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Let's say Honda decided that it wanted to go after the Gen Y
consumers in a way analogous to but different from the way that
Toyota is doing with Scion. For the sake of argument, and in
keeping with the "a" endings, let's call this new division
"Performa." Right now, Honda has two vehicles that could serve
as the basis for "Performa." One is the Honda Element ("When you
need space for your posse and your gear, grab the Element"
http://www.autofieldguide.com/driven/0403dri13.html ). The
other is the Acura RSX. That's right: a vehicle from Honda's
premium brand. This Performa model would be all about kickin' it
on the streets. It is a car that looks good. Behaves well. And
is sized right. Why it is an Acura is beyond ordinary
comprehension. If compared with the other Japanese premium
marques—Infiniti and Lexus—then you'll find nothing that is as
comparatively economical. And you can throw in everyone else
from Cadillac to Mercedes and still come up scratching. Perhaps
one of the reasons why Acura—which, it should be noted, was the
first of the Japanese premium brands—doesn't seem to get the sort
of run that its competitors do is this model blurriness. It's
not lack of product. But perhaps there aren't as many Acuras out
there as there are rides from the other vendors because if you're
a Boomer or older, you might not want to roll into your local
Acura service department in your RL and see some kid with a
slammed RSX with the Bose cranked waiting for his appointment.
OK. Market segmentation advice over.
About the car in question. . .It's a $24K hot hatch that
drives so nimbly and well that those of you (us) who aren't in
the Gen Y demo might be thinking to yourself: "To hell with them,
this is the car for me." Snick the six-speed transmission
through its gates and you'll find yourself well placed in the
leather-trimmed seat (as in "Whoa!"). As it is a
front-wheel-drive vehicle, there is that pesky problem of torque
steer, but you'll get over it. What's not to like 210 hp @ 7,800
rpm or 143 lb-ft. of torque @ 7,000 rpm? "Wait!" you say.
"What's up with the 7,800 and 7,000 rpm? Typo?" Nope. You've
got to keep in mind that the four-cylinder engine utilizes
i-VTEC, which fundamentally means that you've got to get the tach
needle listing well toward the red zone before it kicks in,
something that is generally disturbing to those of us who have
been, in effect, short-shifting for years, but which performance
aficionados perform with glee. So, in other words, stand on the
accelerator, grip the titanium-finished gearshift knob, and keep
your foot off the clutch. . .for a longer while.
The Type S is a compact screamer, with a 101.2-in-wheel base,
an overall length of 172.4 in., and a height of 54.9 in. The
curb weight is 2,840 lb., with a 63/37 weight distribution ratio,
which isn't exactly ideal, but which is ameliorated by a
suspension setup that includes control-link MacPherson struts in
the front and a double-wishbone system in the rear. The front
also deploys a front-strut tower bar. With variable-assist
rack-and-pinion steering system and Michelin 215/45R17 tires on
17 x 7-in. alloy wheels, you won't feel as though you're "riding
on rails," as the hackneyed phrase has it, but you'll get to
where you're pointing, posthaste. The exterior has been modified
for the '05 model, with such things as lower rectangular air
ducts in the front fascia and new tri-beam headlamps. The side
sills are beefier. The rear has new tail lamps, a new bumper,
and, on the Type S, a spoiler that is befitting the vehicle, not
something that appears as though it came out of a steroidal
aftermarket parts kit.
While the seating for those up front is ample, per usual,
those in the back seat have to make due with the fact that
they're in the car at all. If that doesn't make them happy, they
can catch a bus or something. The driver-inclined IP has nicely
proportioned knobs that don't require the fingers of a
safecracker to find and manipulate, nor tiny buttons that are
best suited to those with tiny fingers.
This is, simply, one of the better cars under $25,000 for a
driver, bar none.
Now, about that "Performa" idea. . . .
