Sorry no CL.

AutoPacific Releases 2003 Vehicle Satisfaction Scores
Cadillac Top Brand, LS430 Top Car, Escalade EXT Top Truck

Results of a study released today by noted automotive consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. reveal high owner satisfaction with new 2003 model year cars and light trucks. AutoPacific’s VSS (Vehicle Satisfaction Score) study is an industry benchmark for objective measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction.

Cadillac is highest-rated brand for 2003. Being at the top is familiar territory for Cadillac, as it shared top honors with Lexus in 2002 and won outright in 2001.

The individual vehicle registering highest overall satisfaction for a fourth consecutive year is Lexus' LS sedan, represented for 2003 by the LS 430 model. The highest-rated truck is Cadillac’s new Avalanche-based Escalade EXT, which brings high-level luxury to the basic GM midgate concept.

"By corporation, Ford and Honda earn most awards with five segment winners each”, notes AutoPacific founder and president George Peterson. "Toyota follows with four segment winners and General Motors three, although Cadillac’s brand victory raises GM’s award count to four.” The Hyundai-Kia group continues its recent success with two segment victories, while Volkswagen receives one.

A special-achievement award is also given to Nissan for its new Murano. In spite of Murano having been on the market for a limited period of time and resultant smaller survey sample size, it still generates an astounding 755 points on AutoPacific’s 1000-point scale. This score makes Murano third most-satisfying vehicle in the North American market. “It’s great to add an extra award this year recognizing Nissan”, says Peterson, “as they are not only exploring new design concepts but appear to have developed some exceptional vehicles in the process. Among several great new Nissans, Murano in particular is a real home-run.”

Top performers by segment are:

BRAND: Cadillac

PASSENGER CARS:
Premium Luxury Car Lexus LS 430 (4-peat winner)
Contemporary Luxury Car Acura TL
American Luxury Car Cadillac DeVille (repeat winner)
Premium Mid-Size Car Honda Accord (sedan and coupe)
Standard Mid-Size Car Mazda6
Compact Car Hyundai Elantra (tied)
Volkswagen New Beetle (tied) (repeat winner)
Sports Car Lexus SC430 (repeat winner)
Sporty Car Acura RSX

LIGHT TRUCKS:
Large Light-Duty Pickup Toyota Tundra
Large Heavy-Duty Pickup Ford F-Series Super Duty
Large 4-Dooor Pickup/SUT Cadillac Escalade EXT
Compact Pickup Toyota Tacoma
Compact 4-Door Pickup/SUT Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Luxury Sport Utility Lincoln Navigator
Large Sport Utility Ford Excursion (repeat winner)
Premium Mid-Size Sport Utility GMC Envoy
Standard Mid-Size Sport Utility Kia Sorento
Compact Sport Utility Honda CR-V (repeat winner)
Minivan Honda Odyssey

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT: Nissan Murano

 

Comments from the source:

Contemporary Luxury Car - Acura TL: “TL has been on the market in current form for several years, and underscores the adage that practice makes perfect. Several things about TL are interesting. From a conceptual and design standpoint, TL may not necessarily be the most modern vehicle in its class, but is precisely what its enthusiastic customers want. They perceive elements of refinement, luxury, sleekness and elegance far surpassing competitors. Also, every TL is made in the United States, demonstrating how perfectly Japanese technology and American craftsmanship can and do combine.”

“An all-new TL not just made in the U.S. but fully developed in the U.S. will be on the market in a few months. The new model updates the basic TL theme with exterior styling reminiscent of the striking TSX. Acura is pursuing family identity in its exterior designs, with the result that new models across the board are not only more uniform, but uniformly beautiful.”


Premium Mid-Size Car - Honda Accord: “It’s hard to imagine Accord has been successfully reshaping American popular perceptions on “ideal” personal and family transport for close to 30 years. Seems like only yesterday Accord was new kid on the block that everyone wanted but few could actually have, with demand outstripping supply by a huge multiple.”

“Passages of time notwithstanding, Accord continues evergreen as first an import phenomenon and now a thoroughly domestic one. Call it the archtypical family sedan (or personal coupe), at or near the top of the sales charts year after year, continually satisfying owners who’ve owned bunches of them over the years and who would not shop anything else. Safe purchase? Of course! But let’s remember that ‘safe purchase’ is accompanied by quality, durability, reliability and resale few – if any -- can match. Accord also epitomizes taste and restraint, with an enduring and stable style that defies age and changing tastes. New or old, Accord is a steady and reassuring constant in our otherwise harried and uncertain world.”

Sporty Car - Acura RSX: “Acura took a risk retiring the time-honored Integra name and replacing the 3-door model with the much more refined and elegant RSX. In fact, some Integra purists initially decried the naming and positioning shifts, wondering where all the Fast and Furious elements of their vaunted vehicles had gone. However, there was no need for either purists or Acura to worry. RSX is a beautiful, fast, refined and fantastic vehicle in and of itself, winning over old and new fans alike. In time, surely all the fussing will have been forgotten, as RSX seems destined – like its Integra predecessors – to rise from the ranks of the merely desirable to the truly iconic.”

 

gj to honda/acura, do u happen to have the link?

 

im in shock, i think thats the first time ive EVER seen a car reviewer say ANYTHING good about acura's styling

 

Here you go! SOmeone over at clubrsx.com has managed to grab pix of the 2005 catalog for the RSX and the fascia changes look great

http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread...76#post3262776

the specs:
2.0 liters
210hp@7800
143torque@7000
redline 8100
compression ratio 11.0
stabilizer bars(front/back) 26.5mm/21mm
17/7 aluminum-alloy

Gear Ratio:
1st:3.27
2nd:2.13
3rd:1.52
4th:1.15
5th:0.92
6th:0.74
Final Drive: 4.77


weight 2840lbs

 

OOoh! Improved hp, as well as closer geared final drive! (4.77) Kurt should love this...

 

Nice!

Not sure why they straightened out the lights, thought that was a nice distinguishing feature of the RSX. I like how the new front fascia is more aggressive - in some ways it reminds me of the CL, but at the same time it also reminds me of a Civic too. Gotta see it in person.

Thanks for posting the info TypeRS!

 

Now if they could cut the weight down to about 2500 lbs it would really go.

 

I can barely tell the difference from those pics, that one has the body kit, so I'd like to see how the stock one looks. The specs are nice though, and I like the slightly updated wheels (?)

 

There is some little differences. First, from the pic it seems like 05 RSX has a new headlight and tail light design. Acura removes the eye lid. IMO, it looks like civic now. Second, lip rear spoiler is available. By this I guess 05 TSX may also have this option. I know people say lip spoiler is within the A-Spec kit, but I hope Acura will have this as an individual option.

 

I must say, I'm a tad disappointed. I'm glad the upped the hp...but think they could have gone higher...maybe 225 or 240 hp. But never the less, it'll be cool to see the performance increases.

On the headlight/tailight issue. I've never been a fan of the RSX's "tear drop" headlights (or whatever) so I think this is an improvement...the I'd liked to have seen more of a family resemblance. I really like the TL and TSX headlights and I think they would look cool on the RSX.

I like what I see of the interior though...it looks a little more luxurious (but still very sporty)

 

Pics are courtesy of xblindvisionx from ClubRSX who obtained snaps of the 2005 RSX Brochure.












2005 RSX A-Spec:


Specs from the Brochure:

2.0 liters
210hp@7800
143torque@7000
redline 8100
compression ratio 11.0
stabilizer bars(front/back) 26.5mm/21mm
17/7 aluminum-alloy

Gear Ratio:
1st:3.27
2nd:2.13
3rd:1.52
4th:1.15
5th:0.92
6th:0.74
Final Drive: 4.77

Weight 2840lbs

New Colors: Blaze Orange Metallic, Magnesium Metallic, Vivid Blue, Jade Green
Returning Colors: Milano Red, Satin Silver Metallic, Premium White Pearl, Nighthawk Black Pearl

Redline has been increased, runs close to the 2004 S2000 redline now. (8100 rpms, versus 8200 on the S2000).

Supposedly the leather quality is better (RSX leather sucked in the old cars), with new seats that have better bolstering. Gauges look a little different than previous years, with a white background that turns red at night.

There's also supposedly a dual stage intake manifold ala the TL/CL Type S that gives the RSX a much better torque curve. The new final drive is from the JDM Integra Type R which makes people think that the car should be able to pull low 14s in the 1/4 mile (???). The JDM ITR pulls a 14 flat in the 1/4 mile with 220hp.

The stabilizer bars are also thicker which should add to the handling characteristics of the car.

Supposedly will get Projector HIDs, heated seats, and a better sound system, but this has yet to be determined. It almost looks like it could have Projector HIDs in the pictures though.

 

Maybe it's possible but has Acura not seen the
350Z
RX-8
EVO
SRT-4
Mazda 3
etc?
Just curious. I don't see these updates as boosting sales at all.

 

Whoa, if RSX's were equipped with 225 or 240hp, what'll happen to S2K's?

 

Dude you must be smoking something if you actually thought Acura would increase the HP as high as you are saying.

From what I read, even though torque only went up 1, the curve should be much flatter dude to the dual-stage intake so that means more power down low which is what the car needs.

 

Just kidding.

I don't see much difference in the 05 model, but anyway.

 

Someone (who already has a ClubRSX account) needs to email the guy who posted those pics and see if that same salesmen with give him a 2005 TSX brochure!!

 

Anyone have any idea if the 05 RSX 17s will fit a TSX? If the 04 RSX 16s have the same bolt pattern as the TSX then I think they would (as long as the offset is about the same).

 

I sent the guy a message, we'll see if he replies or not!

 

the front looks better....

 

Looks pretty much the same. They just eliminated the curves under the head and tail lights, added a body kit. Makes it a tad more appealing but I don't think it will do anything for the car. I would be more impressed if they dropped all the luxury and made it a honda at 20k.

 

i think the front light looks like those rice out civic headlight

 

That really isnt competition to the RSX. Also, the RSX already sells very well as is. Little improvements will make it even better

 

can we get nav in the RSX?

 

eh

 

it competes with a celica, eclipse, tiburon, cougar, and etc.

 

 

The seats look much better.

 

Looks the same and yea the lights do look like the civic ones. The wheels are nice tho

 

2.0 liters
210hp@7800
143torque@7000
redline 8100
compression ratio 11.0
stabilizer bars(front/back) 26.5mm/21mm
17/7 aluminum-alloy

Gear Ratio:
1st:3.27
2nd:2.13
3rd:1.52
4th:1.15
5th:0.92
6th:0.74
Final Drive: 4.77 wow...

weight 2840lbs

 

I'm partial to the scalloped headlights in the current RSX, at least it gave it a little distinctiveness. Now I just see "Civic" (the 01-03 model) with this refresh.

I wonder if they've finally added Xenons?

 

Guy said if he has time he will stop and see if they got one. Don't hold your breath!

 

can you get the type S in a tiptronic yet? or is it still exclusively 6 speed for the type S

 

Merged in above post with picture...

Compare with current:

 

My guess, and its only a guess, is they dropped the tear drop headlights for three little letters: B M W.

 

wow that really is gay once you think about it. I mean I'm glad they upped the HP, gave it a less edgy look, and helped the sport appeal, but while the RSX-S gets 210 HP, the TSX will stay at 200. Unless a "Type-S" or A-Spec suddenly pops up for the TSX, I believe Acura made a mistake. I'd really like to see a 220 HP K24 engine in an A-Spec TSX. If Honda can get 220 HP out of a 2.0L like in the Euro-R, why not out of a 2.4L? This really is a must, they got to increase HP numbers for the TSX.

 

the rsx is on it's third model year. the tsx is on it's first. no car ever gets any drastic changes until 2-3 years, when it's time for the facelift.

 

It looks a little better, and its still a nice car for the money, probably one of the best handling FWD drive cars around

 

of course, but very seldomly do cars have less power for more money. Granted there are many major excpetions, as in the case with the TSX to RSX, the RSX is supposed to be a tC competitor, whereas the TSX competes with the 325i, A4 1.8T, 9-3, etc. I am not expecting a power gain, but I'd really appreciate at least the option of slightly more power. I'm not hoping, but , again, thinking 'more money, more power". I wouldn't want the Mini Cooper to have more HP than the 325i, the VW Golf to have more power than the Jetta or Pasat (of course ruling out GTI's, S models, and any other higher engine options).

Acura is stepping away from the engine choices one once had with the Type-S's of old. Oh well, the TSX is still a C&D 10 Best.

 

I personally am glad that the Type-S model range is gone...provides for continuity of the product range, and makes for all around more powerful and better handling vehicles. This way, every car is a Type-S.

I see the TSX gaining only minimal horsepower. Why? It's numbers stack up against its competition. Ultimately, I'd like the see the RSX gone from the Acura lineup. It's a thorn in Acura's side, and is holding it back from its aspirations as a truer luxo brand. Acura either needs to ditch the model, or move it up-market to the 25k-28k range, making it a TSX hatch. Anyway...back onto the TSX. The TSX competes directly with the entry-level sport-lux vehicles. The entry, of the entry-level sport-lux vehicles (i.e. A4 1.8t, 325i, C230, S40 2.4i) which all feature even more modest HP numbers. The TSX is right in line. Further, if the HP number is moved higher, there will slightly less reason (for some) to move up to a TL.

Basically, what I'm saying is, take the RSX out of the picture, and the TSX is right where it needs to be (as of now).