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As much as we liked the refinement of the Acura, the GLI's performance makes it the better sport sedan.
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Road Test: Comparison Test
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2005 Acura TSX vs. 2006 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Comparison Test
Introduction
By
Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor
Date posted: 10-31-2005
A $30K Volkswagen Jetta didn't seem possible until the arrival of the high-performance 2006 Jetta GLI. It starts at $23,790, but order up every option and it will break through the $30,000 barrier faster than Paris Hilton on a Versace bender.
For that price you get the GLI's engine, suspension and styling upgrades in addition to a long list of luxury options. Ditch the navigation system and a few other choice features, however, and you can get a well-equipped GLI for just under $28K.
But there are a lot of good sport sedans for $28,000. The 2005 Acura TSX is one of the best. It starts at just $27,190. For that price, all of its high-end features come standard except navigation.
On paper, you couldn't find two more evenly matched cars if you tried. From their prices to their packaging, the GLI and TSX are as close to twins as two cars from Germany and Japan could be. Their dimensions are nearly identical, as is their hardware. Both use 200-horsepower four-cylinder engines, front-wheel drive and in our case six-speed manual transmissions — both offer an automatic as an option, but we like to row our own.
The numbers say they're the same, but one of these sedans deserves your $28K more than the other.
What Do You Get for $28K?
Power in the GLI comes from the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder used in the larger Passat as well as Audi's A3 and A4 models. With 200 hp at 5,500 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque at 1,800 rpm, it's one of the strongest four-cylinders on the market. Its advanced direct-injection design also gives it solid mileage ratings of 24 city/32 highway.
Our Salsa Red test car had Option package #2 that adds leather, dual-zone climate control, a sunroof, satellite radio and heated seats for an extra $3,200. Optional 18-inch wheels and 225/40 summer performance tires added another $750 for a total of $28,355.
All GLIs get a sport-tuned suspension, black honeycomb grille and blue window tint. Sport seats are standard along with aluminum pedals and a thick, sport steering wheel.
Like all Acuras, the TSX comes fully loaded with just about every option you could want. Our test car included its sole option, a $2,000 touchscreen navigation system that pushed its price to $29,190.
The standard engine is a normally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder that generates 200 hp at 6,800 and 166 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. It's connected to a precise six-speed with a light, but tricky-to-engage clutch. A set of 17-inch wheels are standard, but they come wrapped in a meager set of 215/50 all-season tires.
How We Drove Them
These sedans are designed to make the everyday commute just a bit more bearable, so that's the kind of driving we did. Mind-numbing trips to the office, lunch runs and long freeway slogs were the order of the week. If they had any ergonomic flaws we were going to find them.
They are sport sedans, too, however, so we took them to the test track to see what they could do without a bunch of SUVs in their way. Acceleration, braking and slalom numbers were tallied to see how they measured up.
When the track testing was finished, we headed north for the Monterey Peninsula to see what five straight hours behind the wheel would feel like. Fuel mileage was logged, stereos were evaluated, trunks were filled.
The Winner
This was a close one. With a final spread of just 2 percentage points — in favor of the GLI — it's one of the closest comparison tests we've ever had. Things were so close that if you removed the nav system and its associated price penalty from the TSX we're pretty sure it would have been a dead heat.
A little slower and a little softer than the GLI, the Acura does deliver higher refinement, as well as the prestige and dealer service that comes with a luxury nameplate. It was also the favorite on our road trip. But for our $28K we want more personality, and more torque.
Although it's as roomy and comfortable as the Acura, the GLI's strong acceleration, tight steering and firm suspension, always kept it one corner ahead of the slower, softer TSX. Its superior performance simply makes it the better sport sedan.
As much as we enjoy the TSX, the GLI is more fun. And more fun is always better.
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