psteng19

I brought my '06 in for warranty work (clutch master cylinder lubing and power seat motor replacement) and got a loaner '09 TSX NAV (I think they call it Tech) with 4000 miles on it.

There are some things I wish the 1st gen had, like one touch open/close moonroof and passenger side - but why not on the rear windows as well?
The sound system is slightly better. They added a sub, but the bass was muddy at times.

There are things I didn't care for, like doors auto-locking when in motion, daytime running lights.
The lag time on the manual shift is greatly improved, although I just put it in D since it became novelty pretty quick. If it doesn't have a clutch and an H pattern shifter, why not just let it do it by itself.

Then there are things that make me scratch my head. Why is the NAV basically the same as the 1st gen? Sure it's got some new features like traffic and weather, but underneath it's the same system as the old one, which is really just an evolution of the Honda one from 1999.
You've lost the touchscreen so entering addresses is a PITA. The graphics are the same old ones, no birds eye view like Infiniti or Garmin. It doesn't save previous town entries so you always have to type it in from scratch.
I will say POI is greatly improved, as the results are actually relevant and in the same town instead of across the country.

The car is bigger in every way and feels it. The seats, though larger, seem to hug you more.
As for the drive, the car doesn't feel faster, although I'm coming from a 6MT which always feels like it has a speed advantage through less parasitic power loss from not having a TC.
It also doesn't feel like it handles as well. The large size makes it feel not as nimble or tossable... just more floaty and less confidence inspiring in the turns.

Bottom line, I feel the car itself hasn't necessarily been improved upon. It was more of a sidestep rather than an upgrade.
Yes, new tech has been added but that should be expected since it is 3 years newer and technology improves so quickly.
I guess if you're looking for a newer, bigger TSX you'd trade in for this one but personally, if these were being sold at the same time, I'd choose the 1st gen every time.
After the first day, I couldn't wait to get my car back.

SoCaliTrojan

I took my car in for warranty work (replacing my dashboard). It should have only taken 1 day, but they took nearly 3 weeks. During that time, I was given a 2009 TSX w/ tech package as a loaner. It only had 471 miles when I got it, and I returned it with over 1,000 miles.

Things I hated:
- First thing you notice is the head rest and how it sticks forward. It basically wants you to use it, but I use gel on my hair. Thus, I spent most of my time driving with my head tilted slightly forward (or, at times, with my seat reclined). I don't know if it's adjustable or not, but the passenger side didn't seem to be adjustable, and playing with the driver's head rest while at a read light seemed fruitless.
- The seat is noticeably bigger, and it made me feel skinny because it didn't hug me as much as my 1G does. When taking turns quickly, I had to think about my body and try to keep myself in position while trying to keep the car going where I wanted it to go.
- The side mirrors don't fold in as much as the ones on the 1G. Eventually I stopped doing it because folding them in was pointless.
- The sun visor, when you rotate it to the side when the sun's on your left, doesn't go all the way. I would pull it down and use the handle above the window (used when exiting the vehicle) to hold it in place and out of the way.
- I hate auto head lights (DRL). I left them on on the loaner, though, since I wouldn't have to worry about shortening the lifespan of the bulbs (since the life of a HID bulb depends on how many times it is switched on, not how many hours it has been used).
- I hate that small shelf in the glove compartment. The glove compartment is now more like a shelf with a smaller shelf in it (as opposed to it being a bin in previous cars). I don't think I'd be able to store as much stuff in there.
- I hate how the fuel door lock is electronic now. If the driver's door is unlocked, so is the fuel door. I'd rather have the fuel door release. Having to make sure my door is unlocked or that it doesn't lock itself while I'm fueling up is annoying. I once tried to close the fuel door, and it had locked itself so I couldn't close it.
- I don't like how instead you have coin stacks in the 1G, now you have a coin tray. I use my "not an ashtray" like a coin tray, and it's not very efficient.
- Everything felt "cheap". They tried to make things softer, but everything I touched made me wish I had a moisturizer with me. My hands always felt dry in the car. I also hated the feel of the steering wheel, but I suppose they did that so that the steering wheel wouldn't get so hot in the summer.
- The paddle shifters are a nice touch, but you can't use them if you're in the middle of a turn. Coming from a 6MT, I have a habit of changing gears in the middle of a turn. In this case, having the gear shifter control the sport shift mode would be better than having paddle shifters.
- I hate not having a touch screen. Having to use the joystick/knob to navigate the menu sucks. (Imagine doing it while using the calculator.)
- The power steering makes you feel so disconnected from the driving experience. At times, I would "wake up" and realize that I'm actually behind a real vehicle and not a video game. When I got back in my 06, my arms got a workout because I could feel the road again. I even got out to see if my front tires were flat (they weren't). Some people might like the sensitive power steering, but I'm a driving enthusiast, not someone who is merely interested in going from point A to point B.

Things I liked:
- The side mirrors are taller than the 1G. It felt as if I were driving a SUV or something...I can see alot more in the mirrors.
- There's a button on the left hand side of the center console that lets you toggle the navi between day mode, night mode, or off. In the 1G, we have to press the "set up" button, tap which mode we want, and then exit the screen. I usually use the brightness rod in the dashboard to toggle between day and night mode when my headlights are on.
- I liked the MID in that the text isn't reversed (white background with black text). However, the 09's MID holds less information. In my 06, I can display 4 things: instantaneous fuel economy, elapsed time, trip mileage, and air temperature. In the 09, it only displays 3 pieces of information.
- I liked how the speedometer/tachometer indicators swing around from the outside (as opposed as to the traditional pointer mounted at the center).
- I liked the side pocket on either side of the center console (by the driver's and passenger's legs). I guess they put this slot here because they took away the small tray in the arm rest. I didn't find out where they moved the pen holder and business card holders.
- The audio is slightly
- When using the joystick/knob to scroll through the results of a search (find nearest gas station, nearest fast food, etc), the navi will actually read the entry. The 1G's navi doesn't do this when I use my joystick. I have to peer over to look at the list.
- The A-pillars are skinnier than the 1G's. They also come down more vertically, instead of at a slant. In the 09, I felt like I was in a bubble...I could clearly see more of what was around me. The only issue I have with this is the sun...sun glasses are a necessity (especially since the sun visor can't be fully utilized. In the 1G, I can actually use my pillar quite well to hide from the sun.

Would I ever upgrade my 1G to a 2G? No way...it's more of a downgrade to me. the 09 felt heavier and slower than I expected. My 06 6MT is noticeably quicker and fun to drive. My 09 experience leads me to continue in my belief that Acura is trying to steer away from sporty vehicles and towards luxury vehicles only.

I only enjoyed the 09 for the first 3 or 4 days. After that, I started wishing for my car back. At the end of the 2nd week or beginning of the 3rd week, I was starting to annoy the dealership people because I would call several of their internal phone numbers trying to get daily updates on my car. Eventually all I had to do was mention my name, and they already knew what was up with my vehicle. lol

adule

Interesting, I'll have to take a ride in the 2nd gen myself to make any conclusions.

psteng19

SoCaliTrojan,

I agree with your assessment for the most part.
The headrest, I thought I was just having a bad hair day lol. I pushed back on it with my hand and it wasn't so much the headrest that tilted forward, but there was a lot of slack in the leather, but it was taut.

You're right, the MID doesn't show as much info on the dash, but it does show more info on the NAV. I guess that's a minus if you don't get the tech package.

The seats do feel huge, and so does the center console/armrest area. Not sure if it's true or just perception, but when reaching over to my gf on the passenger seat, it felt like we were driving a minivan or SUV she was so far away.

It took me a good while to figure out that the fuel door was opened by pushing it in. Gas station attendant and I (yeah, NJ) searched for a couple of minutes... quite embarassing.
I didn't know it locked. I thought Honda cheapened out and made it like a domestic where it's open at all times.

The backup cam was neat, but I didn't trust it. Maybe it takes awhile to get used to. It doesn't draw lines of your projected path like the G35 does.

Some parts of the interior did feel cheaper. The 2 parts that stood out were the door handles and the moonroof switch.

The overboosted power steering made it feel like an arcade machine - did not like.

I think the main reason I was itching to get back in my car was because driving a stick is much more engaging and fun than an auto (no duh). Maybe if the loaner were stick, I would've enjoyed it more. That's probably my biggest complaint other than styling which is subjective but

SoCaliTrojan

Sounds like we had the same experience psteng.

The backup camera was a slight annoyance for me. It looked grainy (no matter what brightness level I set it at), and I couldn't see as much behind me. But I guess that's because I'm used to the aftermarket camera I installed on my 06. My camera is so crisp and clear, and I can see alot more around me (even if I'm pulling out of a parking space and there's an incoming car).

I suppose I could have gotten a camera that draws lines on the screen, but I'd rather trust my judgement than what a computer thinks is happening.

I actually bought my 06 with the intention of trading it in for the midcycle refresh of the 2G (2011 or so). With the way the 2G is, however, I probably will never trade up until the 3G (or perhaps the 6-cylinder boat, the TL). But for now, I think my 06 suits me well and is the best for me at the moment.

PhiDelt

The DRL are a proven safety device. They have been mandatory in Canada for years, and the stats have shown that it reduces collisions. You get use to them . I know they are thinknig of making them mandatory in the USA , and to make it cheaper for the North American market, instead of 2 serparate headlight units .

curls

I agree. DRL's save lives. To the poster that said they will wear out the HID's, I don't think this is an issue. For the 1st gen TSX and most/all vehicles out there, the HID's are actually the high-beams but with reduced voltage. Since the high-beams are not HID but just a regular bulb, its not too expensive to replace, and frankly I use my high-beams so little that having the DRL's use them really shouldn't matter as I've yet to replace a high-beam bulb in 6 years with my TSX.

nj2pa2nc

would be even better if the tail lights also were on with the DRLs-I live in an area that is very foggy in the morning. I do alot of highway driving and it would be nice do see cars sooner when I am behind them. I rather use my headlights so the taillights are also on.

PhiDelt

The tail lights are on also with the DRL, i forgot to add, it makes a big difference.

nj2pa2nc

maybe in Canada but the ones that I see in the states with the DRL's the tail lights are not on.

curls

I've never seen a car in Canada that have the tail lights on when just the DRL's are on.

My guess is that the US Generation 2 TSX doesn't have true "DRL's", but instead just always turns the headlights on (which also means that the tail lights are on as well). That would be annoying.

Actually come to think of it, even the Gen 2 TSX's I've seen here in Canada never have the tail lights on except at night or when braking. There must be a difference in the DRL / headlight wiring between US and Canadian wiring.

SG81

iTrader: (1)

curls is right. no rear light is on when your DRL's are on

PhiDelt

I have been corrected, haha i had to go look to make sure.

DLTSX6MT

But the effectiveness of the high beams get degraded:

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/the...unning-lights/


And I can't count how many times I've seen cars driving around with zero illumination from the back or sides because they think their headlights are on thanks to the DRLs and the always-on dashboards of today's cars.

Aman

When I'm driving with DRLs at night I don't notice any light pattern on the road, which reminds me to turn on my low-beams. I've never had a visibility problem with people leaving their DRLs on at night there's a reason YOU have headlights as well.

And I think Volvo equips all its cars (at least in Canada) with always on headlights instead of DRLs. I always see Volvos with their taillights on.

JeffS

SoCaliTrojan, your experience was almost identical to mine except I hated the new gauges. They look cheap and are harder to read. I also hated the height of the hood, it really impairs your forward view and at work completely blocks the 2' high walls in the narrow parking garage to the point I could very easily see myself running into them whereas the 1G has very good forward vision.

To me they turned the TSX into a FWD 4 cylinder IS250 clone.

psteng19

I also do not like the half needles on the gauge.

Lexusconvert?

I have an 06 sixspeed and really want the new model. Try driving the 6speed the clutch and shifting is much better.

Nogard13

I drove the 2nd Gen today while I waited for my car to be serviced. Here are my thoughts:

1. I drove the V6 w/o navi. It's weird to see the big screen and it not have any color to it (I drive an 07 navi so I'm used to it being in color).

2. The power in the V6 is very, very nice. It really gets up and goes. There was no noticeable torque steer, either.

3. I like the new steering wheel much better. It is smaller and thicker than the 1G and feels lighter at lower speeds (but just as precise at all speeds).

4. I like the all-Auto windows in the front. I wish it were for all four windows but I'll take the front two for now.

5. The seats in the new car feel bigger but they feel like they bolster better. I thought they were more comfortable than those in the 1G.

6. The shifter is soooooooo much better. I like the shifter to go straight back instead of the gated shifter in my 1G. I also like the steering wheel paddles better than shifting with the auto shifter.

7. I like the gauges on the 1G better.

8. The doors lock and unlock when you shift in/out of park. I hate when my doors lock and then I cannot open the door by just pulling the handle. At least these would open as soon as you put it in Park.