For 2009, the TSX's brakes have grown somewhat. At 11.8" in diameter, the front brakes are actually the same as last year, but the rear diameters have grown from 10.2" to 11.1". During our drive, I made it a point to exercise the brakes a few times, and though 0.9" doesn't sound like a lot, the 2009 TSX's brakes feel significantly stronger than ever before.

As mentioned earlier, the 2009 TSX has grown in width. 3.0 inches, to be precise. This width gives the TSX a more muscular stance on the road and the 2009 TSX's cornering attitude feels much flatter than the previous TSX. But with this width comes mass - the car feels heavier and bulkier. That's because it is. Where the previous TSX was seductive with its slinkiness through the bends, the new TSX is less engaging. The car still turns in rather nicely, but it feels to be a beat behind the previous TSX when the turns require you to saw the wheel back and forth.

Though horsepower has dipped a bit (to 201hp@7000rpms), torque has increased to 172/170lb-ft@4500rpms (MT/AT). Considering the TSX's added mass (the base 6MT model is over 150lbs heavier than the comparable '08 model), these numbers seem conservative. Midrange pull is quite robust for a 2.4L engine, and it continues to pull up on its 7100 rpm redline with zeal. Despite these efforts, this 2.4L engine is still working against nearly 1.75 tons of automobile. As such, it's not what you would call a fast vehicle.

The 6-speed manual transmission carries on the legacy of being one of the best you'll drive, with well matched ratios, a near perfect clutch takeup, and what I consider to be a nearly ideal combination of operational feedback and precision. For those who don't want to work 3 pedals, Acura offers a 5-speed automatic transmission with their familiar sportshift function and steering wheel mounted flappy paddles (™ J. Clarkson). While a 6AT might be a nice item to have on the spec sheet, in this case I don't think a 6AT would be that much of a benefit. The K24's torque curve is so broad and deep, there's no need to dice it up with extra ratios. The 5AT is quick to respond and quite honestly doesn't seem to give up much to the 6MT version in the way of outright pace. I'd still buy the 6MT for myself, however.

Any manufacturer would be proud to have this as the base engine for their entry premium vehicle, but it is not sufficient to pull the weight of the entire TSX line, both figuratively and literally. Quite frankly, the TSX is long overdue for a more powerful engine. We expressed this concern to a number of Acura employees at the long lead press event, but they shrugged off any possibilities of future powerplant upgrades. Knowing our audience, this troubled me; fortunately a month later, the tune has changed a bit, and there were plenty of hints that we enthusiasts just need to be a little more patient, indicating that relief is on the way within the next 12 months or so. I got the strong feeling that it may not come in the form of a Type-S, at least initially, and I was also told that we should not expect to see any turbocharged gasoline engines in the TSX. During the Q&A session of the technical presentation at the long lead press event, I asked whether there were any hard limitations regarding the fitment of more powerful engines (such as a V6) under the hood of the '09 TSX, and I was assured that there was plenty of room to fit a V6. While power is certainly high up on the needs list for the 2009 TSX, the 2008 TSX was already overweight, so Acura needs to find a way to trim a couple hundred pounds of heft as well. Performance-wise, I would expect the 2009 TSX to return 0-60 times in the mid-upper 7-second range when really abusing it. Friendlier driving modes will probably result in 0-60 times in the upper 7 to low 8-second range. The good news is that even when spun to within an rpm of its life, the K24 only emits the sounds of mechanical harmony, and these remain fairly muted for the most part.