Honda Accord Tourer Taxi Cab: You Won't Be Seeing this Acura in the States

While Acura has confirmed that it will bring the European Honda Accord Tourer to the U.S. as the 2011 TSX Sport Wagon in fall 2010 (the Euro Accord and the TSX are virtually one and the same), it's highly unlikely that you'll ever see one in a yellowish finish with a Taxi roof sign. But if you're planning a trip to Germany, you might very well be able to hitch a ride on a Accord Tourer Taxi - that is, if you manage to spot one among all the Mercs.

The Euro-spec model is powered by a 2.2-liter i-DTEC four-cylinder diesel that delivers an output of 150 horsepower and 350Nm or 258 lb-ft of peak torque returning a combined fuel economy of 6.6 lt/100 or 35.7mpg US in the European cycle.

The new Accord Tourer Elegance cab comes equipped with a taximeter case, wireless telephone pre-installation and special brackets for the taxi sign while the station wagon's standard features include an electric tailgate, cruise control, leather steering wheel and shift knob, heated front seats, MP3-capable CD player, dual-zone automatic climate control and 16-inch alloy wheels.

The taxi version of the Accord Tourer is available for order now in Germany with pricing set at €20,690 or at today's exchange rates, US$29,800.

Acura Announces New 2011 TSX Sport Wagon, Based on European Honda Accord Tourer

Even before Honda revealed the controversial Accord CrossTour, U.S. consumers were wondering why the Japanese automaker wouldn't just add the European version of the Honda Accord Tourer to its Acura TSX lineup (the TSX and Euro Accord are virtually identical). Well, Honda has just answered their prayers (now let's see how many of those will actually buy it...) as the company announced today the addition of a TSX Sport Wagon to its 2011 vehicle lineup.

According to the automaker, the TSX Sport Wagon which probably won't differ much from its Euro sibling (see pictures below), will be arriving at Acura dealerships in the Fall of 2010. No other details were released but expect to see a similar engine lineup to the sedan model.

Honda Accord Achieves 5-Stars at Euro Ncap's Revised Rating System

The latest generation Honda Accord (sold in the States as the Acura TSX) has been awarded with five-stars under Euro NCAP's revised safety rating scheme that replaces the three separate ratings for pedestrian impact, adult and child protection with a single five-star rating. In the previous rating system, the Accord had a 5 star adult occupant, 4 star child occupant and 3 star pedestrian protection scores

Euro NCAP's new rating scheme uses a weighted score that combines adult (50 per cent), child (20 per cent) and pedestrian (20 per cent) protection assessment results with the availability of safety assistance devices such as the electronic stability control (10 per cent). Under the new rating system, a minimum score of 70 per cent overall is necessary for a 5-star rating. Honda's Accord achieved an overall weighted score of 78 percent.

2010 Acura TSX V6: Acura's Version of the Euro Honda Accord gets 280HP 3.5 V6

Acura finally decided to add a V6 option to its latest generation TSX model which as you probably already know, is sold in Europe as the Honda Accord. Unveiled for the first time today at the Chicago Auto Show, the most powerful version of the Acura's premium sports sedan is fitted with a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 that's coupled to a Sequential SportShift automatic transmission with steering-wheel mounted F1-style paddle shifters. And no, Acura did not equip the TSX V6 with its four-wheel-drive system as it retains the 4-cylinder model's front-wheel drive layout.

The V6 powertrain also brought along a sportier suspension tuning along with 18-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels, fit with Michelin Pilot all-season tires. To distingush it from the 4-cylinder variant, Acura slightly revised the TXS's front fascia and added a V6 badge on the trunk.