Acura TSX

Acura TSX 2010

New available 3.5-litre V6 engine
- Exterior colour: Polished Metal Metallic discontinued

Redesigned for 2009, the Acura TSX adds a new V6 model for 2010, with 3.5-litre V6, exclusive suspension tuning, larger wheels and other enhancements. The new engine comes in two trim lines, the V6 Premium and V6 Technology.

The TSX comes with a 2.4-litre inline four-cylinder or 3.5-litre V6. The four-cylinder bases with a close-ratio manual transmission, but can be optioned to a five-speed automatic that's the sole choice with the V6. The transmission includes a manual shift mode and F1-style paddle shifters.

Features on the base TSX include 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated cloth seats with eight-way driver and four-way passenger power adjustment, Bluetooth connectivity, CD/MP3 stereo with auxiliary jack, compass, tire pressure monitoring system, power sunroof, heated mirrors with integrated turn signals, auto-dimming rearview mirror, twin illuminated vanity mirrors, garage door opener, power windows, power locks with keyless entry, speed-sensing variable intermittent wipers, tilt and telescopic steering column, and 60/40 split-folding rear seat.

The Premium adds automatic xenon headlamps, fog lights, two-position driver memory, perforated leather-trimmed upholstery, and premium sound system with XM Satellite Radio and USB connector.

The Technology package adds a six-CD stereo, reverse camera, and navigation system with bilingual voice recognition.

The V6 Premium and Technology models build on the respective four-cylinder Premium and Technology models, but add 18-inch alloy wheels.

Pricing: 2010 Acura ZDX

2010 Acura ZDXAcura has announced a starting price of $45,495 for the new ZDX four-door luxury crossover. The sleek, new MDX-based car will be available in three trim packages: base, Technology Package ($49,995) and Advanced Package ($56,045). All models come standard with all-wheel drive and a 300-hp, 3.7-liter V6 engine. EPA mileage is estimated at 16/23 city/highway.

Standard features on the base model include a panoramic glass roof, concealed rear door handles, and leather accents on the dash, center console, and door panels. The Technology Package adds a navigation system with voice recognition, real-time traffic and weather, a full display screen, and multi-view rear camera. Also included is an upgraded audio system with a built-in hard drive to store up to 3,500 songs; a GPS-linked, solar-sensing, dual-zone automatic climate control system; and keyless entry with push-button start.

The Advance Package adds a blind-spot information system, adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance system, Integrated Dynamic System (IDS)--which offers a Comfort and Sport setting--and heated leather front seats.

We recently took a ride in the new ZDX and found that style has trumped utility. The fit and finish is first rate, the exterior attractive, and there are a number of interesting features, but the low roof, close quarters, and poor access will have limited appeal even to the targeted affluent empty nesters.

2010 Acura TSX V6 Review

So, with the addition of an optional V-6 the new TSX erases the last significant division between itself and the TL sedan that sits above it in Acura's lineup. In fact, all three Acura sedans are now V-6-powered, with front- or all-wheel-drive, or about as easily distinguishable as their names (TSX, TL, and RL). This is not the way to build a hierarchy.

Last year's redesign already had the TSX shading the TL's turf, as the car became considerably larger. With premium marques at last showing a dawning awareness that small entries might be palatable to the American consumer, the repositioning of the TSX seemed like a retrograde step.

Although the TSX V-6 strikes me as a strategic blunder, the car itself is hardly unpleasant. Yes, the wider body makes for a more spacious interior. The cabin is suitably plush, although Acura's recent interior designs have been a tad overwrought. The V-6 is strong and (mostly) silent, and torque steer is even well-suppressed.

But I miss the old trim and nimble, four-cylinder, stick-shift, and far more affordable TSX. And judging from the old car's strong resale value, others do too. It's a proposition whose time has come again; although I'd argue that it really never left.

2010 Acura ZDX Priced Out for December Release

Acura has announced that the new 2010 ZDX four-door sports coupe is set to go on-sale at Acura dealerships on 15 December, with a manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) starting at $45,495.

Designed, developed and manufactured in North America, the ZDX already made its debut at the New York Auto Show in April, showcasing its coupe-like styling combined with flexible utility.

Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales, said: "Acura dealers are seeing strong interest from customers for the ZDX well before its official on-sale date. The ZDX is like nothing you have ever seen before from Acura."

The company said that ZDX will be available in three trim packages, the ZDX; ZDX with Technology Package; and the ZDX with Advance Package.

The new model is said to be priced at $45,495, the second model ZDX with Technology Package is priced at $49,995, and the ZDX with Advance Package will be available at $56,045.

Acura for 2011, following 2010's dramatic ZDX

The luxurious new Acura ZDX for 2010Following this month's debut of 2010's ZDX at the Orange County (California) Auto Show, Acura announced today the coming of the TSX sport wagon to its 2011 vehicle lineup.

Arriving at Acura dealerships in the Fall of 2010, the TSX sport wagon will be based on the popular TSX sports sedan. Features boated thus far are limited to balanced performance, advanced technology and bold styling, with a promise for additional information (and hopefully images) at a later date.

Arriving this winter at Acura dealerships, the all new 2010 ZDX features dramatic styling, outstanding performance and the latest in advanced technology. The segment bending ZDX has stunning coupe-like styling with the added benefit of a commanding presence and flexible utility. Designed, developed and manufactured entirely in North America, the ZDX is the first vehicle to be styled from start to finish in the new, dedicated Acura Design Studio in Torrance, California. Staying true to the original sketch from Acura's first female designer, Michelle Christensen, the ZDX features sensuous curves, deeply sculpted shoulders and strong character lines. The design highlights of the 2010 Acura ZDX include:

Acura RSX-S - Rainbow Warrior

2003 Acura RSX-S - Rainbow Warrior

This is more than a car, it's a four-wheeled illustration of the American Dream. If someone works hard, they can achieve their goals. And if someone wants their car painted Heineken metallic green-then adds blue, red and candy purple highlights-well, by golly, it's a free country.

BK, 24, works hard, holding down two jobs in Charlotte, NC (restaurant manager/chef and grocery stock associate), toiling seven days a week. Full name Byung Kook Choi, BK always wanted an Acura RSX. It was his dream car while in junior high around 2002. After graduating, he went to a showroom and put money down and got this '03 RSX Type-S, stuffed with the K20A2 engine, pearl-white from the factory.

"A couple of friends took me to a Honda meet, and that's when I started thinking about what I should modify on my car," says BK. "My first part was an AEM cold air intake-that's when I got hooked! "

Before he got too involved with the engine, BK decided to augment the looks with a J's Racing Type S body kit. This consists of a front bumper, side skirts, a carbon fiber rear diffuser and a Type V carbon fiber hood. Further aerodynamic appendages include front canards with winglets, a front under panel, trunk lid and a GT rear wing-all fashioned from carbon fiber. For a final aesthetic flourish, BK went for Ings wide fenders and lit the JDM DC5 headlights with Ignited HID 8,500K bulbs, then got the whole shebang painted in Heineken green.

It was another friend who first suggested this hue. BK mulled it over for a couple of weeks then spoke to his paint guy, who assured him that it would look great. "I've never seen another RSX painted like it," says BK. It's doubtful anyone has.

The next phase was all centered on the engine bay, so those sunglasses can come off now (but look out for those blue Samco Sport radiator hoses and the J's Racing blue anodized valve cover). The lure of forced induction was too great to resist, so while BK was in a GReddy state of mind, he sprang for a T517Z turbocharger, manifold and custom polished intercooler and pipes. He looked to HKS for its SSQV blow-off valve, to RBC for an intake manifold, and oversees the power delivery with a Turbo XS manual boost controller.

A Hondata K-Pro ECU (tuned by RLZ Engineering of North Carolina) keeps another hand on the reins, choreographing a BDL fuel rail, RC 650cc/min injectors and NGK Iridium spark plugs for the internal combustion tango. With the dance in full swing, BK's engine now makes a claimed 298 hp at 7,800 rpm and 236 lb-ft of torque at a peaky 6,800 rpm. This is still with the stock compression ratio of 11:1.

A well-regarded upgrade to Honda's K-series engines is the fitting of IPS K2 camshafts and valve springs, so BK wasn't about to fly in the face of conventional wisdom here. He also hooked up an HKS muffler, three-inch KTeller exhaust and piping, and a three-inch test pipe called . . . what was that name again? Ah yes, Unforgettable. Before we forget, BK added a Mishimoto aluminum radiator, removed the ABS, air conditioning and power steering apparatus, then did a full wire tuck.

A project always reminds us that everything we do has consequences down the line. So more power requires a beefed-up transmission. In this case, an Exedy Stage 2 cerametallic clutch and flywheel do the business, along with a Buddy Club short shifter and custom chromed transmission brackets. BK gets the power to the pavement via a Quaife limited-slip differential and Driveshaft Shop Stage 1 axles.

2009 Acura CSX Tech Review

There’s the Honda Civic, and for those who want to enjoy the essence and values of the popular Japanese compact in a more luxurious package, there’s the Acura CSX.

Exclusive to Canada, this entry-level model from Honda’s premium division is a nice example of the distinct character of our automotive market. Here, and especially in Quebec, buyers are more interested in smaller cars than their American neighbors.

Make no mistake: the Acura CSX is a high-end Honda Civic!

The CSX is a clone of the Civic (you'd have to be blind not to realize it). Since 1996, when the Acura 1.6EL started the trend, workers at Honda’s No.1 assembly plant in Alliston, Ontario, have been building Civics and little Acuras on the same assembly line, with the latter receiving juiced-up powerplants and additional features.

Three trim levels
The 2009 Acura CSX comes in three trim levels, all featuring a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine. Most Civic sedans, meanwhile, make do with a 1.8L unit.

Both the base model and the Tech variant (as tested) produce 155 horsepower, making them a bit livelier than the 140-horsepower Civic EX-L. As for the CSX Type S, it shares its engine with the sporty Civic Si. This high-strung performer cranks out 197 horsepower, enough to turn this sleek compact sedan into a surprisingly-capable machine, one that can sprint to 100 km/h from a standstill in just 7 seconds.

That’s great, but the CSX I put to the test was more, shall we say, pedestrian. Mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission, the fastest time it ever pulled off from 0 to 100 km/h was 9.23 seconds. An ordinary Civic DX with manual gearbox is just as fast yet sells for nearly half the price!

Apples with apples!
Of course, as the folks at Honda Canada were quick to remind me, we’re not talking about the same cars, here. Fine. Let’s compare apples with apples. If the CSX Type S is the premium equivalent of the Civic Si, then the CSX Tech is the same for the Civic EX-L. The former boasts an additional 200 cc’s, 15 horsepower and 11 pounds-feet of torque. That’s it.

The 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine of the CSX Tech is slightly more powerful than the 1.8L unit of the Civic EX-L.

Acura TSX Sport Wagon to U.S. in 2010

Acura TSX Sport Wagon arrives

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.

2009 Acura MDX Technology Review

The marketing experts at Acura are clearly not afraid of words. They do not hesitate to label their new MDX as a sport utility vehicle even though this expression is now associated with some of the worst gas-guzzlers in the minds of many consumers.

The second-generation MDX is one big, polarizing SUV.

Is it fair? Well, consider this: when breaking down all vehicles currently found on North American roads, you’ll soon realize that there are way more minivans than SUVs. Yet, their average fuel economy is pretty much identical. So which one’s the real guzzler?

Notwithstanding the green debate, one thing’s for sure: there will always be people interested in buying premium utility vehicles. Along with the Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and BMW X5, the Acura MDX is one of the most popular in its class right now. Just like the first two, it offers a smooth, comfortable ride. As for the X5, it’s so firm and sporty that the ride becomes harsh and almost painful!

Like it or not, it’s in your face!
The 2009 MDX is built at the Honda assembly plant in Alliston, Ontario. Now in its second generation, it stands out from the pack with eccentric styling that marks a radical departure from the previous model. The MDX shares many design cues with other Acura products, particularly the bold metallic grille that looks like a triangular tooth (also found on the RL, TL and TSX sedans).

In fact, Acura says that designers were asked to give the MDX "a decidedly bold and innovative look that would allow it to unequivocally assert its unique SUV character." From this point of view, no one can deny that they succeeded in their mission. The 2009 Acura MDX is one big, polarizing machine!

Powerful engine
The 3.7-litre V6 that powers the MDX is also shared with the RL and TL (but not the TSX). In this application, the engine produces 300 horsepower and enough torque to make V8-powered competitors jealous. Having said that, fuel economy is not as enviable. My tester posted an average just shy of 15 litres per 100 kilometres. And remember: this premium SUV drinks premium gas!

Honda engineers successfully kept exterior noises out of the cabin by using composite seals inside the door panels. The result is a tremendously-quiet, Lexus-like atmosphere on the road.

The cockpit sure is attractive, but the controls and switches on the center stack all look the same and therefore require more attention from the driver.

The automaker claims that the MDX is a "4+3" vehicle, which means that it should comfortably sit four adults: two in the front buckets and two in the second-row bench. Three additional seating positions are available in the third row: one in the middle and two smaller ones on each side.

Folding the second- and third-row seatbacks creates a perfectly-flat cargo floor.

Ready for summer
The MDX can tow up to 2,268 kilos (5,000 lbs). Moreover, it comes out of the factory pre-wired for trailer connection and equipped with a heavy-duty automatic transmission cooler and a heavy-duty radiator with dual fans. All you need to haul your boat to the lake is a trailer hitch and wiring harness. Any dealer will be happy to make the installation for a slight premium.

Like most of its rivals, the MDX offers high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights that project such a sharp, clear-colored beam that you no longer want to drive a car with ordinary headlights after trying out this Acura.

Meanwhile, the taillights use two dozen light-emitting diodes (LED) for superior brightness and a modern look. Also, they light up much more quickly than traditional incandescent bulbs and will undoubtedly outlast the combined ownership experience of several successive drivers.

Acura Confirms TSX SportWagon

The handsome Honda Accord Tourer station wagon that is currently sold in Europe is coming to the North American market next fall, rechristened as a 2011 model year Acura TSX SportWagon.

The announcement was made Wednesday at the headquarters of Honda’s upscale Acura division in Torrance, Calif.

No details were available, such as engine and transmission choices, all-wheel-drive capabilities or styling differences. But the European-specification Accord sedan is currently sold in the United States as the TSX sedan, with few basic differences between the two models. In Europe, however, the Accord is sold with many more options, including a fuel-efficient “clean diesel” engine; plans to offer that powerplant in America were quietly scrubbed last year.

Journalists attending a preview of future Honda products two days earlier were told the company had made a decision that the Tourer wagon was not coming to the United States market “at this time.” Apparently the situation changed over the intervening 48 hours.

Honda enthusiasts are now wondering whether the popular Euro-spec Civic hatchback could also soon be designated for America — possibly as another Acura. A racy, horsepower-boosted Euro Civic Type R, due to go on sale in the Japanese domestic market as soon as next month, was unveiled last week at the Tokyo Motor Show.

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.

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.