Intro4u2u

Complaints are often logged in these pages about how customers in the United States are given short shrift when it comes to models sold elsewhere, primarily in Europe. We whine and moan about the Europeans getting all of the good cars while we get the dregs.

Well, here’s a twist. The 2009 Acura TSX that goes on sale here this month is pretty much the same as the Honda Accord sold in Europe . . . only better! Yep, better, as in more content and a more powerful engine. Take that, you Euros.

Honda engineers in Japan spent more than three years working on the car that makes up a large chunk of U.S. Acura sales–as many as 38,000 cars last year–as it plays a significant role for parent company Honda worldwide (Acura is not a brand in Europe yet). Paying attention to details such as ride, handling, noise, vibration and harshness, not to mention sharper styling, a larger, more comfortable cabin and maybe the best sound system on four wheels, the ‘09 model is a step up from the outgoing model.

That’s not to say the TSX is perfect. While the U.S. model is more potent than the Euro version, the car is not a screaming sports sedan. The 2.4-liter dohc i-VTEC four is a smooth powerplant, making 201 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque, and it easily propels the 3419-pound car. With either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, the powertrain is smooth and efficient, delivering 23 mpg in manual mode, 24 mpg in automatic. Still, in the first few minutes behind the wheel of a preproduction model, we felt that more power–specifically, more torque–would have been welcome.

For a car that wants to play in the sporting field with BMW’s 3 Series (and its 230-hp six) and Audi’s A4 (with its optional 3.2-liter four making 255 hp), the TSX is anemic. The 2.4-liter is a fine base engine, but offering more power for customers wanting it would seem natural.

A simple solution would be to add a turbocharger to the fuel-efficient four-cylinder, or maybe the TSX will be one of the models to get Honda/ Acura’s new diesel engine announced a few months ago. Honda officials said no plans are in place for more power but did admit there is room under the hood for either a turbo or a bigger engine, and it would not rule out possible upgrades down the road. Nor are there any plans to offer all-wheel drive, another feature available in some competing models.

One target area for Honda engineers was the ride and handling of the new TSX, and they should be commended. The car has a newly designed double-wishbone front suspension and a new multilink rear suspension with dual-mode dampers. Add to that a new electric power-steering system, and the result is a smooth-riding, crisp-handling car. The steering feel is light at slow speeds and could provide a bit more feedback in fast corners.

The car is 3.1 inches wider and 0.2 inch lower than the car it replaces, and it rides on 225/50R-17 Michelin Pilot all-season tires, so the ‘09 TSX has an aggressive stance. Along with the upgraded suspension is additional roof bracing in the substructure, giving the TSX a solid feel. The suspension ate up road imperfections on our test route, and there was no body roll going through fast, sweeping corners. As we followed another TSX through some twisty bends, the car’s roll stiffness was plainly evident. In addition, it was amazingly quiet on the roads northeast of San Diego.

Honda and Acura have taken lumps in recent years for lackluster styling, and while the TSX does feature some sharper lines and a bolder chrome grille, the styling still lacks any sort of wowzer factor. But if subtle, clean lines are your idea of good styling, the TSX is great.

Inside, the cabin is comfortable and inviting, with leather all around. The interior is 2.5 inches wider at the shoulders, placing passengers 1.5 inches farther apart and giving the feel of a larger car. The two large, round gauges for the speedo-meter and the tachometer, plus smaller ones for temperature and fuel, have floating needles that give a clean, three-dimensional effect, while the center stack is dominated by the same array of knobs and buttons found in the MDX and the RDX for the climate control, entertainment and navigation options. That means more than 25 knobs or buttons, a dizzying array at first glance. In the TSX, the unit is a bit higher up in the stack, and the navigation screen is a bit larger.

Each test car offered up had the technology package, which includes six-disc in-dash CD/DVD audio player, MP3 and WMA playback, AM/FM and XM satellite radio with real-time traffic and a new feature, XM Weather. There are also inputs for portable music players.

Another part of the tech-nology package is fast becoming the gold standard in mobile audio systems: Panasonic ELS Surround Sound. With 415 watts pumping through 10 speakers, it is a concert hall on wheels. ELS founder Elliot Scheiner, a multi-Grammy-award-winning producer, has said that this application in the TSX is the best yet, and our ears couldn’t agree more.

Acura officials said they expect that more than 50 percent of all TSX buyers will opt for the technology package.

The 2009 TSX will come in four basic models: either automatic or manual, with or without the technology package. Last year, Acura sold 38,000 TSXs, and officials hope for sales of 40,000 during the 12 months after release. They would not commit to a price, simply saying that the car will sticker between $29,000 and $35,000, about the same as the outgoing model.

The TSX is a solid, fun car to drive, loaded with technology. Acura bills it as an entry-level premium sports sedan, and that description seems apt. A bit more sport, with some more ponies underhood, would be nice. Few people might be able to distinguish the new car from the old at a glance, but as an overall package–ride, handling, comfort, fuel mileage–the TSX is hard to beat in the category.