cardiackid

Hey all,

I'm proud to be a brand new member of this forum, and even prouder to be a owner of a new SS/Ebony/Manual/No Navi TSX that I picked up yesterday.

Since I got my car, I've been impressed with thousands of things, but the one that strikes me the most is how flat-out gorgeous it is. Now that I've been able to really look at it closely, I'm just blown away with all the beautiful styling subtleties - the dual exhaust, the "crease" below the beltline, the chrome around the windows, the high, sculpted rear end, etc... It's made me think back to all the reviews I read that called the car bland or said it "wasn't a head turner". Maybe it's bland if you've just looked at a Lamborghini, but not compared to the other 99% of cars on the road. I don't even think pictures do this car justice. Was anyone else pleasantly surprised by this? Or is this just a sign of my unhealthy obsession for my new TSX?

Lorne Miller

...most definitely in agreement with you, I liked the TSX from the first moment I laid eyes on it, I heard last year from the guys at my dealership that Honda was working on putting something together to bring the European spec Accord to North Am as an Acura, at that time no name was being mentioned, but I went to the European Honda site to find out what their Accord looked like and was hooked from that moment on. Personally, I find it to be one of the best looking cars being built today, the North Am Accord looks very pale in comparison, when I saw one of those for the first time, I was actually very surprised that Honda could design something so, so, words escape me...so...plain looking, so...buicky, pontiacy, chevy like...
...as for the TSX, it is definitely going to be a trend setter for some time to come, IMHO.

Lorne Miller

larchmont

I agree, too, and originally I was surprised that a lot of people were saying "bland" and similar things. But, someone on our board (actually "the old site") asked whether we really thought we'd be able to pick out the TSX in a crowd. I've seen that he has a point -- many times, when returning to my car I've walked right past it, or gone to a different car -- which I think lends some support to the "bland" comment.

Not exactly, of course. Those things happen only when I'm lost in thought somewhere. But still.....

But also I still think the car is gorgeous.

finalheaven

Actually i believe the TSX is very "bland". It is hard to pick out and i mistake it sometimes for another cars from a distance like larchmont saids. But up close it gets much better. However still the TSX seems to have taken its look from the accord and civic. Those are very common and hence makes it more bland as well.

All things aside though, other then the looks being bland imo, everything else about the car seems great. Which is why i guess i decided to get the TSX.

LeMasseHammer

When I saw the first picture of a TSX back in Dec (?), I thought it was bland, although I liked the sound of the features/performance etc. But in my experience, it's often the case that looks can grow on you (just like new music), and in my case the TSX has grown on me quite a bit since I bought it. I wouldn't call it the best looking sedan out there, and one could nitpick about certain angles/features, but for me I swell with pride when I look at it, and I have noticed some very nice subtleties that are just gorgeous (inside and out, front, back and side). Once the new TL comes out, I think the TSX will get more respect in terms of looks, because this is the new direction in Acura styling.

fjtorres

Bland is in the eye of the beholder.
But do keep in mind that in cars, the opposite of bland is often *gimmicky*.
And gimmick cars tend to wear out their welcome quite quickly.

From where I sit, the TSX has clean contemporary looks and I'd be willing to bet (in a way, I *am* betting) that five years from now the TSX will still look like a contemporary Acura sedan, while some of the "exciting" cars out there today are going to look very dated.

Ultimately the only opinion that matters on looks is yours: is the TSX a car you can live with for however-many years you intend to keep it? If the answer is yes, then you really have nothing to worry about...

rzee

Usually I tell people bland is in the eyes of the beer holder, but for TSX, you have to be a vodka holder to say that it's bland!

bowersan

What is being mistaken for bland should be instead interpreted as ununique. The styling characteristics of the TSX are not shocking, not dramatic, not new... look at the Civic coupe, many of the lines of the TSX are drawn straight from it. As well, look at the Mazda 6. Almost identical front facia. Ontop of that, look at the TL, very little differentiation on the front portions of both cars. As for the rear of the TSX, pull up next to a 4 door integra. They are almost identical.

This is not a Cadillac CTS in terms of design(Awesome looking car, IMO). This is a Honda Accord, no matter how you look at it.

Not that im complaining.. it is what it is.

J.

Lorne Miller

...I agree with what fjtorres says, I think that some of the current crop of "in your face styled" cars will turn out to be very faddish and look quite dated in a few years. I look at some of the cars on the road now that are 20 years old or more and some of them look sooo old and dated, while others still look good, so what is it that makes certain cars look old before their time? I think you will notice that faddish styling will always date a car quickly, while more classic lines make a car age gracefully and always look alright. The new Caddies are going to look dreadful in 5-8 years, while a 3 series Bimmer coupe will look great forever. One of the things I have always appreciated about the various Honda vehicles I've owned has been how gracefully they aged style wise. I feel the TSX will follow in those footsteps.

Lorne Miller

cardiackid

Maybe it's not dramatic or completely new, but I think it's a lot different than any Civic or Accord. Up close, it has a much more aggressive stance because of the dual exhaust, thick tires, and high belt line. It's more that way than any Honda product I've seen except some of the old Integra-R's, the S2000, and NSX. And a hundred miles ahead the best looking Civic or Accord IMO.

I like the contrast made to "gimmicky" cars. I was fairly serious about the Mazda 6 at some point, but felt like it was at least trendy and at most gimmicky (at least with all the spoilers and such) and would probably not look very sharp in a few years. The Acura's charms are subtle (which is why I think they're so hard to capture in photos), and should wear much better than most cars out there.

I dunno. I just think it's a fantastic looking car. But like I said before, I may not be all that objective.

larchmont

I thought the cardiac kids were in Detroit....
(You probably don't know what I'm talking about -- football reference maybe from before your time?)

Almost off the subject, but wanted to say how great it is that we're getting new people who are contributing right off the bat like veterans. Neat that y'all discovered us. Don't know if you're aware of it, but this site (as currently constituted) is pretty new. However you found us, we're thrilled you're here.

About not being objective, well, you're not supposed to be objective!
Actually, considering that the people on this board obviously tend to be TSX fanatics, I think it's remarkable how (relatively) objective the material is -- at least, most of it. And where the TSX falls short, we don't hesitate to lay it right out.

fjtorres

Actually, the 80's Brian Sipe Cardiac Kids were Cleveland Browns.
Before Modell carpetbagged them out of town.

Not that I cared; I'm a baseball Fan...

larchmont

Yeah, it's already an established fact that most of what I say on here is wrong.

My bad, thanks for the CORRECT factoid, fjt.

What I was thinking of (not that it matters) was -- that year the Super Bowl was at the Lions' stadium, and I was hoping all year that the Browns would make it there -- so that, a la "the Thrilla in Manila" and "the rumble in the jungle," we could call it "The Cardiac in Pontiac."

blahsome

The TSX looks really cool up close. I can see the argument that it looks "bland" from a distance.

However, being really distinct does not equal coolness. Nissan looks have been really distinctive lately, but I like none of their stylings.

The TSX, on the other hand, is a "passionate conservative" that looks really sporty and classy.

Just my $.02.

cardiackid

I'm a baseball fan as well. And wasn't there an old Phillies team that was called the Cardiac Kids too? I could swear there was.

Brad

Ah, well put! Classic clean lines are what have been missing from the US Accords from the '94 through--and especially--the '03 models. Those cars will age poorly style-wise. Sometimes classic and clean lines may indeed be boring or bland to some, but they age better style-wise.

One of the extreme cases of very simple, bland, and boring styling are the Volvos--two boxes on wheels. But a decade or two later they don't look any more or less simple, bland, and boring than when new. Their styling blandness has aged OK at least. They are neither funny-odd nor exciting to look at.

The other extreme are the new Cadillacs. They look like a 5-year-old child was told to draw a car using only a straight-edge ruler. Now it's up to Cadillac marketeering to convince would-be buyers that there's something elegant or "scientific" about haphard convoluted styling.

What attracts me to the TSX--among other things--are its trimmer and cleaner styling. Why Honda felt that the North Amercan market needed bloated and oddly angled styling for their US Accords is beyond me! Maybe the pressure to make something resemble a mid-size car got to them? Or perhaps someone thinks that excercises in sqwat (sp?) bulgy styling that started with the '94 models is the way to go? Has the emporer forgot his clothes? That's a resounding YES!

When you look at at most BMW car series over the years, you know it's a BMW, with the exception of the old bubble car. (Who would have guessed?) When you look at Accords over the years, you see a true hodge podge--a loss in direction and a loss of identity: some have trim, clean, balanced styling, and some are void of any trim, clean, or balanced styling--as excellent as they may be under the skin.

Were it not for the introduction of the TSX, Honda would have totally lost me as a long-time customer. With the intro of the '03 Accord models, I felt sort of betrayed, and that Honda lost its soul. I've been driving Hondas for 20 years.

fjtorres

And, I suspect that if they had made it that far, somebody would've used that phrase.
But, Cleveland teams being Cleveland teams, they found a way to let Elway beat them.

Mostly I was surprised somebody in NY would even know, much less care, about a franchise located to the west of the Hudson. >;-)

larchmont

Let me take a swing at this one: I think you mean the Whiz Kids -- 1950 NL champs.

Yeah, FJT -- some of us around NY actually do almost have our heads on straight!

fjtorres

Is nothing sacred anymore?
Is there nothing left we can depend on?
What next?
Friendly frenchmen? Surely not! ;-)

And yes, the Robin Roberts Phillies were called the Whiz Kids.
Not much in the way of team nicknames these days, unfortunately...

I always thought of the 95 Indians as something of a gauntlet...

larchmont

Hey, FJT -- Can you explain this?
(Better do it real fast, before they make us get back on topic.)

fjtorres

A gauntlet for the pitchers; a bunch of guys with big sticks that pummeled you until you either collapsed or came out bloody but victorious at the other end. :-)
Any team where Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome batted 7 and 8 had a lot of big sticks, no?
(I just hope the current crop develops one or two bats to help out their pitchers cause for the first time in ages, the team can finally pitch...)

As for staying on topic, well, I could point out how a lot of the more recent Nissans (Maxima, Murano) are perfect examples of gimmicky looks and while they seem to be gathering some praise now, I suspect folks will soon realize they look a lot like a Citroen and a Gremlin, respectively...

cardiackid

Tell me the Maxima hasn't received praise for its styling. Please.

Brad

Well, you know the old saying, "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

Just look at the similar Altima. Then look at who coincidentally mimicked elements of its overall style: the US domestic Accord.

Then, take the Altima, apply "appendage styling", and voila! A new Maxima. The Maxima's tacked on grill center is gross! It's worse than the '03 US Accord's buck-tooth "H".

My deepest sympathies go to Maxima fans!

cardiackid

Gross is a good word for the Maxima grill, as is "sickening" and "atrocious". Seriously, I was excited for the new Maxima design. I would've considered one, even at that price, if the thing hadn't been so awful looking. Talk about bloated. Has anyone heard how they're selling? I don't seem to see any of them on the road.

finalheaven

I've seen 4 maximas the new ones with the middle grill. Well im guessing that's because i live in LA though. The more i look at it however the more it gets better. Other then the front...which i still think its ugly everything else about the car seems much better now that ive seen it a couple of times.

larchmont

Nissan totally blew it, IMHO. They had sort of a nice little niche with the Altima, which they could have built on; but they abandoned it, which isn't hurting the TSX any. And if that wasn't bad enough, the way the Altima was re-designed, it's sort of flip-flopped with the Maxima -- not exactly, of course, but sort of -- so now nobody really knows how Nissan's line is positioned. And neither car is too great either.

What were they thinking?????????????

fjtorres

Sorry!

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=1

"A sharper, stronger new Maxima to please the faithful."

"As we've come to expect with virtually every new car these days, torsional stiffness is claimed to be much greater than in the previous model—40 percent in this case. But even greater than that, perhaps, is the improvement to the Maxima's styling."

As for the Murano:

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=1

"Imagine Shania Twain traveling with a troupe of middle-aged matrons, and you'll have a good idea of how the Murano stood out in this group, particularly in the Michigan hinterlands. The Nissan was the sexy siren. The others were essentially invisible. "

Methinks I'll stick with bland...

DEVO

I have to say that the 2 dr coupe Honda Accord (U.S) EX V6 looks sharp. I finally saw one the other day and thought they did a great job with the rear. I sort of like the rear of the coupe accord better then the TSX.

jaunie

i still think that 4th gen accords (1990-93) are great looking.
i agree that the 5th gen accord designs lost the classic lines of its predecessor. the 6th gen accords were an improvement. but what happened to the 7th? i think the jap/euro accords/ acura tsx seems to be reclaiming some of that design "heritage."

Brad

The Accord coupes from the 3rd and 4th generations have among the cleanest lines. The 3rd gen coupes (available in 88 and 89 model years) had a distinctive wedge shape with flip up headlights. The 4th gen Accord coupes (90-93) maintained a crisp simplicity in their form--not too boxy and not too curvy bloated.

I agree about the 5th gen series. The side rear panels reminded me of an inverted bath tub. The rear light clusters looked incomplete in the 94 model year, but then Honda refinished them, I believe in either 95 or 96--an improvement, but it didn't help that series' scrunched bath tub rear or the flat squat front end. It's as if two teams designed the front and rear and someone had the thankless task of fusing the two together.

The 6th gen series brought some relief, but I disliked the massive "let me cry, I'm plastic and proud" rear light clusters of the sedan. The diagonals were already passe. Nevertheless, I thought Honda was starting to get back on to the right track UNTIL the bloated monsters of the '03 Accord line were introduced. What did they do? They introduced stronger triangles and diagonals.

jaunie

who doesn't love the 4th gen design....especially the low belt-line...ahh..what happened to the low belt-line?!!

was it compromised in favor of safety or aerodymanics? i'm still not certain why the belt-line started to rise. anyone?

Brad

The low belt line with the side moldings have saved my Accord from parking lot dings.

I wish the TSX had body-color side molding strips like the Accord! Someone--forgot who--bought Accord side-moldings and fit them to his TSX. He had some milling to do. His car looks really sharp (I saved a picture of his car) since his moldings are roughly where a lower belt line would be. (I don't know how to attach a picture in the message.)

If slaves to style mandate a high belt line and no molding, then our cars will look beat up in short order due to parking lot wars. I parked next to a beautiful dark green '02 Accord EX coupe with manual shift--along the car's naked molding-free body were dings, dings, dings.

SPUDMTN

Why not just park carefully (i.e. in no-man's land)? Do the body-side moldings even work? Won't they even get beat up eventually? Seems like the only way to keep your car ding-free is to park safely, away from everyone else.

I really think that the body-side moldings look out of place on the very clean designs Honda has been coming out with lately--even if they might save a few dings to the body panels.


SPUDMTN