VW Jetta GLI: Comparison test with the Acura TSX

Inside Line made a comparison test between the VW Jetta GLI and the Acura TSX.
To tell you upfront: the winner is the VW Jetta! No surprise for us, but anyway interesting to read.

As close as the GLI and TSX are on paper, they're completely different from behind the wheel. Jump from the TSX to the GLI and the Volkswagen instantly feels like a more serious sport sedan. The seats are firmer, the steering wheel thicker and the seating position more upright. The GLI's gauges look less cartoonish and the Volkswagen's door closes with a solid thud instead of the Acura's soft whump.

Let out the clutch, there's instant power. Forget about turbo lag, this motor is awake right off idle. Compared to the tricky clutch and lazy low-rpm power of the TSX, the VW is an easy drivin' dragster. We also prefer the GLI's large, leather-covered shift knob as it's easier to handle than the Acura's small, metal-topped shifter.

With 200 hp from its turbocharged 2.0-liter, the GLI has no significant horsepower advantage over the TSX other than the fact that its 5,500-rpm power peak arrives 1,300 rpm earlier than the Acura's.

It's the GLI's torque that's the difference. There's 207 pound-feet of it versus 166 lb-ft in the TSX. The Volkswagen not only has more torque, it peaks at just 1,800 rpm compared to 4,500 rpm for the Acura. From zero to 60 the GLI bests the TSX by a half second with a pass of 8 seconds flat.

GermanCarBlog, VW Jetta

Source: Inside Line via Autoblog

VW Jetta GLI: Comparison test with the Acura TSX

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