During last summer's Edmunds.com Sport Coupe Comparison Test, this editor got two quick laps on the track in an Acura RSX Type-S with leather seats and a six-speed manual shifter. Those two laps have lingered in his mind ever since. The Type-S was so distinctly different from — and so much better than — the other coupes he had been flogging that day. Not only did the Type-S steal first place in the comparison test, but it also created an itch for more seat time in this exciting car.
Enter the Acura RSX with cloth seats, a less powerful engine and an automatic transmission. Wait a second! Where's the acceleration? Where's the sexy interior? Where's the adrenaline rush? Well, it's all still here, but hidden under a veneer of refinement and, well, compromise. That compromise could be labeled "everyday life." Think of this as a decaffeinated version of the edgy Type-S.
OK, so most people wouldn't really want a track car as a daily driver. Rowing through six gears on a morning commute makes it hard to dial the phone and sip your latte. But when they can steal away for an afternoon's spin on a twisting country road, those same people want a car that can keep pace. Can this base RSX, the descendant of Acura's popular Integra, step up? Well, yes. But with a few reservations.
Our tester, which is likely to represent the volume seller, came with Acura's new 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine that makes 160 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 141 pound-feet of torque at 4,000. This amazingly smooth, economical engine (the EPA estimates it will get 27 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway) is more than adequate for most driving situations. However, enthusiasts will miss that all-important quick blast off the line. Also, the well-mannered engine becomes shrill at higher revs. Still, there is a sweet spot around 6,000 rpm where the engine digs in and delivers an unexpected surge of mid-range power for passing — or just for fun.
We couldn't help wondering how this engine would have performed when coupled to the five-speed manual transmission. However, in the RSX we drove, power goes to the front wheels via an optional five-speed automatic transmission that shifts up through the gears with precision and confidence. If downshifts came as willingly, the engine would feel livelier. Still, the transmission was a solid performer and for the sport-minded driver, there's always Acura's Sequential SportShift. If you choose this special mode, you can select individual gears by moving the stick into a side gate. The shift knob was attractive and felt good in the hand, but the serpentine shift pattern at one point blocked us out of a hasty return to reverse.
While the engine is less performance-oriented than expected, the suspension, steering and handling leave nothing to be desired. The steering is heavy at low speeds, but gives excellent road feel and is nothing short of precise.
The suspension is tuned a bit stiff for surface-street commutes, but prevents body roll and allowed this sport coupe to wriggle through the 600-foot slalom cones in as little as 6.20 seconds. The base model comes with ABS and four-wheel disc brakes. The brakes felt solid, and provided a pleasing amount of modulation. However, the lowest braking distance from 60 to 0 mph was an unexceptional 129.59 feet (in the Sport Coupe Comparison Test only the Mitsubishi Eclipse, with a significantly higher curb weight, had comparably high numbers).
It's hard to be enthusiastic about this car's styling, which falls somewhere between bland and inoffensive. Our tester was an attractive desert silver metallic, which suited its personality well. But most of the Edmunds.com editors were critical of the stubby backend. You could say that, while this car will not go out of fashion quickly, that's because it fails to make a statement of any kind. On the plus side, the RSX's design affords the driver good visibility for a coupe — light years ahead of, say, the Celica.
Our reaction to the interior was much more favorable. The layout of the dash had a distinctly contemporary appeal with all the controls conveniently canted toward the driver. We particularly liked the titanium gauges, which have a 3-D look like saucers and glow neon-orange at night. The big, round buttons and the automatic climate control were very easy to use without taking our eyes off the road. Ditto for the stereo buttons which use the same design theme.
On the center console is a very cool storage bin serving two purposes. Slide the opening one way, and it becomes a tray for knickknacks, change or whatnot. Slide it a different way and it reveals a pair of cupholders. This makes good use of the small space by putting two things in one place.
Interior materials are high quality, especially the suede-like cloth on the door panels. But one of the best features was the sculpted front seats which provided plenty of bolstering to hold riders in place for tight turns. In the RSX, there is also substantial bolstering in the shoulder area, which gives the driver a secure feeling. The front seatbacks have cutouts for the rear passengers' knees. However, the access to the driver-side rear seat is problematic since there is no one-touch release to move the seat forward.
The trunk is exceptionally deep and large for a car of this size, although it did require a high reachover when placing items inside. This could be hard on some people's backs. The trunk space was covered by an attractive mesh security cover.
In the final analysis, we have to say we liked the RSX, even though we didn't find the performance impressive. When equipped like our test vehicle, it's not one of those cars that begs you to drive it hard. It will get you to work and back everyday, occasionally putting a smile on your face. Then, when you have time to give it a brisk workout, it's up to the task. In the real world, that's an appealing combination of traits.
Enter the Acura RSX with cloth seats, a less powerful engine and an automatic transmission. Wait a second! Where's the acceleration? Where's the sexy interior? Where's the adrenaline rush? Well, it's all still here, but hidden under a veneer of refinement and, well, compromise. That compromise could be labeled "everyday life." Think of this as a decaffeinated version of the edgy Type-S.
OK, so most people wouldn't really want a track car as a daily driver. Rowing through six gears on a morning commute makes it hard to dial the phone and sip your latte. But when they can steal away for an afternoon's spin on a twisting country road, those same people want a car that can keep pace. Can this base RSX, the descendant of Acura's popular Integra, step up? Well, yes. But with a few reservations.
Our tester, which is likely to represent the volume seller, came with Acura's new 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine that makes 160 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 141 pound-feet of torque at 4,000. This amazingly smooth, economical engine (the EPA estimates it will get 27 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway) is more than adequate for most driving situations. However, enthusiasts will miss that all-important quick blast off the line. Also, the well-mannered engine becomes shrill at higher revs. Still, there is a sweet spot around 6,000 rpm where the engine digs in and delivers an unexpected surge of mid-range power for passing — or just for fun.
We couldn't help wondering how this engine would have performed when coupled to the five-speed manual transmission. However, in the RSX we drove, power goes to the front wheels via an optional five-speed automatic transmission that shifts up through the gears with precision and confidence. If downshifts came as willingly, the engine would feel livelier. Still, the transmission was a solid performer and for the sport-minded driver, there's always Acura's Sequential SportShift. If you choose this special mode, you can select individual gears by moving the stick into a side gate. The shift knob was attractive and felt good in the hand, but the serpentine shift pattern at one point blocked us out of a hasty return to reverse.
While the engine is less performance-oriented than expected, the suspension, steering and handling leave nothing to be desired. The steering is heavy at low speeds, but gives excellent road feel and is nothing short of precise.
The suspension is tuned a bit stiff for surface-street commutes, but prevents body roll and allowed this sport coupe to wriggle through the 600-foot slalom cones in as little as 6.20 seconds. The base model comes with ABS and four-wheel disc brakes. The brakes felt solid, and provided a pleasing amount of modulation. However, the lowest braking distance from 60 to 0 mph was an unexceptional 129.59 feet (in the Sport Coupe Comparison Test only the Mitsubishi Eclipse, with a significantly higher curb weight, had comparably high numbers).
It's hard to be enthusiastic about this car's styling, which falls somewhere between bland and inoffensive. Our tester was an attractive desert silver metallic, which suited its personality well. But most of the Edmunds.com editors were critical of the stubby backend. You could say that, while this car will not go out of fashion quickly, that's because it fails to make a statement of any kind. On the plus side, the RSX's design affords the driver good visibility for a coupe — light years ahead of, say, the Celica.
Our reaction to the interior was much more favorable. The layout of the dash had a distinctly contemporary appeal with all the controls conveniently canted toward the driver. We particularly liked the titanium gauges, which have a 3-D look like saucers and glow neon-orange at night. The big, round buttons and the automatic climate control were very easy to use without taking our eyes off the road. Ditto for the stereo buttons which use the same design theme.
On the center console is a very cool storage bin serving two purposes. Slide the opening one way, and it becomes a tray for knickknacks, change or whatnot. Slide it a different way and it reveals a pair of cupholders. This makes good use of the small space by putting two things in one place.
Interior materials are high quality, especially the suede-like cloth on the door panels. But one of the best features was the sculpted front seats which provided plenty of bolstering to hold riders in place for tight turns. In the RSX, there is also substantial bolstering in the shoulder area, which gives the driver a secure feeling. The front seatbacks have cutouts for the rear passengers' knees. However, the access to the driver-side rear seat is problematic since there is no one-touch release to move the seat forward.
The trunk is exceptionally deep and large for a car of this size, although it did require a high reachover when placing items inside. This could be hard on some people's backs. The trunk space was covered by an attractive mesh security cover.
In the final analysis, we have to say we liked the RSX, even though we didn't find the performance impressive. When equipped like our test vehicle, it's not one of those cars that begs you to drive it hard. It will get you to work and back everyday, occasionally putting a smile on your face. Then, when you have time to give it a brisk workout, it's up to the task. In the real world, that's an appealing combination of traits.
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