Acura bringing TSX Sport Wagon to U.S. in 2010

When the Acura TSX Sport Wagon arrives, it will look something like this...but with a pointier Acura beak.

(Credit: Honda)

Wagon fans rejoice!

After the public's abysmal reception of the Accord Crosstour and the Acura ZDX, Honda has decided to bring the Accord Touring to North American shores. This is a proper wagon, not an odd genre-bending XUV. The model will wear a 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon badge and will be available in fall 2010.

If you remember, the Honda Accord Touring was listed among our Top 10 awesome wagons you can't have. As you'd expect, we're very excited to see it coming off of that list.

2010 Acura RDX proves a sporty SUV

slinging the RDX through corners, we were impressed by this little SUV's handling. Acura's all-wheel-drive system does amazing things for keeping the car settled when inertial forces attempt to drag it over a cliff. But we weren't so impressed after a glance down at the trip computer's fuel economy number. The turbocharged four-cylinder was drinking up the gas like a frat boy at Oktoberfest.

A good cabin tech update added to the driving experience, its new iPod integration letting us listen to a variety of music over the excellent ELS audio system. Navigation and weather are also new features for the navigation system, letting us avoid the bad traffic jams.

2010 Acura TSX V6

Let’s be honest. We can be a jaded bunch at times. Having the privelidge of driving various makes and models of cars goes a long way in not being impressed by a lot of things automotive. But every so often, an unexpected surprise arrives at our doorstep and we find ourselves wondering why a certain manufacturer hadn’t done something earlier. This was certainly the case with the 2010 Acura TSX V6. We’ve had plenty of exposure to the TSX – our Feature Editor Daniel Lewis owns a 2004 edition – and although it is a dependable, well-built car, the 200hp K24 engine in stock trim does not elicity the kind of rise in blood pressure we relish.

The 2010 Acura TX V6, however, is a completely different kind of vehicle. Whereas the inline-4 version is in the same segment as many of the most popular mid-sized 4-door sedans in the market, the addition of the bigger engine elevates the TSX into a completely differentsegment altogether. We’re talking about Audi A4 3.2, BMW 328 and Lexus IS350 territory. So does the V6 have what it takes to compete head to head with these luxury sport sedans?

First Impressions

Whereas the previous generation TSX possessed bodylines unlike any in sister brand Honda’s line up – although it was known as the Honda (Euro) Accord on the Continent – the current generation’s design bear closer resemblance to the very popular Accord. Dimensions have increased as well, providing a much more spacious cabin than the previous generation. Leg room, shoulder room and head room all have gone up, coming close to the dimensions of the previous generation Acura TL.

• The interior space seems cavernous by the previous generation TSX standards and fit two 6+ footers in the front quite comfortably with decent leg room left for rear passengers

• The dash, instrument cluster and center console were constructed of quality materials; fit and finish was excellent and really on-par with those of Audi, a make that’s well known for their excellent interior finishing
• One of the biggest changes is the steering wheel – gone is what seemed like a 380mm unit in the previous generation TSX; the new steering wheel is smaller – probably about a 350mm from what we could tell – thick and solid, really communicating a very sporty vibe

• Our tester, with the optional technology package, offered virtually every in-car convenience known to man – satellite radio, satellite-based traffic routing & information, Bluetooth hands-free calling, Bluetooth A2DP stereo output (so that you can play tunes directly from your iPhone without using a cable) and more
• The short-side to all that technology is that you have a pretty steep learning curve involved in figuring out the controls – there is a button practically for every control, making especially the center console look more like the Kennedy Space Center
• We did appreciate the matte, slightly textured finish on all the buttons – great tacticle feedback – but wondered if that finish would wear off with use
• We would have appreciated a keyless entry and start system to elevate the level of convenience – and frankly, a car at $38,760 should come with one
• The sound system is GREAT – as Feature Editor Daniel Lewis noted; unlike TSX’s of the past, the new generation seems to have gotten it perfect according to him
• Speaking of the sound system, we appreciate having the thin strip of LED-based radio and temp control information that is separated from the navigation screen; not having to switch back and forth between the navi and radio just to figure out which song is playing is a great idea

Driving Impressions

The TSX’s 3.5L SOHC V6 is silky smooth even under wide open throttle conditions. Stoplights are disposed with ease with a stab of the throttle, eliciting an acceleration that is quick but not abrupt nor harsh. Even with the right foot buried deep under the dash, there wasn’t any noticeable torque steer or drama through front wheel hop. We surprised more than a few drivers with quick getways and passing speed. Perhaps they should have taken greater notice of the discrete V6 badging out back.

It’s safe to say that the addition of the V6 has completely changed the character of the TSX. Whereas we would have viewed it as the now-defunct RSX’s 4-door brother in the past, the bigger engine changes things completely. Smaller displacement Honda / Acura engines have been traditionally known for their high-revving nature, producing horsepower figures that belie their displacement, but the weak link has always been torque. But with an available 254lb-ft of torque on tap, the TSX doesn’t need to rev very high to attain the level of acceleration to put smiles on our faces.

The 5-speed automatic transmission with sequential shifting is a perfect compliment to the V6. Although we have never been big fans of automatic slushboxes with wanna-be manual shifting, the TSX’s unit does an admirable job with quick shifts and engagement, even blipping the throttle on downshifts. The paddles on the steering wheel reminded us of those found in DSG-equipped Audis with its feel and design. Imitation, in this case, was a great call to make.

Taking the V6 around bends and corners was pretty eventless. Although it is a front-wheel drive car, we never noticed any significant understeer that took us outside of where the steering wheel was pointed. We suspect that most TSX V6 owners will never take their cars to the limit, but it’s certainly reassuring that there is a margin of error built into the car.

On the fuel economy end of things – sure to come up when you consider the large difference in displacement between the standard 4 cylinder engine and our TSX V6 – we achieved a combined average of 21.8mpg, which is slightly above the EPA estimate 21mpg. When we took our lead foot off the throttle and practiced smooth acceleration with minimal braking , however, we were able to generate 30.8mpg on freeway-only driving. Even a V6 can be quite the gas miser when driven efficiently.

Conclusion

There’s really not much to say. The 2010 TSX V6 handily beat our expectations and solidly convinced us that something good is going on at Acura. When stacked against its primary rivals from Europe, we feel it stands up pretty darn well. Sure, Audi might edge ahead slightly in brand cache, but Acura is honestly darn close. Putting product against product, the TSX V6 represents a pretty convincing argument and we consider it a legitimate contender for your purchase and ownership consideration.

2010 Acura RDX proves a sporty, if inefficient, little SUV

Slinging the RDX through corners, we were impressed by this little SUV's handling. Acura's all-wheel-drive system does amazing things for keeping the car settled when inertial forces attempt to drag it over a cliff. But we weren't so impressed after a glance down at the trip computer's fuel economy number. The turbocharged four cylinder was drinking up the gas like a frat boy at Oktoberfest.

A good cabin tech update added to the driving experience, its iPod integration letting us listen to a variety of music over the excellent ELS audio system. Navigation and weather are also new features for the navigation system, letting us avoid the bad traffic jams.

Acura unveils details on ’09 and 2010 TL

2009 Acura TL

2010 Acura TL

The 2009 Acura TL is shaping up to contain more horsepower than any previous Acura model - with a 3.7-liter, 305 horsepower engine, it’s slightly over fifteen times as powerful as the venerable Model T. Kinda puts these things in perspective.

Manual transmission aficionados will be even more excited by Acura’s announcement regarding the 2010 TL models. We’re looking at the option of a brand-new, short throw six speed which, in combination with the aforementioned 3.7 liter engine and the all-wheel drive, promises to bring a stiffer ride to the average consumer.

2010 Acura ZDX

2010 Acura ZDX

2010 Acura MDX: New look and transmission

Acura has given its largest SUV, the MDX, a thorough refresh for the 2010 model year. Building on the corporate look previewed by the TL and TSX, the MDX gains revisions to its front and rear fascia, as well as a revised suspension and a new six-speed automatic transmission.

2010 Acura ZDX Makes Official Production Debut at Orange County Auto Show

The Orange County Auto Show may not be on your radar--it may not be on anyone's radar--but that's where Acura chose to officially release the production version of the 2010 ZDX coupe/sedan/crossover.

Not much new info accompanies the car's production debut, though the photography gives us an incredibly detailed look at all its nooks and crannies as they'll be when the ZDX hits showroom floors this winter. The ZDX was initially unveiled at the New York Auto Show back in March, but the design wasn't officially production-ready at that point.

The ZDX will be positioned between the MDX SUV and RL sedan according to Acura, putting it's likely retail price somewhere between $40,000 and $46,000 to start. EPA estimated fuel economy is tipped to hit 16/22 mpg.

For the full run-down on the all-wheel drive, 3.7-liter, 300-horsepower segment-bender, check out our preview of the 2010 ZDX here. And if you're in the area, you can head over to the Orange County Auto Show to see the car in person today through October 18.

First Close Up Look At The Production Acura ZDX

One of the new vehicles at the 2009 OC Auto Show was the production Acura ZDX.

Take a look at the Photos as we give you a closer look and tell us your opinion of how it turned out.

I found it much more attractive and thought the quality of the materials inside it were 10 times better than any Acura we'd ever been inside.

The carpeting was Range Rover quality and the leather dash and stitching was more of what you'd see in a BMW individual car.

I think it turned out nice and will sway many FX buyers who think the ride is too stiff and other SUV buyers who think the ride is too soft in theirs.

Yes the beak doesn't get any less bothersome in person but all in all, I think it works best on this car and I think many dealers will paint them so they disappear.

I think it will sell for them...I kind of think is the their SUV interpretation of the Legend.

I has that presence in real life and I always like the legend.

Acura LMP2 car to campaign at 2010

Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01b

Despite having a dominant year with a record-tying eight class wins in the LMP2 category, the Lowe's Fernandez Acura ARX-01b might not be back for the 2010 ALMS season. The Indianapolis-based race team, one of the three original announced by Acura back in 2006, has failed to secure a major sponsor for next year and will cancel its racing program if it fails to find one by the end of the month. As is often the case, however, misfortune can often lead to opportunity. England-based Strakka Racing has made plans to purchase the Acura ARX-01owned by Fernandez Racing and will compete with the car in the European Le Mans Series next year as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The deal has yet to be finalized, but Strakka has already informed the LMS organizers of its intentions and has signed British driver Danny Watts, who previously drove a Panoz Esperante GT-LM in the series. You can see the Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01b in the high-res gallery below, which features the car during its class win at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca earlier this month.

2010 Acura MDX Review

Acura has updated its MDX for the 2010 model year, with a number of styling, performance, and technology updates to keep it fresh against its rivals. The big SUV keeps its versatile seven-passenger, three-row layout but sports a new exterior look, a revised powertrain, several chassis refinements, more comfort features and a longer standard equipment list.

The MDX may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, especially when it comes to off-roading, but it’s still an entertaining vehicle to drive and, despite some odd exclusions on the features list, a supremely confident family vehicle with an excellent safety record. Pricing starts at roughly $43,000 and stretches beyond $50,000 for fully loaded versions. TheCarConnection.com accepted travel expenses to an Acura-sponsored event to produce this hands-on road test.

Visually, the seven-passenger 2010 MDX receives more aggressive styling in the form of new front and rear bodywork, a new front grille and numerous new trim enhancements. Other details include a revised hood, new side sills, polished stainless-steel exhaust tips, and revised taillights with brighter LEDs.

Inside, the 2010 MDX benefits from the expanded use of Milano leather, a new, thicker sports steering wheel with racing-inspired paddle shifters, new gauges, optional ventilated front seats and upgraded interior trim.

Under the hood sits a more refined version of the 3.7-liter V-6 engine from the 2009 model. The VTEC unit produces 300-horsepower and 270-pound-feet of torque and is mated to a new six-speed automatic transmission with pseudo manual control.

2010 Acura ZDX first drive

Acura's all new ZDX is a mash-up of sedan

When we saw the line of Acura ZDX models waiting for us in the parking lot, the cleanness of the design stood out. The sheet metal looked smoother than any new car we had seen recently, and Acura didn't load the body down with jewelry, just nicely integrated headlight casings. And the grille, which stands out like a beak on the smaller Acura sedans, seems to have found its medium. Unlike when we first saw the ZDX earlier this year at the New York auto show, the design took on new life under the bright sun at this special driving preview.

Built on the Acura MDX SUV platform, the ZDX is lower but just a tad longer than its platform-mate. During a presentation, an Acura representative called it a "four door sports coupe," and touted its off-road characteristics by showing a video of it running on a snow track. That schizophrenic character points to the ZDX's blessing or curse--it will be a convenient multipurpose vehicle to some people, but not good at any particular duty for others. That said, the ZDX comes out at the same time as other automakers experiment with this new type of crossover. BMW has the X6, and is working on the 5-series Gran Turismo. Audi is looking at making a hatchback version of the A5. These companies are trying to develop an SUV-alternative for people that no long want to drive a truck

2010 Acura TL SH-AWD Six-Speed Manual

I have a soft spot for the Acura TL sedan. Well, the previous, front-wheel-drive generation from 2004–08. The latest version that launched for 2009 with available SH-AWD all-wheel drive has failed to capture my interest, mostly due to its oddly chiseled appearance and robotic driving experience. That the car was introduced with only a five-speed automatic doesn’t help.

So it was a welcome sight to see a new 2010 version fitted with proper six-speed manual sitting in our 10Best paddock this week. I finally got around to driving it today, and while it doesn’t transform the car into, say, something as dynamic as the 2010 Audi S4, the manual gearbox lends the Acura a degree of driver involvement that it was sorely lacking before. Paired with a 307-hp, 3.7-liter V-6, the extra cog makes the car a bit more lively in the twisties, where you can feel the torque-vectoring rear axle working to pivot the car around corners. The analog feel of the leather-wrapped shifter feels almost out of place in the TL’s tech-heavy cabin, but it’s a breeze to use and has the same precise engagement found in most manual-equipped Acuras and Hondas.

No, it’s not a profound change and the current car still doesn’t win me over like the previous model still does. But it’s a welcoming gesture in our age of super-fast automatics and dual-clutch gearboxes to see a conservative, mainstream automaker rolling out a real three-pedal, shift-your-own transmission in a luxury sedan overflowing with modern technology—and looks it, no less. I fear that this will be an increasingly rare experience in the not-too-distant future, so maybe I’ll give the TL another chance. Now if Acura would only do something about that damn grille.

2010 Acura ZDX

So here’s the ZDX, and what are we supposed to think? Acura wants us to think sports sedan, and maybe some beholders will do just that.

What we really have here is an Acura MDX deprived of some of its rear seat headroom and a lot of its rear cargo space, looking like some kind of inflatable left on the compressor a little too long.

This is big iron and it feels big. The chassis engineers have done a good job of managing the mass—brisk direction changes, and it feels tied down, not much body roll. The steering is a little secretive about what’s going on: the driver gives some input and waits to see what happens. Still, in general, the ZDX feels taut and poised, ready to rock and roll—but there’s always an asterisk: agile, for something in this size class.

That’s that big reservation. There are also a couple small ones—no rear window wiper, and that bifurcated backlite is annoying when it’s not actually interfering with vision. On the other hand, the ZDX is handsome inside, top quality, great looking IP, very uptown. But like the BMW X6, it’s one of those sedan crossovers that provokes head-scratching: If this is the answer, what the hell was the question?

2010 Acura ZDX Neither a SUV nor a sedan

2010 Acura ZDX

2010 Acura ZDX

Acura ZDX fills a grey zone between Acura's MDX crossover and its RL luxury sedan, and takes on the body style embraced by hard-to-categorize cars like the BMW X6. Though capable of hauling five passengers, the ZDX's layout lends more space to the front passengers, with cargo capacity reaching 55.8 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded down. A standard power liftgate reveals the storage area, and a separate compartment beneath the trunk allows for discreet storage.

The unibody chassis houses a 3.7-liter V6 producing 300 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, mated to the same new six-speed automatic transmission found in the 2010 MDX. Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system diverts between 10 and 70 percent of the torque to either the front to rear, and up to 100 percent of torque between the right and left wheels. Fuel economy is estimated at 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway.

Three equipment packages will be available when the ZDX hits the market this December. A "technology" package tops the base model, adding a voice recognition–activated navigation system, a multi-view rear camera with normal, wide and top view perspectives, an upgraded 10-speaker audio system and keyless entry. The Advance package goes further, adding adaptive magneto-rheological suspension (the same type of system found on many Corvettes) and variable assist steering that can be altered via a "comfort/sport" switch, a blind-spot detector, ventilated seats and a collision-mitigation braking system that produces up to 0.2 g of stopping power when necessary.

The ZDX comes across as surprisingly large in person, and its unusual lines boast several curious design details. The ZDX's windshield features the world's first continuous glass surface that stretches from hood to bumper—a distance of over 12 feet. Hidden rear door handles emphasize the ZDX's coupe-like overtures, and at over 12.5 inches, the panel depth of the rear fender is the deepest draw in the industry and makes for muscular shoulders.

Pricing has not yet been announced for the ZDX, but expect it to be positioned between the RL and MDX, placing it in the mid-$40,000 range.