2014 Acura TSX Sport Wagon Review

Though not as capable as a couple other rivals, the 2014 Acura TSX Sport Wagon is nonetheless a smart choice for an entry-level luxury wagon.

Small entry-level luxury wagons are a pretty rare sight on the road. But we fully understand the appeal of getting a wagon. There's the familiar carlike handling, the ease of parking in tight spots and the sleek styling that says "I'm not an SUV!" We get it. And Acura hopes you get it, too, with its 2014 TSX Sport Wagon.

A derivative of Acura's TSX sedan (reviewed separately), the Sport Wagon is one of the few relatively affordable station wagons available. It boasts a handsome-looking and solidly built interior, plus an extensive list of desirable standard features, including xenon headlights, a sunroof, heated front seats and a premium audio system. Behind the rear seats is a roomy luggage area. If you fold down those rear seats, you'll have 66 cubic feet of cargo space available, which is more space than many small crossover SUVs offer.

Unfortunately, the TSX wagon does have some downsides. It's not available with all-wheel drive, and if you want more power or fuel efficiency than its merely adequate 201-horsepower four-cylinder engine has to offer, you're out of luck. The TSX is also one of Acura's oldest cars, and as such, it simply isn't available with certain desirable features like blind-spot monitoring or a slick touchscreen interface.

If the TSX doesn't strike your fancy, there are a couple European wagons worth a look. The new 2014 BMW 3 Series wagon costs a fair bit more than the Acura, as does the 2014 Audi Allroad, but both are more upscale and have standard all-wheel drive. There's also the more affordable 2014 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen that's available with a fuel-efficient diesel engine. Overall, the 2014 Acura TSX Sport Wagon remains a solid choice here, but we wouldn't be surprised if something else resonates with you more.

The 2014 Acura TSX Sport Wagon is a small station wagon offered in a single trim level, available with or without the optional Technology package.

Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic xenon headlights, foglights, heated mirrors, a sunroof, roof rails, dual-zone automatic climate control, perforated leather upholstery, an eight-way power driver seat, driver memory settings, a four-way power passenger seat, heated front seats, 60/40-split-folding rear seatbacks and a tilt-and-telescoping steering column. Other comfort and convenience features include an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth connectivity and a seven-speaker audio system with a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio input jack and a USB port.

The optional Technology package gets you a power-operated liftgate, an 8-inch color display screen, a rearview camera, a navigation system, voice recognition and a premium 10-speaker surround-sound audio system.

The 2014 Acura TSX Sport Wagon is powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine making 201 hp and 170 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard. The TSX sedan's optional V6 is not available on the wagon.

In Edmunds testing, a TSX wagon accelerated to 60 mph from a standstill in an unremarkable 8.8 seconds. Estimated EPA fuel economy for the TSX Sport Wagon stands at 25 mpg combined (22 city/30 highway). This is decent for this class, though some rival wagons with turbocharged and/or diesel-powered four-cylinders are both more powerful and more fuel-efficient.

Standard safety equipment on the 2014 Acura TSX includes antilock brakes, stability and traction control, active front head restraints, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. A rearview camera is included with the Technology package.

In Edmunds brake testing, the TSX Sport Wagon stopped from 60 mph in 125 feet; that's an OK braking distance for a wagon, though we've tested compact SUVs and hatchbacks that have stopped significantly shorter.

In crash testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the TSX earned a top rating of "Good" in the moderate-overlap frontal-offset, side-impact and roof strength tests. In the small-overlap frontal-offset test, it received the second-lowest "Marginal" rating. Its seat/head restraint design was rated "Good" for whiplash protection in rear impacts.

The 2014 Acura TSX Sport Wagon's four-cylinder engine and five-speed automatic transmission combine to produce adequate, but far-from-thrilling, acceleration. In contrast, the Audi Allroad and BMW 328i wagons, which have turbocharged engines and eight-speed automatics, feel noticeably livelier when you need a quick burst of speed around town or for highway passing. Acura's wagon does provide a relatively smooth and quiet ride, however, and it can be driven around turns with confidence. Overall, we think it will meet most shoppers' expectations for comfort and refinement.

Inside the 2014 Acura TSX Sport Wagon, you'll find a pleasing design done up in high-quality soft-touch materials. At first glance, the dash seems covered by an indecipherable mass of buttons, but with a little time, using these controls becomes fairly intuitive. The base audio system's display screen looks rather down-market, however, so opting for the navigation system is wise given its better aesthetics and easy operation. The available ELS premium audio system is another option we heartily recommend.

The Acura TSX Sport Wagon is more family-friendly than a lot of other luxury wagons or crossovers. It boasts 66.2 cubic feet of total cargo volume with the rear seats folded down (31.5 cubic feet with the seats up). The Acura's front seats are comfortable and supportive. The rear seat is roomier than some competitors, though taller occupants will still wish for a little more legroom.