2004 Acura TSX vs. 2003 Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor vs. 2003 Saab 9-3 Arc Interior Features Review

They're all tight on hiproom, however, and none but the tiniest person will agree to spend time in any middle seat. The Mercedes and the Saab have rear-seat vents and controls on the back of the center console, while the Acura does not. All are equipped with rear center armrests and cupholders, and the Saab and the Acura have 60/40 fold-down rear seats, while the Mercedes' rear bulkhead is fixed for a more rigid structure but less cargo flexibility. If you want to put more "sport" into the C230 sport sedan, you'll need a roof rack for skis and bicycles.

We've come to expect good interior detailing and high-quality materials from Acura, and the TSX is no different. It's a nice blend of luxury and sport. Button placement has a few ergonomic challenges and takes some learning, but works well. Shifter is short and linkage is crisp.

The 9³ and C230 feature real wood accents, while the TSX has some of the best fake stuff we've seen. Pick a different interior color for the TSX, and you get fake satin-aluminum trim in place of the wood, which looks cleaner and more fitting with the contemporary style of the Acura. The dark cherry-wood accents inside the mid-level 9³ Arc are practically hidden in the charcoal and black confines of its interior. Its driver's environment is as darkly austere as an Ingmar Bergman flick. Despite the tight new GM-Epsilon platform, the 9³ carries the tradition of Saab quirks, with a floor-mounted ignition switch and a "night-display" dash that, at the touch of a button, shuts off all gauges and dash lights except for the speedometer.

The Acura and the Saab come with standard power driver's seats and bunwarmers for both front buckets. Only the Saab has a power front-passenger seat. The Mercedes includes a power control to move the driver's seat up and down, but it's combined with a confusing set of manual levers that make it time-consuming to find an optimal position. All three cars have manual tilt/telescope adjustments for the steering wheel, but with their power driver seats it was easier to find comfortable, control-oriented positions in the Saab and Acura. Like the majority of Honda products, the TSX has a nose that slopes down severely from the cowl, giving the driver a commanding view of the road.

The C-Class interior is nicely done, and the radio and climate controls are an improvement over those found in many previous Mercedes. The sport seats are superb, and the new-gen six-speed's shifter is much improved over the previous unit.

While the TSX and 9³ have big, well-lit tachometers as large as their respective speedometers, the C230 Sport is fitted with a big, less-sporting half-circle speedo with the rev counter relegated to a small dial in the left corner of the instrument panel. But the C230 has one of the best driver seats in the sport-sedan business, firm and supportive with substantial bolsters to keep you in place in the esses. Acura did its homework, as well, with good bolstering and support from its perforated leather buckets for comfortable multistate trips. Saab's seat is flatter with less-aggressive bolsters.

Value
Acura clearly is the value leader among these three. Vehicle stability assist, 17-inch wheels and tires, HID headlamps, power moonroof, leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel with integrated audio and cruise controls, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, and a 360-watt premium sound system with six-disc in-dash changer are standard. The only option is the easy-to-use voice-activated navigation system, at $2000.

The 9³ cabin has lots of buttons to control its many features and requires some time with the owner's manual before you're comfy with what it all does. The nav screen gives directions, but doesn't display a map like most others. Seats are supportive, but short on side bolstering.

Our $31,060 Mercedes doesn't have the power seats, CD player, or nav system, but it does have that three-pointed star on the hood. And the C230 Sport is a well-assembled piece. The Mercedes might not be as full of gadgets and luxuries as its competition, but its prestige is palpable, and it backs up the promise with a superb driving experience.

The Saab 9³ Arc we drove came with the uplevel high-pressure turbo four, but it also was equipped with a few options that pushed its price up by more than $2000 over the Benz. Avoid the options list, and you have a well-equipped car that fits in with the $30,000 premise of this story. To even out prices, you need to cut the Saab's $1195 Touring Package (rain-sensing wipers, park assist, six-disc in-dash changer, bi-Xenon headlamps), the $1100 power sunroof, and headlamp washers, and the $475 metallic paint, which brings the total to $31,115. GM's myriad financing deals can shave some cost off the transaction price.