www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 7, 2008 - 33 Acura makes a good thing better in the all-new TSX By Neil Moore OAKVILLE BEAVER I've always enjoyed driving through the desert. There's something alluring about a land that due to its harshness and lack of commercial appeal remains largely as it always has: big azure skies presiding over arid, rocky hillsides dotted with sagebrush and bunch grass. It's a land not yet entirely subdued by ranchers, farmers or developers. If this sounds like Arizona, or elsewhere in the U.S. southwest, think again. British Columbia includes the final lick of the Sonoran Desert, which extends from Mexico in the south to its terminus in the south Okanagan Valley. It is here that Acura has chosen to launch the all-new, second-generation TSX. Not that the old one needed an extreme makeover, but when you're up against such `entry premium' sedans as Audi A4 2.0T, BMW 328i, Infiniti G37, Lexus IS 250 and the all-new Mercedes-Benz C300, you need to keep refining at risk of falling behind. The second-generation TSX is larger than its predecessor, both in length (2.6 inches) and in width (3 inches). The latter giving it a wider stance, contributing to an overall more athletic appearance. Acura calls their new design `Keen-Edge Dynamic,' featuring more distinct body lines and sharper creases than the previous model. Also prominent is a new grille that I find somewhat Mazda-esque. My only gripe here and this is a minor one is the overabundance of chrome. I preferred the `08's more subtle approach to brightwork. That aside, the new look is more daring than the '08, and reveals a hint at some of the enhancements you'll find under the skin. For instance, although horsepower has dropped slightly (201 hp vs 205 hp last year), peak torque is up by 8 lb-ft to 172 lb-ft (170 with the automatic). The 2.4-litre DOHC, i-VTEC four-cylinder engine also boasts a fatter torque curve, meaning there's more usable power. For that we can thank such improvements as a higher compression ratio, increased airflow, bigger valves and reduced exhaust back pressure. Transmission choices are either the slick shifting, close-ratio 6-speed manual or a sequential SportShift five-speed automatic, with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Depending how you like to shift (or not) both cars have distinctly different personalities. The manual, like its predecessor, is a joy to operate, with short throws, light action and a clutch take-up that's not abrupt, but just right. Unlike the '08, torque comes in a bit earlier, but like before, power continues to build until its 7,000 rpm redline. The fivespeed auto shifts smoothly, but could benefit from an extra gear at highway speeds for stronger downshifts. You can milk a bit more performance from it using the paddle shifters, but I find it's not always obvious what gear you're in without checking the display. Call me old-fashioned, but I'm typically more dialed into the driving experience when using a manual. Most contenders in this class are powered by V6s or turbo fours. And although Continued on Page 35 mercedes-benz.ca/c AJAC's 2008 Best New Luxury Car $35,800 STARTING FROM THE AWARD-WINNING 2008 C-CLASS AGILITY REDEFINED. We've added two new vehicles to our 2008 C-Class lineup that will redefine the way you think about driving, as well as the way you think about value. 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