The Acura CSX, a luxury version of the Honda Civic Si sedan, is to date only available in Canada. US dealers are no doubt lobbying to have it in their showrooms. The CSX comes with a long list of features normally exclusive to larger cars including leather trim, heated seats, sunroof, sat-nav mapping and in the case of the Type-S, massive power in the upper rev ranges: 197 horsepower at 7800 rpm delivered through a 6-speed close-ratio manual transmission. North of the border it goes for a mere CDN$34,750 (US$31,615). Is it worth the cash? Read on.
First Glance: A Civic by any other name
Larger photos: Front - side - rear
The Brits have known from the days of the Mayflower that a small car can be luxurious. No, not the ship, the Triumph Mayflower: an economy sedan made to resemble a scaled-down Rolls-Royce in order to persuade middle-income buyers that they, too, could enjoy a slice of upper class lifestyle. Unfortunately that Mayflower looked more like a parody than a prestige car. (Photo of the Triumph Mayflower here.)
Honda knows about luxury, too, and is equally aware that performance can be packaged in small sedans. With the Acura CSX Type-S it has combined all three to create a luxurious economy car that runs like a rat in a cheese factory.
Let me explain a couple of things before we go further. Every so often my About.com colleagues invite me to drive a Canada-only car, recognising that a sizeable number of our readers are Canadians. Many American readers are at least curious as some of these vehicles are sold in the US after a brief trial. Though I can't guarantee it will end up south of the border, the Acura CSX is just such a car, made in Ontario for the Canadian market.
The other thing you should know is that the CSX is really a Honda Civic in disguise and the Type-S is mechanically identical to the Civic Si. Same engine, same power, same 6-speed manual, same suspension mods. The differences are mostly cosmetic aside from a lengthy list of luxury features. Oh... and the price? In Canada the Acura CSi costs over $7000 (US$6370) more than a Civic, though it's the least expensive vehicle in Canadian Acura showrooms.
Continued below...
In the Driver's Seat: Everything I like about the Civic, plus...
All the things I liked in the Civic that I tested last year were obvious in the CSX. The clever placing of the speedo on top of the dash for easy viewing, the space-saving handbrake that's so easy to reach, the visibility forward, more storage than a Louis XIV armoire. The CSX then ladles on the luxury with leather, heated seats and mirrors, Acura's navigation screen and renowned sound system, a sunroof, power doors, locks and mirrors. What it doesn't offer -- and this utterly astounds me in car that sells luxury as its raison d'etre -- is the convenience of power seats.
Back seat passengers are treated fairly, however, with ample leg and headroom, and they needn't practise the tango to get in and out. A deep and surprisingly large trunk helps make the CSX a truly practical car for four passengers, plus an occasional skinny-hipped fifth.
We testers tend to be critical if an instrument panel/console is cluttered with buttons, knobs, and various other controls. Driving different cars as frequently as we do, we're very aware how easy it is to be distracted when fumbling for such things. Honda has an excellent reputation which the CSX upholds nicely. Only the map and information screen, too small in size and called upon to perform more tricks than a snake oil salesman, let me down. It is simply not possible to drive safely while touching the screen commands. You can't get this in a Civic, friends. Don't let it bother you.
On the Road: Dual personality
The Type S has a dual personality. In everyday driving it's well-mannered, accelerates satisfactorily. But crank up the revs to beyond 5000 and all hell breaks loose. I discovered this when pulling onto Vancouver's crowded Upper Levels Highway from a tightly curved ramp. A 1/4 mile gap opened ahead but the oncoming pack was closing fast. Figuring I could just make it I hammered the go-pedal and wound the engine through the six close-ratio gears to its 8000 rpm max. In brief seconds I'd eaten up that 1/4 mile and had to hit the 4-wheel disc brakes, hard. The aural effects were dynamic, too, as the 2.0-litre i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine assaulted my ears with a sound that would have done credit to an F-18.
And that brings up one of my beefs with the S-Type. It's too loud. Although the engine idles so quietly you'll need to check the tach to see if it's running, the moment you open the throttle there's a dominant drone that never goes away, not even when cruising. Music to the ears of a 20-year-old maybe, yet I know of few young men or women in my neighborhood who can afford a CSX Type S. No complaints when slicing the curves but I'd caution anyone who frequently drives on rutted roads, for the ride is definitely on the firm side. The steering, electrically-assisted, is nigh-perfect, with the kind of precision turn-in this tester prefers. And it was nice to know that vehicle-stability-assist and traction control were there to help avoid over-and-understeer.
Journey's End: Who's supposed to buy it?
So the Acura CSX S-Type zips through the gears with the urgency of a road racer, handles like a drifter's dream, strokes its owner's sensibilities with plush leather. So it includes sat-nav direction-finding and a superb sound system. Yes, it heats the front seats in winter, opens its sunroof in summer. It has the space-age styling of a Civic, shares its remarkable mid-size roominess. Does that make it a great buy? Not in my book. In fact, I think you'd be crazy to even dream of owning one. Because, unless you're hung up on cowhide, I can't think of a single reason for paying an additional CDN$7000 to possess a Honda Civic Si with an Acura badge. Which, by the way, looks like a Honda badge upside down.
Furthermore, the need to play so high in the rev range while having your eardrums battered makes the S-Type a less-than-relaxing ride. Such discomforts may be acceptable in a 2-seat sports car where said ride is all about the fun (think Honda S2000) but this is a 4-door sedan. Okay, maybe I'm too ancient to get the message, yet a Canadian can have the same thrills for a lot less in a Honda Civic Si sedan and his or her American cousin can avoid Acura envy with that identical Si. Given a choice I'd save some bucks and choose the Civic hybrid with CVT transmission that I tested last year while doing my part for the environment. Yes, you can enjoy luxury in a small or compact car; performance, too. But beware the badge. Start low and option up. -- Philip Powell
