The V6 with five-speed Sportmatic in the EX worked even better. We drove it like a sports car over twisty roads, and we could barely hear the engine when the transmission downshifted for acceleration; it was a bit slow to kick down into second gear, but was fine at higher speeds. The manual upshifts at 5800 rpm were sharp.
Both models use the same suspension, although the shocks are tuned a bit firmer with the V6 because of the extra weight. The ride and handling are excellent. In the LX, we deliberately hit a speed bump at 30 mph and didn't get jarred. Over freeway expansion strips, we could hear the thunk of the tires but couldn't feel the bumps. We drove through more curves, at least 20 miles of them, and the LX was crisply responsive.
We used the four-wheel disc brakes hard, and they were strong and solid. The performance was pretty darn impressive, especially considering the LX uses 16-inch wheels and tires and not the 17-inch Michelins on the EX. The front rotors are big at 11 inches in diameter, and are vented for better cooling. It's a good sign when a car excels at a task for which it wasn't designed. Next Page