Interior

While (in our opinion) the top item on the TSX's "needs attention" list was the motor, there were a few additional areas where we thought the TSX could benefit, and for the most part Acura has addressed many of these areas in one way or another.

First of all, while we really liked the TSX's seats, we were disappointed with the fact that they were power-operated, yet had no memory feature. We also found it a little curious that the exterior mirrors on the 2004 TSX had no defrosting mechanism - a conspicuous omission in a car with a sticker price approaching $30k (speaking of which, where's the auto-timer for the rear window defroster?). And the 3-spoke leather wrapped steering wheel featured a comprehensive set of integrated buttons to control the functions of the audio system and cruise control, yet there was no backlighting. Fortunately Acura addressed the mirror and steering wheel backlighting issues for the 2005 model year, but they waited until the 2006 MMC to add the memory seats (no memory on the mirrors, however). While we applaud these improvements, we would still like to see a sportier seat option, with hopes that said sportier seats would have more aggressive bolsters, full manual operation, and something grippier (such as Alcantara) rather than the perfed hides that we get.

The TSX's feature sheet has also been plumped up with the addition of Acura's HandsFree Link Bluetooth telephone interface, an available enhanced Navi system, and and for those who can't go anywhere without their MP3 players, the TSX now includes an accessory input mini-plug jack in the center console. The Navi enhancements include improved (faster) processing power, Zagat™ ratings, freeway exit information, and advanced voice activation of navi commands as well as climate control and stereo functions.

From an aesthetic standpoint, little else has changed about the interior. The LED that's used to illuminate the keyhole for the ignition now glows blue rather than green. The charcoal finish on the center console plastics now has a slightly different, almost meshlike pattern. The steering wheel rim has been thickened at the 10 and 2 spots, lending a bit more of a sporting flair to the driving environment. Otherwise, little else has changed. The plastic woodgrain trim is said to have been upgraded in cars with the Parchment interior, but both models we sampled had the Ebony interior, so we haven't seen it yet. Unfortunately the silver painted plastic trim remains and it's beginning to look slightly downmarket these days.

Exterior

We've always liked the crisp lines of the TSX, and thankfully Acura's designers have left it largely untouched for the 2006 model. The two things that you might notice immediately are the new front bumper with standard foglights and the new 9-spoke wheel design. While the added functionality of the foglights is appreciated, from a styling standpoint they look more like dealer installed accessories than original factory equipment.

The new for '06 9-spoke wheels are nice enough, but we're partial to the original 7-spokers found on '04 and '05 models - they just seem more appropriate for the lines of the car. Elsewhere you may notice that the lens covering the reverse lights now has a light charcoal tint to it. The headlights have supposedly been revised, but if there are in fact any differences, the changes are so subtle you probably won't recognize them either.

For 2006, the windshield wipers feature Valeo-style one-piece blades. These are slightly lower in profile (8.2mm high, vs 8.6mm) than the standard wiper blades, resulting in a claimed reduction in wind noise as well as an improvement in visibility. These work well and have a cleaner look than the traditional blades. The good news for owners of '04 and '05 TSXs is that these new blades are compatible with your cars, if you're interested in retrofitting them to your car.

And finally, the TSX's keyless entry system no longer uses the horn to honk confirmation that the doors are locked. Instead, it uses the same faint electronic beep that's used on the RL, TL, and MDX.