Five years after its introduction, the Acura CSX still can’t seem to get any respect. Sure, Canadian automotive journalists gloat

A better looking Civic, the Acura CSX offers a premium badge, some luxury fittings and a little more performance for a nominal price increase. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

that the CSX is an exclusive model developed in Canada for Canadians, and not available in the U.S. They boast about how the styling was so well liked in Japan that Honda based their domestic-market Civic on the CSX rather than on design used in North America. But then these same journalists invariably complain that the CSX isn’t exclusive or up-market enough to justify its extra cost compared to a similarly equipped Civic, and conclude that given the choice they’d take a loaded Civic instead, thanks.

But that was then. Evidently Acura Canada got the message, because since 2009 they’ve been tweaking the model lineup (bye-bye, Type-S) and trimming the price so that now, in the last year of its current model run (a redesign is expected in 2012), the CSX is suddenly worthy of second look, and perhaps a little respect.

First, let’s be clear

The CSX taillight treatment is easier on the eyes than the Civic's. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

that the CSX and the Civic are for all intents and purposes the same car — the differences are in the styling treatment, the equipment and the trim levels. So yes, the CSX is the little kid brother of the Acura family, but no one has ever tried to claim anything different. No one is likely to deny, either, that the CSX is indeed a much better looking car than the North American Civic. They share the same profile, yes, but the CSX is somehow better integrated. It has jeweled, octagonal tail-lamps, a slightly longer nose with shaped, black-housing headlights, a lower air intake that aligns with the hood joints, a slight crease up the hood’s centerline and, since 2009, one of the best renditions of Acura’s “Power Plenum” grille in the entire Acura lineup. These aren’t huge differences, but they add up to a surprisingly improved overall look.

In terms of equipment,

Those familiar with the Civic's dash layout will only be thrown off by the CSX iTech model's navigation system. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

the Acura CSX falls somewhere in between the loaded Civic EX-L and the high-performance Civic Si (good thing the marketing mavens were paying attention the day it was named, or it might well have ended up being called the Acura SEX). You get leather seats (heated in the front) and a 160-watt 6-speaker stereo with USB port like the Civic EX-L has, with 17-inch alloys and fog lamps like the Si. Along with all the expected luxury conveniences like power windows, remote power locks, theft-deterrent immobilizer system and so on, you also get a power moonroof, leather-wrapped steering wheel and a few exclusive Acura features such as a tire pressure monitoring system, ambient lighting and an automatic climate control system. Spring $1,500 for the iTech package featured on our test car and Acura will add HID headlights, a satellite navigation system, XM satellite radio and hands-free Bluetooth connectivity.

The 2.0L 16-valve DOHC inline-4 engine splits the difference between the Civic EX-L and

Leather seating ups the CSX game. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

Si — with 155-horsepower and 139 lb-ft of torque the CSX has more oomph than your basic 140-horsepower Civic, but not as much as the 197-horsepower Si. Where the Acura really stands apart is in choice of transmissions: shop at Honda and if you want leather seats you have to take an automatic transmission, while if you want the extra power of the Si you have to take the 6-speed manual transmission and cloth seats. With the CSX you get the leather seats, a little extra power, and your choice of a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic, which, unlike the Honda, includes paddle shifters for when you’re feeling sporty.

On the road the CSX works very well, as one might expect from a vehicle based on the huge-selling and thoroughly competent Civic. Room up front is very good for the size class, and the seats are comfortable and supportive. Rear seat room is fine for two

Plenty of room in back, while 60/40-split rear seatbacks add cargo capability. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

average size adults and the trunk is also spacious, with split-folding 60/40 rear seats for carrying larger items (I was able to get two eight-foot lengths of gutter home with the rear seat folded and the passenger’ seat reclined flat). The steering is direct and precise, and the low-profile P215/45R17 tires offer plenty of grip, making the car a pleasure to toss around on twisty roads. Our tester was fitted with the optional ($1,300) automatic transmission, and in sport mode I found the paddle shifters fun to play with, providing crisp and reasonably prompt shifts. Performance-wise, you won’t mistake the CSX for a V8, but it has plenty enough power to get out of its own way and a pleasantly raspy exhaust note.

The CSX’s humble origins do show through in few spots — the hard-touch seat heater controls mean you have to pay attention if you don’t want the passenger’s side running for several trips after a passenger exits, and the sound insulation isn’t as extensive as in larger Acuras, so a fair amount of road noise makes its way into the cabin

The CSX sports a more potent engine than the lesser Civic, but the Civic Si-based CSX Type S is no longer offered. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

(Acura’s low-tech solution to this is to add speed-sensitive volume control to the stereo system). Also, for a “Tech” car the GPS is unimpressive, with a small screen and poor-quality graphics. There are also a couple of ergonomic problems, including a too-distant volume control on the stereo (you have to lean forward out of your seat to operate it, albeit steering wheel controls nullify the need) and a park brake lever that, thanks to its strange forward positioning (identical to the Civic) dug uncomfortably into my knee when driving (this may be a quirk in the way I sit, as Civic owners I know say they don’t suffer the same problem. In any case it was quickly and easily solved with a $1 length of black foam pipe insulation.)

Overall, however, I quite liked the CSX. It’s the right size for a city car, better looking than its Honda cousin, reasonably fun to drive, and luxurious without being extravagant (how many other luxury cars can claim city/highway economy figures of 9.5/6.5 L/100km with an

The CSX strikes a good pose, and solid bang for your buck. (Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press)

automatic transmission, 8.7/6.4 with a manual?). With prices ranging from $24,290 for a base manual-transmission model, up to $27,090 for an automatic iTech version, and trim/equipment levels comparable to the $25,275 Civic EX-L and $27,275 Civic Si, the CSX is also starting to look like pretty good value these days. Yes, if you want the automatic transmission the CSX is a little more expensive than the Civic EX-L ... but not by much. And no, it doesn’t have all of the Civic Si’s power ... but then it’s cheaper than a Civic Si. It’s a darn good compromise — a true entry-level luxury car — and nothing could be more Canadian than that.

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(J003) Standard Metallic Paint

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint