I had a slight panic attack at the gas station today with my test Acura TSX V-6 (which I have dubbed “Lady Red” thanks to her gorgeous hue of burgundy red). No, it wasn’t the price of Premium (which the “Lady” prefers) or the fact that I still hadn’t been able to get that stubborn gas gauge below a quarter full after nearly 300 miles of driving. (Something this fast shouldn’t be this easy on gas.) So what was my problem? I could not for the life of me figure out how to open the fuel door. Yes, I am serious. I own an Acura TL and my family has owned a number of Acura products and the door opener is always located conveniently down by your feet. Had I found the Acura’s fatal flaw? Its Achilles Heel? Did they forget to leave a way to open the fuel door? Of course not. As is the way with most Honda products they just made it easier. After perusing the Owner’s Manual I learned all you have to do is push on the door for it to open. Yes, it’s that easy now. Acura out-simplified my over-complicated luxury car mentality which always assumes “expensive” car controls must be difficult to use. (Achtung Mercedes engineers! That was directed at you.) What’s It Like to Drive? True engineering excellence shows its face only in the things you really don’t notice. The ride and handling of the TSX V-6 are true exemplars of this fact. The steering is razor sharp (one of the best I have ever experienced in a front drive car) yet the car never suffers from that darty feeling that can afflict some racks with too hyperactive a set-up. This sedan is as fun to pilot in my mind as a VW GTI which to me is the utmost complement. The ride is smooth even over the harshest speed bumps and when piloting the TSX over the roughest patches of California Freeway overpasses. It also never manages to feel too pillowy or floaty which is something I feel in my 2006 TL over bumps and crests. Acura truly has mastered their suspension set-up with the 2010 TSX V-6. If you are an Acura owner you may love your current model but I urge you to test drive this car. You may decide it is time to trade in that lease a little early. Exterior and Interior Styling You would think it can’t be all that hard to style a sexy and angular luxury sedan but if you visually scan the new car lots of Lexus dealerships that is obviously not the case. Did I just say that? Yes, I did. The Acura TSX V-6 manages to look classy, sporty Category:Home › Home • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 2 • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 1 • Should the crew of the Sea Shepherd board whaling ships? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 13 • Grandparents: Can blogging chronicle your genealogy? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 12 • Are teachers unions the cause of public school problems today? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 11