Acura TSX sedan gets minor updates for 2011

Acura has officially pulled the wraps off its refreshed 2011 TSX sedan, which makes its official debut at theLA Auto Show today. Don’t get too excited, though – the tweaks are limited to a few small styling updates, similar to those seen on the TSX Sport Wagon that debuted at this year’s New York Auto Show.

Up front, the revised grille and foglamp surrounds of the TSX wagon have been fitted to the sedan, and the changes out back are limited to slightly refreshed taillamps and a license plate garnish. Four-cylinder TSXs now ride on a new set of 17-inch alloy wheels, while a larger set of 18-inch rollers are fitted to V6 models.

Powertain options remain largely unchanged for the 2011 TSX. The base 2.4-liter inline-four still makes 201 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque with the six-speed manual transmission (five-speed auto models only crank out 170 lb-ft of twist) and the larger 3.5-liter V6 carries on with 280 hp and 254 lb-ft. Acura has, however, reduced the internal operating friction of both mills, allowing for slight bumps in fuel economy. The 2.4-liter four now achieves 21/29 miles per gallon (city/highway) with the manual transmission and 22/31 with the auto, and the V6 musters a respectable 19/28 mpg. These aren’t significant increases, however – each number listed here is only one higher than the 2010 EPA ratings.

2011 Acura TSX is more of the same

Don’t blink, you may just miss the subtle changes to the 2011 Acura TSX sedan that made its debut at theLA Auto Show this week. The changes to the four-door are limited to just a handful of aesthetic tweaks. The refresh includes an altered fascia and fog light surround, and new tail lamps are also part of the mix. Acuraalso threw in a fresh batch of wheel designs, including both 17- and 18-inch rollers, depending on trim level.

Thrilling, we know. And it can all be yours for the base price of $29,610.

Buyers can look forward to the same drivetrain as before, which means both a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 3.5-liter V6 are available. In its most potent guise, the 2011 TSX will lay down 280 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque.

For all the similarities, Acura has managed to squeeze a bit more fuel economy from its small sedan. The car now delivers 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway when equipped with the four-pot and stick, or 22/31 with the automatic, which is a 1 mpg improvement across the board. Want the rest of the details? All your questions will be answered… after the break.

2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon priced from $30,960

During a product briefing today, Acura executives revealed that the 2011 TSX Sport Wagon will be priced from $30,960 (not including $860 for destination) when it goes on sale in just a few weeks. This represents a price increase of $1,350 versus the slightly refreshed 2011 TSX sedan that recently debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

All TSX Sport Wagons come standard with a leather-trimmed interior, premium seven-speaker sound system, XM radio, USB audio with iPod integration, Bluetooth connectivity and a power moonroof. For an extra $3,650 you can opt for the TSX Technology Package, which adds sat-nav with voice recognition and rear-view camera, an ELS surround audio system, GPS-linked solar-sensing climate control and a power liftgate out back.

The only engine available in the Sport Wagon is the TSX’s 2.4-liter inline-four, mated exclusively to a five-speed automatic transmission (a six-speed manual is available on the sedan). 201 horsepower is perfectly adequate for the Sport Wagon, but we’re curious as to why Acura felt it necessary to leave the sedan’s 280-hp V6 mill out of the mix. We’ll have the full report of how the TSX Sport Wagon fares out on the road in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.

2011 Acura RL presents slight changes to an aging package

For the 2011 model year, Acura has freshened up its flagship RL sedan. What exactly does “freshened up” mean when it comes to the RL? It may not look like much more than a cosmetic touch-up, but there are quite a few new tricks going on under the nip-tucked skin.

The 2011 Acura RL continues to utilize the 3.7-liter V6 engine with 300 horsepower that powers all four wheels courtesy of the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. New to the powertrain, however, is a six-speed Sequential Sportshift automatic transmission. It’s a smooth-shifting unit that allows for the occasional sporty dash courtesy of the wheel-mounted paddles while also improving fuel economy by two miles per gallon on the highway – EPA ratings come in at 17 mpg city and 24 highway.

An upgraded gearbox is nice and all, but since this is an Acura we are looking more for new technology. The 2011 RL is fitted with Hemholtz resonators in the wheels (a “world’s first” for a passenger vehicle). These chambers sit in the center portion of the inside of the wheel and help diminish road noise, which results in a quieter cabin. Coupled with increased floorboard insulation, the 2011 Acura RL behaves like a library out on the road. Unless of course you twist the knob for the ELS audio system.

2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon

Brush your long, grungy mop from your eyes, turn down the Nirvana and take a look around. It’s the early ’90s and an army of sport utility vehicles are flooding the streets. The newest four-wheeled object of America’s affection has quickly become the default mode of transportation for everyone from inner city professionals to suburban soccer moms.

Fast forward a couple of decades and although sport utes are still around, they’ve largely been displaced by the crossover – the SUV’s easier-to-maneuver, more fuel efficient and more comfortable unibody progeny. But even after years of refinement, the CUV is still a basketcase of compromises. Which begs the question: Did we have it right back in the day? Is a wagon still the best compromise of size, functionality and driving dynamics? We snagged the keys to a 2011 Acura TSX Sports Wagon to find out.

Acura reveals first commercial for new TSX Sport Wagon

The 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon will be new to America’s sliver of luxury wagon buyers, but the fact is that it’s little more than a rebadged European Honda Accord estate with a bit more pizazz in the interior. But hey, who cares? The TSX may well be the best-looking Acura, and now it comes with more room for our stuff.

Team Honda is getting ready to launch the new wagon with a :30 second commercial that shows some Autobot-like shape-shifting CGI. The video shows the front-wheel-drive TSX sedan drifting through a hot corner, and as it swings into opposite lock, the body panels of the sedan strip away, only for the car to be reconstituted into something a bit more capacious. The animation is more Wallace and Gromit than Transformers, but the idea behind the spot is clear; the newest TSX may be a wagon, but its soul is still 100-percent sports sedan. Hit the jump to watch the video for yourself. Hot tip, Arthur!

Acura mulling TSX coupe, Civic-based sedan?

Acura is planning a host of product updates in the very near future, and along with the launch of the TSX Wagon, two new models could come down the pike. According to Autoweek, Acura is considering a coupe built atop the TSX platform and a compact sedan to capitalize on the States’ newfound love of smaller vehicles.

A TSX-based coupe would fill the gap left by the CL after its demise in 2003, and while Acura already produces a compact sedan for the Canadian market – the Acura CSX pictured above – it’s simply a re-badged Civic with an upgraded interior. Obviously, Acura would need to do more to woo buyers into a smaller vehicle, and its best bet is to leverage one of Honda’s other platforms for the task. An Acura Fit? Not so much…

Acura MDX

“Any press is good press,” so the saying goes. With that in mind, the refreshed 2010 Acura MDX, now bearing the automaker’s corporate “beak,” should finally be garnering some much-needed attention.

And the Acura MDX deserves the spotlight. Nearing its tenth year of production, the seven-passenger crossover has flown under the radar, always relegated to yesterday’s news as the segment rapidly expanded and welcomed interesting new competitors. Seemingly tired of watching the competition steal the conversation, Acura threw on the controversial grille and significantly updated the MDX for 2010.

We spent a week with Acura’s big SUV. Pressed into family service, we put nearly 900 miles on our tester, including a one-day, 12-hour journey and more than a few trips with a full load of passengers.

While nearly everyone mentioned its questionable front fascia during the walk-around, we wondered if the Acura’s on-road performance and luxury amenities were strong enough to convince us to look the other way.a

Report: Honda to kill off Acura RL/Legend globally, discontinue gas Civic models in Japan

Word coming from Japan’s Nikkei business daily (as reported by Reuters) indicates that Honda has finally decided to discontinue the slow selling Acura RL and its Japanese market counterpart, the Honda Legend.

Ostensibly the flagship of Acura’s brand here in North America, the RL has been a slow-seller for quite some time, upstaged in part by the company’s less-expensive, higher-volume TL sedan. For some years now, the TL has offered more space, similar tech and even more power (in the Type S model), making the RL a particularly tough sell for dealers. Through the first half of this year, only 872 RLs have been sold in the United States.

Another production change reported by the Nikke that would only affect the Japanese market is the discontinuation of conventional gasoline versions of the Civic. If accurate, that would mean that from now until at least until the next-generation Civic arrives in the Fall of 2011, Honda will only sell the Civic hybrid in its home market.

In addition, the JDM Elysion minivan is also apparently set to get the axe.

Autoblog reached out to Honda for comment on the Nikkei story, and spokesman Chuck Schifsky would only say that the automaker does not comment on future product plans, noting that no official announcement has been made about the fate of the RL/Legend, the JDM Civic or the Elysion.

Officially Official: Acura releases Canada-only TL A-Spec

Every once in a while, automakers will design special trim levels and packages specifically tailored for our friends to the north. The latest, from Acura, is the A-Spec package available on the 2010 TL sedan, which includes add-ons like 19-inch wheels on special summer tires, an aero kit, dark chrome grille (which somehow manages to make the shield a bit easier on the eyes), rear accents and (of course) A-Spec badges. Underneath the extra glitz is Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system, and a choice of either a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.

We spoke with Honda’s American PR team, and while they assure us that there are no plans to bring the A-Spec to Yankee soil, prospective TL buyers in the States shouldn’t be too put off. Glancing through the TL’sU.S.-market configuration site, we see that American models can be optioned with all sorts of A-Spec-like accessories, including underbody spoilers, sport grilles and different wheels. It might not have the appropriate badging, but it’ll do the trick.

The TL A-Spec can be ordered from Canadian Acura dealers as you read this, retailing from $51,290 CAD. For the full details, hit the jump to read Acura’s press release.