DRIVEN: Acura RSX Type-S - Speedy, Stylish and Subtly Revised

Story by Mark Atkinson
Photos courtesy Acura Canada
The Acura RSX Type-S has long been a favourite around the Inside Track offices thanks to its nimble manners, screaming engine and oh-so-sweet shifter. However, since its introduction in 2002, there hadn’t been a direct replacement for the much-loved hardcore Integra Type-R model. Though ultimately more powerful, the RSX Type-S was softer, heavier and more luxurious.

The real injustice was that over in Japan, Acura – or more accurately Honda – offered a perfectly reasonable Type-R version of the new Integra (read: RSX) with less weight, more power and a stiffer suspension. For three years, enthusiasts have pined over the unobtainable Type-R with nary a response from Acura.



Now, for 2005, Acura has taken the opportunity to give the RSX a bit of a mid-life sprucing up, with revised front and rear headlights and fascias, a slightly updated interior and a few other details. And, while they were at it, they took it upon themselves to bring over, lo-and-behold, a good portion of the Type-R goodies into ‘our’ Type-S.

The improvements go like this: the 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine borrows re-profiled cams, an 11-per cent wider intake pipe, and a larger tailpipe and freer-flowing catalytic converter from the Japanese Type-R. The result is a bump of 10 horsepower over the old engine – 210 vs. 200, delivered at 7,800 rpm – and one lowly additional lb-ft for a total of 143 @ a sky-high 7,000 rpm.



While that’s not a huge improvement, that screamer of a four-banger is hooked up to Acura’s sublime six-speed manual transmission – easily the best of any front-driver around. With a revised final-drive ratio, it helps acceleration a smidge, although a small weight gain for chassis stiffening and sound deadening dampens any large performance increase.

The most noticeable changes chassis-wise include some subtle suspension tweaks, including dropping the static ride-height by 0.3 inches, dialing in a little negative camber front and rear, and stiffening spring rates by 10 per cent. Combined with an increase in tire size to 215/45R-17 on 7.0-by-17-inch five-spoke aluminum wheels, the RSX Type-S becomes a hair sharper than before, while steering feel improves as well.



When you tackle your favourite set of twisties, the RSX Type-S is absolutely one of the most responsive front-drivers out there, pointing the nose eagerly at every apex, and rewarding smooth and aggressive pilots alike. However, it is ultimately a front-wheel-drive car, so understeer is all you’ll find at the limit. Adopting a limited-slip differential would aid in this regard, but has been noticeably absent since the Integra/RSX platform switch.

The brakes are responsive and strong, though, and will haul you down from serious speed with little or no fade. And the ABS does a good job in panic stops to bring you to a stop with little drama. Other standard safety features include dual front and side air bags, three-point seatbelts with dual pretensioners and a collapsible steering column. Traction control and stability control are absent, although not really needed.



Also, since the power is so high up in the range, though, you really have to make sure you’re in the correct gear, since if you shift up a shade early, you could find yourself waiting longer than you expected to get back on the boil.

But that’s just typical Honda fun. Has been for years, and probably will continue in that fashion for eternity. If you don’t like it, find something with a small-block.



Pricing for the RSX Type-S starts at $34,050 for a very-well equipped model, including freight and PDI. That’s quite expensive for a compact four-cylinder, but not bad when you consider it’s essentially a quick-ish, entry-level luxury coupe. On one side of the scale, a Dodge SRT-4, which is considerably faster though less refined, starts at $28,480, while on the other side, a BMW 325Ci only starts at $42,700.

That’s the appeal of the RSX Type-S, though, is that it sits directly between those two wildly different categories: the upper-echelons of the boy-racer movement, and the lower reaches of the near-luxury 'look at me' segment. And now with more power and better handling, it’s sure to handle its mid-life crisis better than most.