2010 Acura TSX V-6 with technology package (photos)

The 2010 Acura TSX dons the company's corporate grill. However, the sharp beak isn't nearly as severe in this incarnation. After a while, the TSX's looks grew on us.

The biggest revision to this new TSX V-6 is, well, the V-6 engine. Taken from the standard TL, this mill generates 280 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque.

Although there is dramatically more power on tap, fuel economy doesn't take as big of a hit as we thought it would, hovering about 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

The TSX handles like a Honda, which is to say that it is one of the best handling FWD vehicles on the road today. The suspension is firm, but not harsh, and the chassis is rather tossable.

Inside, the TSX is handsomely appointed with high quality cabin materials. Nothing screams "luxury", but it feels like it's worth its $38,000 sticker price.

The Acura packs a good deal of cabin tech, but it's darn near inaccessible most of the time thanks to Acura's cluttered user interface. That's just way too many buttons!

At the top of the center stack is the LCD screen. It's not touch sensitive (which is fine) and pretty low resolution (which isn't fine). At least Acura got rid of the glare multiplying plastic shield from the previous model year.

Unfortunately, the navigation system is still DVD based. The DVD-drive is located in the truck, where old-school CD changers used to live.

Fortunately, it's all not low-tech. The Acura navigation system is equipped with traffic and weather data, provided by XM satellite radio.

Weather data comes in the form of 1- or 3-day forecasts.

The usual suspects are present for destination entry. Users can search POIs, street addresses, or intersections.

Acura's text input system features a very cool predictive text function tries to figure out what letters could come next and grays out invalid characters. Unfortunately, users still have to scroll all the way across the screen for the next character.

In the center console, a USB port allows for the connection of iPods and USB mass storage devices. There's also a 12-volt outlet and an analog auxiliary input tucked in there.

When connected to an iPod, users can browse by artist, genre, album, and so on. However, when connected to a USB storage device, songs are browsed by folder, so be sure to keep organized!

Bluetooth audio is a nice touch for users who want to stream audio to their car stereo without bothering with wires.

The Acura ELS surround sound system is among the best you can get in this price range and supports DVD audio with Dolby Pro-Logic II decoding. However, there's only a 2-band EQ, which gives users little control over the sound of the music.

The Info menu is filled with all of the oddball features that wouldn't fit anywhere else in Acura's interface. Traffic and weather would probably be better served in the Navigation menu, but even we can't thing of where to put the Calendar and Calculator applications.

The cluttered interface continues on the steering wheel. Because there are two voice command systems, there are two sets of talk and end buttons on the steering wheel.

Fortunately, the instrument cluster is clean and uncluttered.

Getting back to the exterior aesthetic, the TSX's rump is also considerably less pointy than other Acuras. The full-sized TL could learn a thing or two from its smaller brother.

The TSX's trunk is generous, but the 60/40 folding rear seats' pass through is a bit small.

Overall, we liked the TSX's power, handling, and poise, but that technology package needs a serious overhaul.

Check out the full review of the 2010 Acura TSX V6 with Tech Package.