When mated to the 6-speed manual transmission, the engine is torquier than the 1st gen. I would not buy the automatic, however, as the gearing is terrible.
The interior is put together pretty well. The seats are more plush and comfortable than the 1st gen. Most of the materials are nice, but there are some areas where Acura skimped.
The stereo is better than the 1st gen. There might be a couple small areas of the frequency spectrum that are rolled off, but for the most part, the speakers are very clear, with good separation and detail.
With 100% highway miles, expect about 30 mpg. I have averaged about 24-25 mpg over 5 tanks in about 50/50 city/highway.