So the TSX seems to have a high wiastline (and shorter windows). I always noticed it..but never really looked at it specifically untill today. I did this because a friend was complaining about the window ledge being too high for him to comfortably rest his arm out the window. Now maybe its a trend in newere cars..i dont know..but my old car was not this high.

Anyways...I think the high waistline and short windows look pretty cool. I also dont mind the high ledge cuz i am tall and have no problem putting my arm out the window comfortably. But I am wondering if there is any particular reason ... other that asthetic for making the doors taller and the windows shorter. My first though is side impact saftey. With all these SUVs on the road having a higher door would help with a side crash. Maybe there is a nice thick bar at the top of the door or something..i dont know. Does anyone know?

 

The first thing I thought was safety. The back end of passenger vehicles are getting higher; look at the Ford Focus. When I drive it, I can barely see out the back when I turn my head.

 

It's to let you achieve that cool driving look without actually have to fully recline the seat to make your head disappear.

Whatdya think?

 

The waistline is definitely high. The glass-to-metal ratio is a lot lower on the TSX than our '93 Accord, which has a relatively low waistline. This has a big impact on visibility, especially when backing up.

As for your friend not being able to rest his arm on the windowsill, has he maxxed out the seat height adjustments? It goes up pretty high. (Or was he a passenger?)

 

He was a passenger. I did mention to him that I could raise my seat (although I have it slammed as low as it can go).

I guess other than ripping apart the door there is no way to know for sure if there is any kind of re-enforcement or thick bar just under the windows. I am alot more concerned with side impact over front and I know Acura was aiming for a 4 star side impact rating.

 

You bring up some interesting issues that I have pondered. It's one of my few criticisms of the TSX.

- Is the high belt line for styling's sake at the expense of ergonomics, both physical and visual?

My old Accord has excellent visibility all around. I cannot say the same for the TSX.

This is related to the oversized slab side panels. If there's a car out there that shares similar styling as the TSX, it's the Ford Focus 4 door sedan, although the Ford is a smaller car.

In styling and ergonomics, I would vote for a middle ground:

- Lower the belt line a bit and enlarge the windows a bit.

 

Agreed. But...if there is a saftey advantage ... would you want to keep the high waistline?

It would make sense with so many suvs on the road now that this would be neccesary.

 

people complain how they feel so short/small in my car.. i guess this is the answer

 

This has no intellectual fact, but I think it has to do with aerodynamics. This is just my gut feeling based on looks alone. So who knows

 

Interesting thread, I have also noticed the high waistline but find it very a very cool look. It does make the car look a little stubby if you have the OEM skirt kit IMHO.
I have absolutely no problem with the view out of the TSX. But that might be cuz I am 6'2".

 

Not only is the beltline high, the dash and rear deck are high too. It seems that Honda makes them higher each generation. The best visibility were cars like the early '90s like the integras, civic, preludes, etc. Could it be high because of better structure rigidity? I missed those go-cart feel of those old Hondas

 

Do you really know that it's for safety sake? It would be nice to read something from Acura (or independent analysis) that confirmed that the high waistline is safer.

Maybe smaller windows means smaller airbags = cost savings or improved safety? ??? Dunno.

 

When sitting in the TSX, the top of the dash does seem to be so distant, giving me a disconnected feeling from my surroundings. That bothers me more than the high waisline (and I'm 6'+, so that may explain that).

From the outside, the high waistline makes the car look thick or tall in the sheetmetal, making it seem somehow bigger than it really is.

 

Tell your firend to keep his dirty arms off the car. I agree it is high and the lock is also sticking up in the way.

 

I read a Honda factbook (all the dealerships get them) on the Civic when the 7th generation came out. It specifically stated that the Civic had a different "look" (less glass area and higher rear) to achieve a 5 star-safety rating.

Since the TSX is basically a European car where safety is a high priority, it makes sense to me. Steel/aluminum has far more rigidity in a crash than glass. Its unfortunate, but those earlier Hondas (3rd and 4th generation Accords, Integras and Preludes) were altered because of trucks and increasing safety requirements. The CRX especially lost out.

Take a Ford F-150, check out its bumper height, then compare that to the side of an older Honda and you'll see how its a problem.

 

I like the high beltline. It makes the car look more agressive. If they lowered the back end of the beltline, it would look like the previous generation Camry. As for your friend, get him a booster seat

 

I think it's safety AND aesthetics.

I read in Car & Driver a while back that beltlines were creeping up because it made female drivers FEEL safer. Makes sense. I also think cars are just getting taller inside and out.

Higher rooflines, higher beltlines, higher dashes. Have you SEEN the new Toyota Corolla? It's a skyscraper compared to older models.

 

it's for the .26 drag coeff, to get better mileage. or for safety.

 

A lot of manufacturers are raising the belt line and making shorter windows. The TSX happens to be one of the first to make it production. The chopped look is coming back. I like it. I wish I could drop the car a couple of inches to really make it look right.