Review: 2009 Acura TSX

Introduction

What's New: Debuting for 2009 is the second-generation Acura TSX, sporting a fresh new look, more interior room, a 201-horsepower engine that releases cleaner emissions and delivers more torque than before, and the safety of Acura's ACE body structure.

Competes With: Audi A4, Lexus IS 250, Volkswagen Passat

What We Think: Acura has done an admirable job in updating the TSX, giving the car a premium and sporting feel beyond the expectation set by its sub-$30,000 starting price. Better yet, with an EPA rating of up to 28 mpg, the debut of the 2009 TSX might be perfectly timed for shoppers adding efficiency to a criteria list that already includes luxury and comfort.

Acura TSX – 2009 Review: In a weird way, driving the 2009 Acura TSX is like stumbling upon the perfect recipe.

We're not chefs, but we've grown up with traditional grandmothers and watched enough Food Network shows to realize that some of the best creations to ever come from a kitchen are not products of a strictly-followed recipe, but rather the results of using a list of ingredients and instructions as inspiration. The culinary artist-to-be may indeed start with the essentials – flour, fresh vegetables, a well-seasoned iron skillet – but what makes the masterpiece is that particular pinch of salt and the extra drop of olive oil. It may even be traced back to the slightly over-ripened sweet pepper purchased from the local organic market. Whatever the cause, the dish that eventually comes from the oven is delectable, and simply outshines each of the versions you've tasted before. Sorry, grandma.

That's essentially what's happened with the Acura TSX, though we'll stop short of calling this fuel-efficient sedan delectable. As good as the previous model was, there was always something missing with its cookie-cutter styling and inability to excite its driver. On paper, the recipe for the 2009 TSX may appear equally bland, but something's there now that actually left us licking our lips, so to speak. The styling has been tweaked just enough to be noticed, the larger interior is more luxurious, the powertrain is more engaging, and it delivers up to 28 mpg when gasoline prices are climbing north of $4.00 per gallon. It's enough to leave you asking for seconds.

Regardless of special ingredients or opportune timing, the fact remains that the 2009 Acura TSX is a marked improvement over its predecessor, a sporting and luxurious sedan worthy of consideration by shoppers seeking equal parts style, comfort, luxury, performance, and quality…for a bang-for-your-buck price of about $30,000.