I just sold my 2006 Acura TSX. I loved it, but I'm sure you'd agree it's hardly a collector's item worthy of gathering dust and depreciation in the Edmunds garage for years to come. But would I have traded in my 2006 TSX for this all-new 2009 TSX? Not a snowball's chance in Haiti.

There are certainly areas of improvement. The shorter-travel clutch, revised gearing and additional midrange power make the rev-happy four-banger easier to drive around town. The driving position is slightly better and the new Technology Package is excellent — particularly the ELS surround-sound audio system.

However, the rest of the comparison is a push or a bust. This 2009 model is no quicker, its braking distances are still subpar and its slalom and skid-pad performances are basically the same. The interior offers a tad more shoulder room, but it remains mostly unchanged in size, while still providing tons of standard equipment at a reasonable price.

And then there are numerous ways in which the 2009 TSX has gone backward. The electric steering is just awful, with zero feel and sloppy weighting, as if it came from the old Accord hybrid. The old car's excellent steering basically made the car, and it's hard to believe easy parking and a fractional fuel-economy benefit have been worth the sacrifice. If this is the future of Honda steering, the company is in trouble.

Furthermore, the new TSX's interior trim is now silverish plastic rather than real alloy, while other bits that were once chrome or wrapped in leather are now plastic. The new RL-style electronics interface works well, but I think the old touchscreen was more intuitive and looked better. And speaking of which, my '06 hardly featured styling to stir one's soul, but the 2009? Judge for yourself.

This all adds up to a net loss for the 2009 TSX. If Acura wasn't going to make an effort to improve this car dynamically, it could've saved itself a lot of money by just adjusting the old car's gearing and updating the nav-audio system. It's a cliché for an owner of a previous-generation car to say his is better than the newfangled version, but in this case, the cliché certainly applies.

If you're not into these sensory delights, though, chances are good you'll decide the TSX isn't quick enough. Its 7.7-second 0-60-mph time (7.2 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and 15.6-second quarter-mile at 89.8 mph are on par with the 2.0T-equipped Audi A4 and Volkswagen Passat, but the normally aspirated 2.4-liter's peaky power band isn't as friendly as the 2.0-liter turbo's flat torque curve.

The 2009 Acura TSX is also an easy mark for almost any family sedan with a V6, especially when equipped with the five-speed automatic. We tested a TSX with the five-speed and its 0-to-60-mph time fell to 8.6 seconds (8.3 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip). That's slower than all four of the family sedans in our last comparison test which included the Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpconta...7/pageNumber=5
Vehicle Top
Model Year: 2006
Make: Lexus
Model: IS 350
Style: N/A
Base Price: N/A
Price as Tested: N/A
Drive Type: RWD
Transmission Type: 6-speed manumatic
Engine Type: V6
Displacement (cc / cu-in): 3.5
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 306@6400
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 277@4800
Brake Type (front): 4-wheel disc w/ ABS, BrakeAssist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
Steering System: Speed-sensitive rack and pinion
Suspension Type (front): Double wishbone independent w/ stabilizer bar
Suspension Type (rear): Multilink independent w/ stabilizer bar
Tire Size (front): 225/40R18
Tire Size (rear): 255/40R18
Tire Brand: Dunlop
Tire Model: Sport Max
Manufacturer Curb Weight (lb): 3527
Recommended Fuel: 91
Fuel Tank Capacity (gal): 17.17
EPA Fuel Economy (mpg): N/A
Edmunds Observed (mpg): N/A

Conditions for Testing Top
Temperature (Fahrenheit): 81
Humidity: N/A
Elevation (ft): 131
Wind: 1.2 mph

Performance Top
0 - 30 (sec): 2.7
0 - 45 (sec): 4.2
0 - 60 (sec): 6.1
0 - 75 (sec): 8.55
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 14.23@99.82
30 - 0 (ft): 30.71
60 - 0 (ft): 123.02
Braking Rating (Excellent, Good, Average, Poor or Very Poor): Good
Slalom (mph): 64.1
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): N/A
Handling Rating (Excellent, Good, Average, Poor or Very Poor): Good
Db @ Idle: 44
Db @ Full Throttle: 77
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 68

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpconta...0/pageNumber=4
Model Year: 2009
Make: Acura
Model: TSX
Style: 4dr Sedan w/Technology Package (2.4L 4cyl 6M)
Base Price: $32775
Price as Tested: $32775
Options on Test Vehicle: None
Drive Type: Front-wheel drive
Transmission Type: 6-speed manual
Transmission and Axle Ratios (x:1): I = 3.267, II = 2.040, III = 1.429, IV =1.073, V = 0.870, VI = 0.686, R = 3.583, Final Drive = 4.764
Engine Type: Transverse-mounted inline-4
Displacement (cc / cu-in): 2,354cc (144 cu-in)
Block/Head Material: Aluminum/aluminum
Valvetrain: Double overhead camshaft, 4 valves per cylinder, variable intake valve timing, variable intake and exhaust valve lift
Compression Ratio: 11.0:1
Redline (rpm): 7,100
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 201 @ 7,000
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 172 @ 4,400
Brake Type (front): 11.8-by-1.1-inch ventilated disc
Brake Type (rear): 11.1-by-0.35-inch solid disc
Steering System: Electric speed-proportional power steering
Steering Ratio: 13.4:1
Suspension Type (front): Independent double wishbone, coil springs, 27mm antiroll bar
Suspension Type (rear): Independent, multilink, coil springs, 17mm antiroll bar
Tire Size (front): P225/50R17 93V M+S
Tire Size (rear): P225/50R17 93V M+S
Tire Brand: Michelin
Tire Model: Pilot HX MXM4
Tire Type: All-season
Wheel Size: 17 by 7.5 front and rear
Wheel Material (front/rear): Aluminum alloy
Manufacturer Curb Weight (lb): 3,415
Curb Weight As Tested (lb): 3,386
Weight Distribution, F/R (%): 59/41
Recommended Fuel: Premium unleaded (recommended)
Fuel Tank Capacity (gal): 18.5
EPA Fuel Economy (mpg): 20 city/28 highway
Edmunds Observed (mpg): 22.0

Conditions for Testing Top
Temperature (Fahrenheit): 60.8
Humidity: 54.8%
Elevation (ft): 1,121
Wind: 1.5

Performance Top
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

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...ecs_price.html

Base price $36,030
Price as tested $39,000 (est)
Vehicle layout Front engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
Engine 3.5 L / 306 hp / 277 lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6
Transmission 6-speed automatic
Curb weight, f/r dist 3571 lb, 53 / 47%
Wheelbase 107.5 in
Length x Width x Height 180.1 x 70.9 x 56.1 in
0-60 mph 5.5 sec
1/4 mile 14.0 sec @ 99.8 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph 122 ft
600-foot slalom 64.4 mph avg
Lateral acceleration 0.83 g avg
MT Figure Eight 27.1 sec @ 0.64 avg
EPA city/hwy fuel econ 21/28
What's Hot Great looks; high feature content; class-leading power
What's Not Too much electronics stifles driving experience; no stick shift for IS 350
Like This? Try These Infiniti G35; Audi A4; Acura TL

The Opposite of Flattery
If you end up on a back road with a 2009 Acura TSX, it probably won't be something you planned. Yes, the chassis has some life to it, but it's in such a conservative state of tune that the TSX is prevented from showing the kind of athleticism that enthusiast drivers like.

At a pace that sane people might drive, the '09 TSX has the compliant, springy ride that's characteristic of Honda, and the car feels light and willing. But as soon as you start to attack the corners, the TSX raises the white flag. There's considerable body roll and the P225/50R17 Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 all-season tires run out of grip quickly. And the lack of steering feedback makes you feel like you're driving the 2009 TSX half-blind.

This has real consequences in the slalom, where the Acura averages only 64.1 mph, one of the slowest speeds we've recorded among current-day, premium-brand cars. It's 1.5 mph slower than a 3,600-pound Honda Accord EX-L V6. Even a Mitsubishi Lancer with a weakling 2.0-liter engine and a power-sapping continuously variable transmission beats the TSX through the cones with a 65.4-mph speed. The TSX performs similarly on the skid pad, and its 0.79g is what we'd expect from a larger, heavier family sedan.

It's like the TSX hasn't had a sure hand to guide its development at the Honda proving grounds.

Where There's Smoke
We get it that Acura likes to keep unsprung weight to a minimum and tries not to burden its cars with oversize brake rotors and calipers. But this particular set of brakes for the 2009 Acura TSX isn't fully up to the task of stopping a 3,400-pound car (though some blame must go to the tires as well).

On a good day in normal traffic, there's no problem, and the pedal feel is solid and linear. But when we apply full braking power at our instrumented testing facility, it gets ugly.

The TSX won't stop any shorter from 60 mph than 127 feet, which is 14 feet farther than an all-wheel-drive Lexus IS 250 that weighs 100 pounds more (and costs the same). The TSX's brakes fade dramatically after just one stop, and there's smoke coming off the rotors by the third run. The car isn't happy. We're not happy.

... After these disappointments, we want to curl up into a ball in the 2009 Acura TSX's extraordinarily comfortable seats and call it a day.

... Yet if driving is still really about the driving for you, then the 2009 Acura TSX will seem like little more than an expensive accessory for your iPhone. Unless you can get by on the occasional rev-matched downshift, the second-gen TSX really isn't about the drive.

(Performance tests)
Acceleration Comments: The TSX is hard to launch effectively due to lots of weight transfer and low-grip rubber. The engine performs well, but isn't on par for this segment.
Handling Comments: Slalom: Light damping doesn't offer the control needed to blast through the slalom's surface irregularities. There's lots of body roll and no information through the steering. Skid pad: The TSX has decent balance and lift-throttle response before the front tires overheat. The lack of steering feel at the limit hurts confidence.
Braking Comments: This is not acceptable braking performance for a car in this class at this price point, and the TSX's 127-foot 60-mph-to-0 stopping distance (achieved on the first run) doesn't tell the whole story. There was considerable fade by the second braking run, and by the third run, the brakes were smoking. We also noticed massive fade when slowing after acceleration runs, which indicates this brake system's lack of thermal capacity. We suspect the brakes on this TSX test car had never been heat-cycled (given that the car had only 850 miles on its odometer), but even so, we expected much better performance in this test.

... With less roll and quicker steering than the GLI, the TSX is easier to get through turns quickly.

... With its front and rear double-wishbone suspension, quick steering ratio (14.8 vs. the GLI's 16.2) and predictable handling at the limit, the TSX is an easy car to drive fast. It changes directions quickly, doesn't get unsettled over midcorner bumps and understeers progressively.

It was quicker through our slalom course than the GLI and earned a better overall rating from our test-driver. Give it a serious set of tires and it would leave the GLI even further behind.

For 2006 the TSX gets a minor refresh that addresses its lack of power and anonymous styling. The upgrades will make the TSX a better car, but we doubt the changes will be a big enough personality injection to choose the TSX over the GLI.