2012 Acura TSX Sport Wagon

The Acura TSX Sport Wagon quickly impressed me. Its best feature? The 2.4-liter 4-banger engine that develops 201 horsepower. While that might not sound like much, this engine is so smooth and rev-happy it brought back memories of driving Acura's celebrated NSX. It really does feel like the heart of an exotic race car lurks under the hood of this rather conservative station wagon. Sometimes it's enough to make you forget all the space and utility just behind the front seats. To make the TSX the perfect station wagon, Acura need only convert it from front-wheel drive to all-wheel drive--and use another dashboard material. It baffles me why Acura continues to use that horrible, ugly plastic material in the dashboard. If they fixed that, I'd be first in line to buy one. –Paul Hagger

The 2011 TSX Sport Wagon is just as nimble and fun-to-drive as its sedan sibling. Its steering is light, but direct, and the overall balance of the chassis makes the Sport Wagon feel light on its feet. There is enough power to be fun, but without overwhelming the front tires, and still deliver fuel economy in the mid-20s. The 5-speed automatic includes Sequential SportShift for manual-shift control when needed. The interior is more sport than luxury, with an upscale but purposeful feel. I find the labels on the center stack to be a little small and difficult to read at night, though. –Mike Meredith

I'm glad Acura decided to bring the TSX Sport Wagon to America. Like the TSX sedan, the wagon is great fun to drive with a high-revving engine combined with a quick-shifting automatic transmission and super-responsive steering. Emphasizing the wagon's sporty nature are the wide fender flares and big exhaust outlets. Its headlights are among the brightest I have ever seen on a car. Inside, it has a premium look with a large navigation screen and stylish sports seats. Unfortunately, the seats are not terribly comfortable; they are a bit too stiff for my liking. Of course, as a wagon, there's plenty of cargo space, especially with the rear seats folded flat. The TSX Wagon lets you have the space of a small crossover with the attributes of a fun-to-drive sport sedan. –Perry Stern