Autoblog

Click above for high resolution images of the 2009 Acura TSX

The first generation Acura TSX received glowing reviews from the media and owners alike. While not having the most exciting styling or the beefiest of powertrains, the TSX offered a sensible and reliable vehicle with plenty of standard options that didn't break the bank. Our man Damon road-tripped a 2007 TSX up to Lake Tahoe and was pleasantly surprised with the driving characteristics and smooth powertrain, although he put Acura's turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 on the wish list.

With Acura launching an all-new TSX in 2009, we've been itching to see what direction they would go with the second generation. Fortunately, we didn't have to wait long to find out because Acura invited us to test the new TSX just a few weeks before officially launching the car at the New York Auto Show.

All photos Copyright ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for high-res live gallery of the 2009 Acura TSX

The redesigned 2009 Acura TSX was revealed live at the New York Auto Show just a few moments ago, and despite the new face of Acura, the TSX isn't nearly as ugly in person as we suspected. We've found that the key to the new nose is partnering it with lighter colors (silver, white, etc.) and avoiding the darker hues that don't do much to blend with the bright metallic mug.

While we've already covered details of the TSX in our previous post, a few of the high points are worth repeating. The new 2.4-liter four is making 201 hp and a much-needed 176 lb.-ft. of torque, while still doing extremely well on the fed's sniffer test. The track has been widened and the wheelbase lengthened, but the emphasis on the TSX's sportiness was lost in the list of standard and optional equipment.

The TSX gets standard Bluetooth, a USB port, iPod integration, a seven-speaker sound system, dual-zone climate control, HID headlamps and a moonroof. Option up for the Technology Package and you get an additional three speakers, a rear-view camera, plus voice-activated navigation with Acura Link, traffic rerouting and real-time weather. Aiming at the well-to-do youth market is Acura's plan for the TSX and execs hope to "dramatically increase" the 30,000 or so TSXs they've unloaded per year since the car's introduction. And in an effort to raise the high-class status of the entire Acura brand, the automaker has also partnered with the W hotel chain to have Acura vehicles as the preferred whip at the high-end urban enclaves.

Hit the jump for Acura's full press release.

click above for a high-res shot of the 2009 Acura TSX

A forum member over at VWVortex published Acura's press release for the 2009 TSX and the news for enthusiasts isn't good, but not entirely unexpected. The big non-news is that Acura will continue to use the 2.4-liter four cylinder employed in the current model, sending power to the front wheels through either a five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual. The dimensions of the TSX have grown slightly, while two-stage dampers connect to double wishbones up front and a multilink setup out back. Inside, both the driver and front-seat passenger get power seats and upgraded leather, while a USB port for the stereo is standard equipment.

You can check out Acura's full press release after the jump.

Click image to enlarge

Never mind the spy shots, Acura's gone and released the first official photo of the 2009 TSX in conjunction with its announcement that the car will make its big debut in the Big Apple next month. No specifics about the car itself were released other than the usual boilerplate telling us that the next-gen TSX represents a "significant advancement" and that it will go on sale this Spring. One of those "significant advancements" is almost sure to be the availability of Honda's new i-DTEC clean diesel, which we're all anxious to try in the new sport sedan. In terms of its appearance, Acura has gone the evolutionary route, applying its current design language to a shape that should still be easily identifiable as the TSX. A modest application of the shield grille is in place, the wheel wells now have more pronounced flares, and the reshaped headlamps still retain that skinniness that was one of the calling cards of the last-gen car. The new face is definitely more conservative than that of the freshened RL, and better for it. We'll get a really good idea of what to expect before the New York Auto Show in late March when the car is unveiled as the new Euro Accord earlier in the month at the Geneva Motor Show.

UPDATE: Honda Europe has unveiled the new Accord Euro in sedan and touring (wagon) bodystyles. Since the TSX and the Accord Euro sedan are the same car, you can get a very clear idea of What to expect the Acura's rear end and interior will look like now as well.

[Source: Acura]

We've already been introduced to Honda's new i-DTEC clean diesel and, as expected, it will be finding its way into the next generation TSX sometime in 2009. The inclusion of the 2.2-liter diesel will follow the redesign of Acura's entry-level sedan sometime this spring, with the i-DTEC-equipped model initially debuting in Europe (in the Euro Accord) and eventually finding its way into the RDX crossover later next year. A V6 diesel is also expected to arrive sometime in 2010.

According to Dick Colliver, Acura's executive veep of American Honda Motor Corp., Acura will be a totally different brand in the next five or six years, further differentiating itself from Honda and becoming a tier one luxury brand with its aim set squarely on BMW and other luxury automakers.

A new TL will debut later this year and the TSX replacement may also come equipped with the turbocharged four found in the RDX when it goes on sale this summer.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

click above image for more spy shots of the 2009 Acura TSX

Chris Doane has finally caught the 2009 Acura TSX outside of a Honda facility in the U.S. It would appear the car is about the same size as the current model, or perhaps slightly larger. From the rear it looks like those fender blisters give the car a wider track. The design will reportedly get more aggressive, which you can already see on the nose of this test vehicle despite the liberal application of tape by Honda engineers.

We're especially excited for the next iteration of the TSX, because along with a 20 - 30 bump in horsepower for its rev-happy 2.4L four-cylinder, we're also expecting an S-Type model powered by a 260+ HP uprated version of the 240 HP, 2.3L turbo in the Acura RDX. We've sampled that mill before, and are addicted based on what it can do in a CUV. The 2009 Acura TSX S-Type, however, should be on a different level entirely. Torque steer is an issue, as the TSX is and always has been front-wheel drive. We have faith Honda engineers, some of the best in the biz, can quell it, though. (NOTE: Thanks to the astute reader who reminded us the Type-S model will have S-AWD, which should irradicate any hint of torque steer.)

Follow the jump for Brenda Priddy's full report on the 2009 Acura TSX.

[Source: Chris Doane for Brenda Priddy & Co.]