A little background on why I decided to go from TSX to Outlander. When I and my wife were shopping for a car last year I wanted something not too flashy but luxury and not pay much while my wife was against this criteria. TSX met my criteria and somehow I convinced her that this is the car we needed. 2 month later we got Mazda6 (it was a donation) and it was our daily car, so after about 11 month TSX had slightly over 6k miles. Living in the Northwest does not require you to have AWD car, but there were so many occasions I wish we did. Finally, I couldn't stand this situation any longer and started my research. Last Monday I pulled out comparison charts of all Compact SUVs and compared them all. After narrowing it down to 2 of them: Rav4 & Outlander all we had to do is just do a test drive. Both of us liked Rav4 at first, but it was expensive with the features we wanted, didn't offer such a great warranty and it was a car that all our neighbors owned. Then we went to test drive an Outlander, it was love from the first drive... so now my comparison


Features that I miss in TSX:

Navigation is more intuitive and easier to use on TSX, while in Outlander navi is full of features, but not as refined)
Homelink mirror, garage opener (not an option on outlander)
Bright HIDs (Outlander also has HIDs, but they seem slightly less brighter, maybe I am just imaginging things)
Beautiful dashboard (Outlander it is not far out, it also has Mid display)
luxury feel

Features that I love in Outlander:

4x4 mode of course (I keep it at 4x2 for city driving and saving on gas)
Love, love the styling. (especially the shape of rear lights )
Shift pedals on the wheel (like in Audi A3)
It's a CUV, but it handles and drives almost like a sedan
hidden 3rd row seats which is useful only for children
650 watt stereo (amazing sound)
DVD playback (don't think I would use that much, but nice to have)
Composite input for video/audio
9 cup holders!
FAST key (no need to use key for entering and starting the car)
gas mileage (almost identical gas mileage during break-in period as TSX, it should improve over time like with TSX)
5 year warranty (bumper to bumper)
Not that I care, but I noticed that it's a head turner car. It gets a lot of attention from people passing by (with TSX I was getting negative attention, usually someone flipping me off for no reason).

Some people seem to be thinking that Mitsu doesn't hold value very well and after losing about 7k in less then 10 month with TSX I am not going to upgrade cars for at least 5 years, so it's irrelavant.


Anyway, dispite some small drawbacks Outlander is the best CUV money can buy.

 

you should of got an evolander i dont think thoes are in production but i saw one at the car show last year and it looked so sweet....evo in suv form so sick....

 

since it what you wanted-good luck- I love my tsx. not into automatic paddle shifter or not,no need for 4 W.D. or awd in NC., was not impressed with the fast key (nissan altima has it) what mpg are you getting. no drinking or eating allowed in my car so not need for cup holders.

 

at the moment I have 200 miles on it and mid shows 20 mpg average, which is what I had when I bought TSX. At the time of sale my TSX was showing something like 25 mpg, so we'll see what mpg will be after the break in period

 

Good luck with the new ride.

 

Just an update:

I was concerned that i will miss TSX, but too my surprise I really don't. I miss some of the features I had to give up (mentioned above), but I can live without them. Handling in Outlander is enough for my style of driving and feels sporty enough. The biggest thing that I noticed is going from 4 cyl car to v6. Outlander engine is very smooth and quiet and has plenty of torque. TSX always felt kinda weak with its 4 cyl and low torque, but no more of that. (both Auto, I suppose 6 speed manual would make a little difference)

Also, my friend who was always obsessed about my TSX made a comment about interior of Outlander when he first saw it: "It reminds me of TSX" While most of you will disagree on that, I have to admit it does have some similarities.

In any case, when we are ready to replace our 2nd car I hope Acura will update TSX for 2009 model and address some of its current weaknesses, otherwise I think it will be new Mazda6 with v6.

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-mazda6-2

 

Woah, OK, Issue #1 , nobody gets a lot of attention passing buy on account of their car. Issue #2, nobody gets negative attention on account of their car. Nobody gets flipped off on account of any car. People do get flipped off on account of their driving, quite frequently even.

 

is the 220hp V6 enough for this cuv?

any rattles like the TSX? both the outlander and tsx are made in japan.

 

I like the Outlander but I'm not an SUV kind of guy. As for your second car, the new Mazda 6 looks HOT! I'm not really feeling the tail lights as much, but the rest of the car is just blazin! I especially like the headlights, fog lights, and the character line on the side (the rims are just OK, but, then again, they're stock rims).

The 6 definitely looks better than the Camry or Accord (the 07 AND the 08). Now, if Mazda would just use their own engines instead of a damn Ford 3.5 V6, we'd be in business.

Oh, and did you notice it has proximity sensors (the ones that beep) on the front and the rear? Nice.

 

I get flashed a lot by oncoming cars in my TSX. Headlight aim is correct, mainly old people that don't understand that HIDs and fogs aren't brights. I just flash back with HIDs, brights, and fogs all at the same time. Take that!

 

That happens to me on occasion, too. I do the same thing, just so they see that I'm not driving with my brights on.

The only place here in DC that I actually need to use my brights is on the GW Parkway at night (no lights, driving through tons of trees). I do it, mostly, to be able to see the deer.

 

I may be switching over from my TSX to an SUV aswell (within the month). It's not because we will be having our first kid soon or because we have a large dog (11mths old, 80lbs and still growing) but because we have both and want them separated while in the car and still have room for other stuff....luggage, groceries, other people, etc.

While test driving some of the smaller suv's I find that I won't really miss the tsx as much as I thought I would. As the day to day tasks are more relevant (people and stuff hauling), I don't think I will be yearning back to the days of flying down the hw at top speeds or going through the twisties as much. (well give me a few years and I will change my mind )

 

I do that too, but the last time, in haste, I accidentally started the windshield wiper instead

I agree with this... maybe there's another TSX the same color as his in his neighborhood/town driven by a complete ass? Donno.

I've definitely deserved the bird every now and then, but try to refrain from giving it to other people. Nobody's ever given me the bird in the TSX...

 

OMG, that reminds me, I was driving through Montana late at night and some car I was approaching from behind quickly got behind me and tail gated me just as I passed him and flashed his high beams and stuck with me for moment then pulled along beside me, although I couldn't see if he was making gestures or screaming with himself because it was too dark. I was a little worried because there is no "low" headlight setting and there's no way I could tell the guy "it's not a high beam" going 80 mph, so he might think I was trying to goad him by leaving the lights on, and this is The Home Of The Uni-Bomber. Anything can happen. I sped up to 110 and he didn't follow so I lived that time.

 

Have you test driven a Honda Odyssey, and if so, do you think you get a more car-like feel from the car-based minivan or the SUV with its higher center of gravity?

Of those categories I've only driven a Suburban and a Caravan. The Suburban felt like a cruise ship, as if it had fluffly cloud suspension, but the Caravan seemed to have a car feel, like they took a sedan and raised the roof a couple feet and installed realy tall chairs.

I know minivans are rather un-cool, but SUVs aren't so hot either any more.

 

The Mazda 6 looks pretty cool, but 1) it's a Mazda, and that huge emblem on the steering wheel won't let you forget it 2) we don't know much else about it and 3) the style is derivative of a Lexus ES, so if upcoming models look far removed from current styles then this car will apear old by comparison.

 

I'm not in the market for something as big as a Suburban, more like a Santa Fe or smaller. Good for 5 people and decent room in the back without needing 2 parking spots to park

 

"OUTLANDER!!!"

 

^^ I don't get it.

 

^^That's what that kid in the picture is screaming in the movie. Joe!

 

man that outlander needs a serious drop its got that 4x4 loo....oh wait...it's a habit

congrats on the purchase!

 

I am not saying that Outlander is the best car out there, but it has similarties with TSX, one of them is best bang for your buck in CUV market. (NOTE: it's not SUV, it's a CUV, which is between sedan and SUV)

I needed slightly bigger car that's AWD and has good gas mileage without being too expensive (RDX, MDX, FX all other 'X's), too common (Rav4, CRV), too Korean (Santa Fe, Kia), too bland (Outback, WRX)

I figure my transtion from TSX to Outlander might help someone who is in the same boat as I was. My coworker actually ended up buying one the following weekend after looking at mine.

FYI, Eventhough TSX is not the most luxurious car out there, but there were couple occasions when I had wrong impression on people driving by (ironically both had Accords) I don't want to go into whole discussion of how it happened, but all you have to know is that I am not a crazy driver and I don't pimp up my cars.

No rattles that I noticed yet, and I would've noticed right away because my 06 TSX was rattling like crazy!

 

So you're admitting that something happened, and the TSX itself had absolutely nothing to do with it?

 

yes, 220 bhp is plenty. (204 torque @ 4000 RPM)

btw, there is only 200 lbs weight difference between 2wd Outlander and TSX. 4wd is 400 lbs heavier, so in other words think of it as TSX weight + 3 people in the car.

http://autos.msn.com/research/compar...4178&v=t104200

 

People buy cars that best fit their style, character or need. You can sometimes tell what type of person he or she is by what type of car he or she is driving and driving style itself. Personally, I felt that TSX didn't really have a character(I realize some of you might disagree) nor I can’t really associate to one common type of people who would buy it, but it has an Acura badge and people around you would judge you based on that. So, to answer your question, yes, something did happen…

 

That's excellent. Mitsubishi should use that scene as part of an ad campaign. The Outlander is so awesome, "He who walks behind the rows" can accept the car instead of human sacrifice. What do you think?

 

It might be all Mitsu's got...

 

i may be joining the OP probably by this coming fall because the 1st gen TSX to me isn't cutting it for me that much anymore.

 

with the gas prices skyrocketing, i just don't understand why people need to trade their decent gas milage TSX for an SUV. I bet next year we could see 5 bucks a gallon maybe more. Some people just doesn't think what's practical and what's not practical. I could see people trading in their TSX for a Honda Fit or something that gets 40+ mpg car, but a gas guzzler?

 

The increase in gas price is so sudden that there are a lot of people with SUVs who don't or aren't going to want them much longer because they had bought them under cheap gas conditions, so their values are going to be driven down until the over supply is gone, and that could take several years.

 

well, the Outlander gets 26-27mpg highway and 21 city, both are with just 87 octane too.

 

Saying you'll get 27mpg on the highway witha Highlander is like saying you'll get 35 mpg in the TSX, sure if the wind is working in your favor, and keep the RPMs in a sweet spot anything is possible.

 

you mean outlander. yeah, btw never have gotten 35 mpg on the TSX ever, most i've gotten is 34 mpg all highway at 70mph

 

Mitsu's reliability is poor. You downgraded

 

i haven't pulled any trigger yet, but the original person who started this thread pulled the trigger last year

 

My worries my be unfounded but I'm hesitant to get an Odyssey because it's one of the less fuel efficient minivans on the market, and I'm concerned that families that live paycheck to paycheck with minvans who suddenly can't afford the gas are going to drop them like hot potatoes and cause their values to crash while I'm holding one.

Also, not to hate on SUVs, but you should read this fascinating article on the SUV and the psychology fo the SUV buyer: http://www.gladwell.com/2004/2004_01_12_a_suv.html , the thesis: feeling safe is more important than being safe.

 

I bought an ODY to use as a covered pickup truck. It can haul a limited number of 4x8 sheets of building materials. If I recall correctly, I have hauled some 12' lumber by placing it between the two front seats. I have used it to haul potting mix, soil conditioner, potted plants, over sized products like 21" monitors, etc. Now, my wife wants to go pickup a load of rocks -- for landscaping. It hauls nearly everything that I need to haul and is much more versatile than a pickup. By using plastic bins, trays, foam pads (kid's playroom type from Sam's), rolls of plastic, and a roll of anti-slip, I have been able to keep the interior looking new. I get 18 MPG in a small town and 25 MPG on the highway -- probably better than most pickup trucks.

 

Well I've had my Sante Fe since Sept 07 and been decently satisfied with it's performance, quality and general maintance. For me the switch from 4 banger to SUV was what I stated above, baby and dog not sharing the same space. And now that I see all the extra stuff that go along with hauling a newborn around I'm glad I have the extra room. This morning I had to take the dog to a friends for the day while having the baby with me, I had room for the baby, dog, dog crate and matress all fitting comfortably.

I'm lucky that I don't have to drive daily (maybe 3-4 times per week) so I'm not feeling the crunch of gas prices but you can see why some people will opt for the bigger vehicle despite rising fuel. I'm sure many of you get frustrated one time or another when you need to carry something that just won't fit in the TSX, for me this is now a regular occurance and I'm glad I now have the room.

I do feel bad going in for servicing on the SUV because my TSX is still on the lot looking at me all sad. In the most optimal circumstances I would have both a nice car for fun and a good SUV for entire family hauling but I don't have the room for 2 and the wife doesn't drive enough to warrent 2 cars so the best option is to go with what suits my needs the majority of the time.

 

Sorry meant to quote VegaTSX:

 

We had alot of luck with a 1983 Mitsubishi 4WD Turbo-diesel truck we owned. I loved that truck, bought new. Owned it almost 5 years and sold it with over 100,000 trouble free miles. We now have 07 Mitsu Raider V-6 truck, very basic-crankwindows but with a/c and 6MT. It is a great hauler truck. the raider truck is the same thing as a dodge dakota but with a longer warranty