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2006 Acura TSX vs. Mazda6 Sport GT-V6 vs. Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T vs. Volvo S40 T5 Comparison Test

Life is full of difficult decisions, especially when it comes to buyinga car. How much sport do I want? How much luxury do I need? How much can I afford to spend? All are relevant questions, and ones that we often tend to ask ourselves when pondering the proverbial “what would I buy?” So, we’ve taken the liberty of gathering up four cars that we believe provide a good blend of sport and performance with a touch of luxury from mass-market manufacturers. We've left out the Audis, BMWs, Benzes, and other precious metal because they're often too small, a touch too pricey, and let’s face it, everyone’s got one. Instead, what we’ve assembled - the Acura TSX, Mazda6 Sport GT V6, VW Jetta and Volvo S40 T5 - are cars we like to think of as the underdogs, sport sedans with a pedigree, but without the golden collar.

It’s

There are many affordable near-luxury sports sedans on the market, but which one is best? (Photo: Kogodos, American Auto Press)

a bit of a mixed bag, this group with a wide assortment of badges, but all the cars are quite similar in that they’re closely matched in size (at least wheelbase and width), they all have at least 200+ horsepower, include manual gearboxes and drive through the front wheels. We’ll be judging the cars on the usual basis for road tests, with particular focus on the way the vehicles convey their sporting/luxury image, how fun they are to drive, how

TSX is the benchmark for the class. It's slick, luxurious and refined. (Photo: Kogodos, American Auto Press)

practical they are and the value they offer. So, let’s begin.

Acura TSX

Did you know that the Acura TSX is sold in Europe andJapan as the Honda Accord? It looks completely different, is smaller than its Stateside-built cousin, but the two cars share a lot in common as they were both borne from the same architecture and use many similar components. Think of this as the leaner more athletic relative that everyone has.

In many ways the TSX shares a look that’s similar

It's just a minor update to keep it fresh. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

withthe other Japanese car we’ve chosen for this comparison, the Mazda6. They both have noses endowed with five-sided grilles and pointy HID headlamps. And like the 6, the TSX was also updated this year, with tweaks of the "squint or you'll miss it" variety. Most can still sense that it's the same car but for new wheels, a revised grille, plus new lights and bumpers. It also appears the most upscale of the assorted trio, with chromed door handles, classy twin exhaust pipes and pencil-thin turn signal indicators on the side-view mirrors. It’s the sort of car that complements

Office-like environment of the TSX keeps driver focused on the road. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

whatever you’re in the mood to wear, suit-and-tie sophistication or t-shirt and shorts casual wear, the way we like it most of the time.

One area that really surprised us about the TSX was the driverfocused nature of the cabin. The new gauges come alive against a pitch-black instrument cluster, and though everything’s within reach, taking your hands off the steering wheel isn’t vital if you want to change most of the main controls. Our test car had a voice recognition program, which took input commands for the navigation, the stereo and even the climate control. It would even tell

Little growths pop out from all spokes of the steering wheel. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

you the time if you couldn’t be bothered to look at the clock. On top of that, this fully loaded TSX also had Hands-Free Connect, a Bluetooth hookup for cellular phones. Setup was so easy we didn’t need a manual and the system worked flawlessly with crystal-clear sound quality. One tester wrote that all of these controls sprouting from the three-spoke wheel made it look like it was growing a tumor. In terms of roominess the TSX was acceptable; fit and finish was excellent.

None of these cars is particularly slow, but in this companythe TSX just gets left behind. You really need to wring the engine for all its worth to get rapid progress

We can rebuild him. We have the technology... (Photo: Kogodos, American Auto Press)

because of the huge torque deficit, but it’s not an unwanted task if you’ve got the six-speed manual. Changing gears is a breeze with the light clutch and such sweet shift action. The gearbox is the best here, the Volvo’s isn’t bad, but it feels rubbery in comparison. The VW is notchy, while the Mazda’s is stiff and requires a firm hand. Revs are meat and potatoes for this 2.4-liter VTEC four-cylinder, but not at the cost of refinement. Stick it in sixth and the long-legged gearing hushes the engine and even then it delivers acceptable performance. Add that to the slippery body and good sound insulation and the TSX is the quietest car here.

This powertrain is linked to a

They could've done a bit more to help the clunky powertrain along, though. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

fluid chassis that’s progressive and forgiving. Through the thin rim of the steering, the car talks to you, letting you know what’s going on as you fly through corners – very important. The TSX also has great suspension tuning that’s firm yet adept in shock absorption. One thing that we weren’t too keen on was the electronic throttle, which would hang about when the clutch was depressed, something Hondas and Acuras with electronic throttle are prone to doing. Nevertheless, we were impressed with the TSX overall and its well-rounded characteristics. The bar has been set.

Mazda6 s 5-Door Grand Touring

Like the Acura, the very popular Mazda6 was just subjected to a subtleredesign,

Sporting, yes, but it's also comfortable. Red dials are too bright. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

but it's not as if you'd you notice it. Mazda claimed that there are around 785 changes to the 6, but after walking around it, sitting in it, and walking around it again, we could really only spot maybe a dozen or two. More importantly, there are changes that you can feel. The body structure is stronger and the suspension's been tinkered with to better control body movements without rattling the occupants inside. It's the kind of update that every manufacturer should give its vehicles every two to three years. It shows that they're truly interested in keeping their product as sharp as the day it debuted.

The Mazda has the biggest footprint of all the cars here, but it’s the fact that it is the lowest in terms of its height that makes it look the sleekest. It's also

Simple styling of the Jetta is a let down in this crowd. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

the only car that offers a hatchback version for added styling flair and additional practicality (a four-door sedan and a five-door wagon area also available). The Mazda unanimously garnered respect for its sporty styling that includes deep front and rear valances and sinful-looking 18-inch wheels. Inside, the GT has bucket seats that hug driver and passenger in place with aggressive bolstering and a new dark-gray patina which replaces the reflective silver stuff on the center console. The optional nav with its fold-up screen and hand-held remote also caught our attention. The only things we’d change are the “ticket me” red paint and equally lurid interior lighting.

The car that visibly shouts the loudest is also themuscle car of the bunch. Our 6 had the biggest engine here in terms of displacement, cylinder

Even these 17-inch alloy wheels don't look too eye-catching. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

count and horsepower. It’ lives up to its name with a 3.0-liter V6 that makes 220 horsepower, but it’s not the smoothest engine on test. Compared to the others, the six didn’t feel very revvy or as tractable, and power delivery felt a touch grainy. Keep in mind that this engine is a version of Ford's Duratec 30, an engine on its last legs at the blue oval. It's also the only car with five speeds in its manual gearbox rather than six, and the shifter had a tendency to balk about when shifting gears in a hurry. All in all, these facts plus a rather meaty curb weight meant that the 6 is the slowest car on hand. Not our favorite aspect of the car, then.

Because of its size, the Mazda actually feels biggerthan everything else we've assembled on the road, but don't think for a second that it feels flabby like a Camry or Impala. This car is a lot of fun to drive.

An excellent engine; great power and torque with little lag and a small thirst. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

We like its sport-tuned suspension and supercar-like Pirelli P-Zero Rosso tires that envelop the wheels and provide an astonishing amount of grip. It's an addictive vehicle to punt around; you can lift off the throttle in the corners with no fear, yes, the tail will rotate but it’s easily caught which will more than certainly put a grin on your face. It’s so easily controllable that you'll want to become friends with this usually dark oversteering force rather than spend time trying to avoid it. One con is the choppy ride, the result of its 18-inch wheels, low-profile rubber and its stiff setup. It’s also quite noisy on the highway, if not the noisiest of the group.

If ever you’ve felt that you were forced out of your twenties into getting a job and settling down, we have a feeling that the Mazda6 GT is the right car for you. It’s fun, it’s practical, and it’s affordable

It's not a bad interior, it's just very plain and dark. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

– just the type of car that will make you feel like a teenager again the moment you get behind the wheel.

Volkswagen Jetta 2.0T

Like a child, the Jetta has grown a great deal over a very short periodof time. It started out life as the very humble four-door sedan version of the Rabbit; bottom of the chain stuff. The Jetta continued along this path until the third-generation car, when Volkswagen abruptly decided that it’d try turning the Jetta and its brother, the Golf, into something a little fancier. They fitted it with a 2.8-liter narrow-angle V6 designed for compromised engine bays and from that moment on, things only got better. From third to fourth generations, the Jetta earned its wings as a junior premium vehicle with an interior that not only trounced its price point competitors, but also scared the upper-level brands into getting their collective act together. For its fifth generation, Volkswagen fed it growth

A Volvo that's both cool and fun. That's a fact. (Photo: Kogodos, American Auto Press)

hormones which resulted in a supersized Jetta with a preposterously large trunk and a cabin that the EPA classifies as “midsize”. But is it premium and sporty enough for this group?

We’re not totally warmed up on first glimpse. There’s nothingremotely sporty looking about this car, particularly from the rear angles because of its unflattering trunk. It could easily be mistaken for a TDI if you ignore the HID headlamps and the alloy wheels, which in themselves are pretty unspectacular. The chrome around the nose speaks more to its refined side rather than the spunky, punky attitude we were hoping for. The interior isn’t much better either. The cabin is dark and very serious looking, and though we have no question about its perceived build quality or Volkswagen’s intentions on capitalizing on the hard work of the previous models, it feels just a bit basic in this company. The gauges are plain if not very blue, and there’s very little in the way of dressy accoutrements. Even the

Floating console and steering wheel got kudos. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

accent trim is gray! The Jetta also had the least equipment, without automatic climate control or power seats, although that did make it the cheapest car on hand.

VW's entry-level four-door (other than the City Jetta,which is little more than a decontented version of last year's model) also has the least amount of power, but its engine is arguably the most complex. It's the now famous 2.0T FSI I-4 that makes 200 horsepower and a lag-free 207 lb-ft of torque. On top of that it's the only engine here that features direct injection, which makes it the most economical. But that’s not the whole story, because if it weren’t for the Volvo, it’d be the quickest car on hand. If only it didn’t sound so, well, wimpy. The Mazda’s V6 bellowed, the Volvo roared and the TSX fizzled. The Jetta, mind you, went on about its business in a quiet and mildly gurgling way.

Then there’s the issue of the way it drives. Like itshatchback sibling the Rabbit, the Jetta is a decent handling car with more than acceptable levels of grip.

It isn't leather, but T-Tec and the comfy seats more than made up for any lack of hides. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

For a family sedan, we have no reservations on its competence and its ability to run rings around a Sonata, the only thing is that it doesn’t feel that exciting to drive. It’s a benign vehicle which gently pushes to safe understeer, the ESP system cutting in early. And because of that, you almost get a sense that the 2.0T would be happier cruising about on the highway than mixing it up on a turnpike. The car also rolls a fair bit in the turn thanks to its soft suspension, but that tradeoff results in the smoothest ride of the bunch, making it a Catch 22.

If performance – not gizmos, gadgets or toys – is what you’re after, the Jetta packs the best bang for your buck. But if you want more style to back up that substance, keep looking, perhaps at the more visually intensive GLI, a Jetta with the looks and the tuning of the new GTI.

Volvo S40 T5

Before we get the ball rolling on the S40, it should be noted that the vehiclepictured isn’t the one we used for testing. We used a front drive T5 with the Sports package

Here are the wheels found on our V50 T5 tester. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

and a six-speed manual rather than the luxury-spec sedan seen here. Oh, and the tester was a V50, not an S40; many thanks to Volvo for helping arrange the photography car at the last moment.

If any car selected for this test caused a stir, it was the Volvo. No one believed that it would cut it in this crowd, and the debate heated up when we discovered that it was the shortest car on hand by 7.9 inches. But we all fell for its charming good looks. It’s all very cutting edge and not at all the archetypal Volvo that people picture. It’s also the newest looking vehicle here with its soft nose and flowing “cokebottle” silhouette.

Getting your mind around a sporting Volvo isn’t ashard as making your eyes believe how stylish a vehicle this is. It wasn’t too long ago that Volvos were the epitome of sensibility, and as part of that pragmatic ideal, some of the squarest vehicles around, but this one is as stylish and as quirky as the Ikea furniture its owners will often be carrying home (although you might want to opt for the V50 if you visit Ikea a lot). A great deal of time was spent gawking at the ultra-cool

Over the week, we narrowed down the pack to just one winner. (Photo: Kogodos, American Auto Press)

floating center stack, although some found the television remote-style buttons to be on the small side. Kudos goes to Volvo for giving us a really hefty feeling steering wheel , complete with its aluminum-look insert on the inside of the rim. And while the seats weren’t trimmed in leather, their T-Tec upholstery, which has the look and feel of a wetsuit, is stylishly innovative and seems durable. Combined with the unbelievably comfortable cushions, we were more than won over with the cabin. The Volvo also surprised us by being surprisingly roomy considering its aforementioned shortage of overall length, thanks to a long wheelbase. The only downfall to being so short is that there isn’t much by the way of a trunk. In fact, it has the least cargo volume of this foursome. But again, that’s what the V50 wagon is for, right?

Another thing that surprised us was how good the little Volvo is to drive. It’s leaps andbounds ahead of the old car that rode on a soft, Mitsubishi-derived platform. The new S40 is based off the Ford C1 platform, which is shared with the very athletic Mazda3 and European Ford Focus. We like Volvos for their comfort and security,

Our chosen winner: the Acura TSX. (Photo: Kogodos, American Auto Press)

but this S40 is different. We like the way it handles and rides as well, as it’s much crisper and more neutral in the way it attacks corners as if it actually wants to go around them. It’s good on grip, and its turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-five packs a wickedly powerful punch of 217 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, making it the quickest here.

It’s not so peachy in the wet though, where the front wheelshave a difficult time keeping tabs on that engine. Get a bit too eager on the throttle and the traction control will snap in the reigns, aggressively cutting it out to a degree that it’s almost wasted. It’s also the car with the most torque steer, but then again it does have the most torque. Many of us agreed that Volvo could have done a better job at taming it, which is where the optional AWD system comes into play, but that also means spending more money. For contrast, VW gave the Jetta 2.0T an electronic locking diff which dissolves the self-tugging steering off the line, without losing any ability to smoke the tires.

We were still surprised with the Volvo, however, and weren't expecting it to be this much fun while still retaining its true Volvo character. But fun? Yes! Who knew.

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