0) nor the 272-hp Lexus ES 350 (6.5, 14.9 at 96.0) is quicker. Ditto for the front-drive TL (6.2, 14.6 at 96.9) as well as the 305-horse TL SH-AWD (6.5, 14.8 at 96.9). And the four-cylinder TSX? As I mentioned earlier, the standard I-4 is no dog of an engine -- 0 to 60 in a respectable 7.0 flat and the quarter mile in 15.3 at 92.6 when paired with the six-speed manual -- but it's obvious why Acura chose to add the 3.5 to the lineup. It's over a second quicker to 60, and it puts Acura in a more competitive position against such foes as the ES, Maxima, and freshened Lincoln MKZ.

Tigmd99

But, for a little bit more $$, i can have RWD, less than 5.2 seconds 0-60, and similar fuel economy...Infiniti G37 Auto.

EZZ

Lets not forget the aftermarket support. I bet the G37 has more goodies than the TL, TSX, IS350, and Maxima combined. Its good when your cousin is a poor man's sports car

Breako

And with the Infiniti you get inferior crash test ratings, no mirror mounted turn signals, no USB music port, and a rear seat that does split and fold in the bargain. I prefer a car that's easier to live with over the long term. That would be the TSX V6.

SSFTSX

There are others things. Even 4cylinder TSX is beating Infinti on nosie level at freeway speeds. I am sure V6 TSX with Active nosie cancellation is atleast as good as Lexus LS/BMW 5. I also think on long drives TSX will beat Infinti on fuel economy. I want to see infinti results on standard 17inch all season tires.

Breako

A point of clarification about my post is that the TSX rear seat does split and fold. The rear seat of the G37 falls short by lacking this great feature.

Audioserf

$38k will sink this car.

TSX69

MotorTrend Review

When the second-generation TSX debuted last year, once again offered solely with a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder, I was, in all honesty, a bit let down. Not because I dislike that engine - 201 horsepower, 172 pound-feet, and an F1 personality mixed with redline refinement are hard to fault -- but rather because the TSX's sporty, well-sorted chassis seemed capable of shouldering plenty more oomph. Which is why I hoped and surmised the TSX Version 2.0 would have been introduced with the RDX's 240-hp, 260-lb-ft 2.3-liter turbocharged four. Alas, that was not to be. Fortunately, Acura had a different power boost on the back burner, and, turns out, it lights quite the potent fire.

I'm of course talking about Acura's 3.5-liter, 280-horse SOHC V-6, the same engine utilized in the upper-echelon $35,765 TL. As with the TL, the 3.5 in the TSX works exclusively with a five-speed automatic offering a sport mode as well as shift paddles for full manual control. Even better, full manual control means full manual control -- the 3.5 will bounce off its 6800-rpm rev limiter when intentionally (or unintentionally) left in a gear. Asked why no manual transmission will be offered, Acura's senior manager of product planning John Watts said, "The TSX four-cylinder manual has a take rate of around three percent, so we knew it would be even less with the V-6. Plus, we feel our automatic with the paddles represents an excellent manual option." Indeed, it does.

Not only is the auto's manual mode responsive, smooth, and relatively quick, it also helps scoot the TSX down the dragstrip with alarming alacrity. Zero to 60? How about 5.9 seconds. Quarter mile? Try 14.5 at 97.8 mph. Neither the 290-hp Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV (6.0, 14.5 at 99.0) nor the 272-hp Lexus ES 350 (6.5, 14.9 at 96.0) is quicker. Ditto for the front-drive TL (6.2, 14.6 at 96.9) as well as the 305-horse TL SH-AWD (6.5, 14.8 at 96.9). And the four-cylinder TSX? As I mentioned earlier, the standard I-4 is no dog of an engine -- 0 to 60 in a respectable 7.0 flat and the quarter mile in 15.3 at 92.6 when paired with the six-speed manual -- but it's obvious why Acura chose to add the 3.5 to the lineup. It's over a second quicker to 60, and it puts Acura in a more competitive position against such foes as the ES, Maxima, and freshened Lincoln MKZ.

In decidedly subtle fashion, the TSX V-6 does not wear its power on its sleeve. The only cues signaling those 280 horses are split-spoke 18-inch wheels with 235/45 all-season Michelins (versus 17s with 225/50 tires) and a small "V6" badge affixed to the lower right corner of the trunklid. Acura also points to a revised front fascia with larger air ducts, but you'd be hard pressed to notice them hiding next the foglamps.

Under the sheetmetal, the alterations are more numerous but none really makes the V-6 sedan feel significantly different from the four-cylinder car. Both versions display a taut, well-mannered ride, crisp turn-in, and a nicely balanced chassis that uses mild understeer to keep shenanigans in check. To compensate for the V-6's additional 243 pounds of curb weight, engineers retuned the dampers and springs, the electric power steering, and the four-wheel disc brakes, which, despite having the same-diameter rotors, feature a new brake booster, a larger master cylinder, and unique rear pads. That said, during figure-eight testing, technical editor Kim Reynolds noted the brakes were "weaker than expected" and "unhappy when trail-braking, not liking braking upon turn-in." And although the V-6 circled the skidpad with a decent 0.83 g of maximum grip - less than those of the four-cylinder (0.85) and the Maxima (0.87) -- its figure-eight time of 26.7 seconds at 0.68 g was superior to those of its four-cylinder brother (27.7 at 0.61), the Maxima (27.0 at 0.65), and the ES (27.8 at 0.68).

While the upgraded brakes didn't represent a marked improvement over the four-cylinder's -- the 3624-pound V-6 needed 129 feet to erase 60 mph, just one foot shorter than the four-cylinder's span; the not-so-sporty ES did it in 127, the summer tire-shod Maxima in 113 -- the recalibrated electric power steering did, providing a more organic feel and better linearity than the EPS in the I-4 car.

Per the Acura norm, the TSX V-6 comes in well equipped $35,660 base form (Bluetooth, Xenon headlamps, USB connectivity, keyless entry, leather, power moonroof) or with the $3100 Technology Package, which adds a back-up camera, 10-speaker ELS audio system, GPS-linked solar-sensing dual-zone automatic climate control, and navigation with traffic and weather updates.

Acura predicts the V-6 will account for around 20 percent of the TSX sales mix and, given its hefty $5540 premium over the four-cylinder, that sounds about right. After all, even though the V-6 puts up heroic numbers, it doesn't really raise the question, Why bother with the standard 201-horse TSX? That's because the I-4 car, in its own right, is a fun, involving sedan that is still quick enough to prompt a smile and inexpensive enough to maintain a saving account. Rather, the TSX V-6 makes one ponder, Why buy the slower, more expensive, and, um, less attractive TL?

2010 ACURA TSX V-6
Base price $35,660
Price as tested $38,760
Vehicle layout Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
Engine 3.5L/280-hp/254-lb-ft SOHC 24-valve V-6
Transmission 5-speed automatic
Curb weight (f/r dist) 3624 lb (62/38%)
Wheelbase 106.4 in
Length x width x height 185.6 x 72.4 x 56.7 in
0-60 mph 5.9 sec
Quarter mile 14.5 sec @ 97.8 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 129 ft
Lateral acceleration 0.83 g (avg)
MT Figure Eight 26.7 sec @ 0.68 g (avg)
EPA city/hwy fuel econ 18 / 27 mpg
CO2 emissions 0.92 lb/mile
On sale in U.S. July 2009