Acura sells two versions of the RSX: standard and higher-performance Type-S. The standard RSX includes a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating a respectable 160 horsepower, a four-wheel-independent suspension with MacPherson struts in front and double wishbones in back, front and rear stabilizer bars, 16-inch alloy wheels, and either a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed SportShift manually interactive automatic transmission. Of course, this being an Acura, power mirrors, locks, and windows; a power moonroof; a tilt steering wheel; cruise control; and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player are included in a base price just north of $20,000. For safety’s sake, dual-stage front airbags, front side-impact airbags, and four-wheel-disc antilock brakes help to protect occupants. Leather interior trim and an automatic transmission are optional on the base RSX.

Performance junkies will want the Acura RSX Type-S, and it’s what we used to cover hundreds of miles of highway, mountain passes and rain-soaked city streets during our road test. Priced at just over $24,000, the Type-S adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a sport suspension, larger front brakes, a low profile rear spoiler and ground effects, a Bose sound system with a six-disc in-dash CD changer and subwoofer, a six-speed manual transmission, and 50 extra horsepower.