Acura CSX Type-S 2008
By Benjamin Cyr
A surprising sedan
As of last year, Acura no longer stocks the RSX. The Civic Si has taken up the slack at Honda. The CSX, a compact sedan, is now featured in the catalogue. It’s derived from the current Civic generation with an added touch of Acura. This means an aesthetically revised exterior, a better comfort level, superior refinement and a stronger engine. Selling for several thousand dollars more than the Civic, it becomes attractive to those looking for extra luxury and class. Note the presence of a Type-S version; it should provide a healthy dose of adrenaline and it also reminds one of the defunct RSX Type-S (or the current Civic Si coupe) yet points to a more practical application of the four-door sedan. We will focus on this very vehicle.
What a difference!
While the CSX offers 155 hp in the 2 litre , 4 cylinder motor, the Type-S ups the ante with a 197hp available at 7800revs/pm. Some may remember us trying out this same motor powering a Honda Civic during our competition in the summer of 2007. This Acura Type-S, more comfortable in the neutral zone, comes as a welcome surprise. Whether it’s the roar of the 8000revs/pm, the acceleration reached, the precision steering, the excellent six-speed manual transmission, the tires, the 17 inch rims or the limited slip differential, they all contribute to this most driver friendly compact sedan. What a difference when compared to the basic CSX version! There’s more....
A higher price= a better equipment package
It retails at $33,400, about $7000 more than the basic CSX version or the Honda Civic Si coupe. If you find the price rather steep, you’re not alone. The often mentioned performance level, however, has features like the beautiful leather upholstery, a 300 watt, seven speaker sound system, GPS navigation, an electronic stability control system, traction control, xenon headlights and various aesthetic touches inside and out. All these accoutrements set this sport version apart from other versions of the CSX. |
