8 Great Rides

Acura RsX Type-s

Photography by E. John Thawley III

They say the three most important things to consider when you're buying real estate are location, location, location.And they're right, whoever the hell they are.

We have a similar philosophy when evaluating cars. Forus, all cars boil down to three things: potential, potential, potential.And potential is the reason the Acura RSX Type-S is once again, for the third year in a row, an 8 Great Ride.

Honestly, in stock form this car leaves us cold. Despite the car's upscale feel and flawless fit and finish, its test numbers are unimpressive for its price, and the car feels distant, sometimes disconnected when you really start to drive hard. Plus, it's in dire need of a limited-slip differential.Remember, potential.

With the right parts and some old-fashioned elbow grease, an RSX Type-S is a nearly faultless driver's car with few rivals. Honda has done most of the work for us. It just tuned it for a bunch of sissies who think Skip Barber is a hip way of saying you missed a haircut.

The Type-S is powered by one of the finest drivetrains in any car anywhere. The 200-hp 2.0-liter K series revs to 8000 rpm, makes good midrange power, sounds like it should and responds to bolt-on boost without getting fragile. It's backed by a robust and quick-shifting six-speed manual, which is geared to keep the K on the good cams.

A good set of coil-overs, big anti-roll bars and sticky tires should replace the stock stuff the day the car leaves the showroom. The stock all-season rubber and softly sprung underpinnings hide a tight structure and well-balanced chassis. With the right suspension and rubber, an RSX Type-S, which weighs 2,775 pounds, defines flickable.

The brakes, which use large 11.8-inch front rotors, can also use a little help. Just a little. A good set of tires alone will considerably shorten the Acura's 60 to 0-mph braking distance of 133 feet, and we've always admired its resistance to heat. Once you've cranked on the motor, there's plenty of brake upgrades available.

Don't touch the steering. Acura got it right. It's quick and controlled by a small leather-wrapped three-spoke wheel that could have come from Button's BAR ride. Same goes for the shifter, which provides short throws and tight gates without being notchy.

The rest of the interior is also as good as it gets in the sport compact world. Easy-to-read gauges, high-quality materials, typically well-thought out Honda ergonomics and the model's long list of standard amenities makes the RSX's sticker price seem reasonable. We like the seats too, which are bolstered just enough, but we do wish leather wasn't standard. We'd prefer stickier cloth and a lower base price.

Bottom line: If you read this magazine and eat, sleep and crap Honda, you want an RSX Type R, a car that remains on America's forbidden fruit list. Until that car hits our shores, buy a Type-S and make it good. --Scott Oldham

Acura RSX Type-s
Best feature: 8000-rpm redline. Plus, this car is assembled beautifully.
Worst feature: With stock suspension and tires, the car gives up well before any real driver. It's like Honda tuned it for guys who never drive harder than 6/10ths.
First three things we'd modify:
1: Limited-slip differential
The RSX needs this in stock form; adding boost to the mix makes it a must. Peg-leg burnouts just don't cut it.
2: The entire suspension
This chassis can work well, as many tuners have proven, but lowering springs aren't enough. If you want an RSX to turn, you'll need shocks, bars and tires.
3: Just a little boostential
We've driven too many force-fed K motors to live without it. Nothing too extreme, just a Disco Potato set at a mild 8 psi.