“It’s a sportier and more luxurious Honda Civic as it shares most major parts, other than engines…”

The Acura CSX was made in Canada and only sold in Canada. Essentially it’s a sportier and more luxurious Honda Civic as it shares most major parts, other than engines. So, an owner not only gets the renowned reliability, fuel efficiency and functionality of a Civic, but also a higher level of performance and luxury… very nice!

First released for the 2006 model year, the CSX came with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that can also be found in an Acura RSX, with slightly different tuning. A suspension upgrade also gives CSX better handling than a Civic and it originally came in Touring and Premium (with leather upholstery, Xenon headlights and a power sunroof) trim levels.

A new more performance oriented version called the Type-S replaced Premium for the 2007 model year. The standard 2.0-litre engine can produce 155 horsepower, but the 2.0-litre in a Type-S version can churn-out 197 horsepower. The manual transmission in a base CSX is a five-speed, while the Type-S has a six-speed. A five-speed automatic transmission was a popular option,

An automatic model also comes with steering wheel mounted paddle-shift (manual) controls. Using the newly revised (and more realistic) fuel economy rating method, a CSX (auto) should get 10.9/7.8 L/100 km (city/highway) and 10.0/7.6 L/100 km (city/highway) with the manual transmission.

Other than leather upholstery, which became standard on every CSX, there were no significant changes for 2008 model year. In 2009, the CSX got a minor facelift up front and 17-inch wheels, fog lights and USB port for audio players all became standard equipment. The CSX Type-S became the CSX i-Tech (and came with xenon headlights, a navigation system and Bluetooth connectivity) for the 2011 model year, its final year of production.

A used CSX doesn’t cost too much more than a top-line Civic. Not only do you get more content and performance, Acura models also come with a longer warranty than Honda. Full coverage is for 4 years or 80,000 km, compared to 3 years/60,000 km from Honda.

You won’t find ratings for an Acura CSX in Consumer Reports or the results of any US crash testing. However, it’s safe to assume that it would achieve similar results to the Honda Civic, which does spectacularly well in owner survey ratings and also receives top ratings occupant protection in a collision.

Used prices may be on the high side, but if you like the Honda Civic, yet desire a little extra pampering and performance, take a look and a drive in used Acura CSX.

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Price Check: 2006 – 2011 Acura CSX (November 2014)

Year                    Edition                                                 Expect to Pay Today

2006                  Premium                                                      $9,000 to $12,000

2007                   Type S                                                      $10,000 to $13,000

2008                   Type S                                                      $11,000 to $14,000

2009                   Type S                                                      $12,000 to $15,000

2010                   Type S                                                      $14,000 to $17,000

2011                    i-Tech                                                       $16,000 to $19,000

*Prices vary depending on a used vehicle’s condition, mileage, usage and history. A complete mechanical check should always be performed by a reliable auto technician prior to purchase.

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Safety Recalls: 2006 to 2011 Acura CSX:

2006/2007: An ABS wheel speed sensor O-ring seal may allow water to enter the rear wheel bearing and eventually cause damage, especially in areas where use of road salt is prevalent. Dealers will inspect and, if required, replace ABS sensor O-ring seals and rear wheel bearings.

2009: A fault in the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system could result in an immediate loss of power steering assist without warning to the driver. The electric power steering module will be replaced under a special extended warranty (coverage of 10 years/240,000 km) for vehicles which experience this condition.

2011: There’s an increased risk of fuel leakage in a roll-over crash due to a potentially faulty Roll-Over Valve (ROV) within the fuel pump module. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump module assembly.

Contact: bob [dot] mchugh [at] drivewaybc [dot] ca