Ron Parr

Sometimes I like to write down my thoughts as a way of organizing them. I don' t think there will be many surprises here for current TSX owners, but I think it's a good summary of how the TSX fits in with competing products:

http://bellman.cs.duke.edu/~parr/tsx.html

Yui

Nice nice =) Not to nitpick or flame but there were a few things I noticed in your commentary that may help you enjoy your car better.

There is a little protrusion on your fuel cap and a little hook on your fuel door that allows you to hang the fuel cap after you've removed it. This addresses your concern about getting gasoline on the paint.

The heat seaters do turn off automatically when set to high. They will reach a maximal temperature and not go any higher. When set to low, they are continuously on. This is according to the manual.

Regarding the octane recommended by the manufacturer and required for optimum usage: People have posted getting better mileage with premium. So your impression that you're saving money by going with 87 octane is going to be balanced by having to go refuel more often. Furthermore, I don't know what effect consistent knocking is going to have on the engine's life. If you're still keen on using 87 or 89, definitely post your gas milage results.

And the reason the Accord gets by with regular whereas the TSX needs premium is the difference in compression ratios on the car. The TSX engine is actually very impressive, and has very high piston speeds that approach F1 territory.

As for the auto-up and auto-down on all the windows, I definitely agree it'd be nice to have it for all 4 windows, so I am going to look into doing this mod - not just for the driver but all doors =P

I'm surprised you didn't comment on the HIDs, which are one of the best in class, or comment on exterior styling. Otherwise, very well written review. Happy posting!

Ron Parr

Thanks very much for your detailed reading of the review and comments:

Thanks - I'll try that. I didn't notice how to clip it on before, but I'll give it another try.

I was commenting on the fact that the seat heaters stay on in low. This persists even if you turn the car off and restart it. When I walk out to the parking lot at work in th evening, I'm likely to want the seat heater on, but in the morning when the car has been garaged, I don't need it and I find that I've accidentally left on the heater when I'm underway and I smell bacon cooking. (Just kidding about the bacon, of course.)

It's also a problem with guests who have different experience or expectations. I find that they tend to leave the seat heaters on.

It is useful to be able to use a lower octane fuel in emergencies and not worry about engine damage.

I never suggested that one could save money by using a lower octane fuel than recommended by the manufacturer. I did say, that one would save money with the Accord V6, which only requires regular fuel.

Using a higher octane fuel than recommended by the manufacturer is unlikely to improve fuel economy, so there would be no point in trying high octane fuel on the Accord V6.

Thanks again for the comments. Regarding, the HIDs, I have a mental list of little things I love about the car, but forgot to add this to the review. The HID lamps are one such thing, but only in a strange way: I love the way they turn on when they're cold - the half second or so delay, followed by a burst of light, which is then followed by a ramp up to full brightness. I love to watch it when I first start my car. In driving, I can't say that appreciate them any more than regular halogens.

Perhaps I am fortunate to have extremely good night vision and find that I rarely struggle to see things when driving at night. When my Dad switched to a vehicle with HID headlights, he said that he noticed a big difference in what he could see at night.

Other little things I love about the car:

- The gentle lock confirmation beep (instead of a horn honk)
- The radio controls on the steering column
- The auto dimming rear view mirror that isn't too aggressive about dimming, so you can still recognize Crown Victoria (police interceptor) grills
- The feel of the steering wheel
- The decent cupholders (owners of early Passats will know what I'm talking about here)
- The large glovebox and concealed storage bin in the center console
- The way the navigation system changes colors at night
- The way the navigation system has a split screen for exit ramps

mg7726

you didn't mention the 60/40 fold down seats. i hate ski racks, and this feature makes home depot and costco shopping more pleasing.

you can also reduce road noise by switching out the oem tires.

btw, welcome aboard.

bradykp

funny, i thought the glove box was small.

Yui

Oh, I see. Sorry, I didn't read carefully enough into your commentary on the octane requirements. Most people bring it up wondering if they can get away with using 87 or 89 on the TSX. You'd definitely save money with the Accord's low fuel consumption and use of regular gas.

I agree with you on the HIDs - my night vision is already pretty good, plus the streets I drive on are well lit at night. But when I'm travelling long distance or out in the countryside where there's no street lighting, I appreciate them so much more =)

The lock confirmation used to be a horn on the 04s. I hated it. My friends commented that they always knew when I'd arrived cause of the blaring lock confirmation. Sheesh. I definitely like the improvement =)

ktomich

Coming from a 4th gen '96 Prelude, where the "glove box" could hold no more than the car manual and registration slip, the TSX box is ginormous! But, yes, I've seen bigger.

TSXinTN

"There is no way to display the temperature and regular odometer (not trip odometer) simultaneously."

Really? I have an '04 and the display shows: outside temp, trip odometer and regular odometer - all at once.


Thanks for your review. It confirmed my reasons for buying a TSX while accrediting my interest in a 3 series.

Tintin

When locking the door in the 05 it honks too...
no?!

Didnt they just change it for the 06, so that when you lock, you get that very quiet sound ?!

weezer80

Thanks for such a comprehensive review! Granted - no one can ever touch on every niche, coolness, uncoolness about the car - nonetheless, I still enjoyed a full reading of your article.

It only reaffirmed my decision to purchase the 2006! I think I can live with a lot of the ongoing complaints about the vehicle. Nothing is perfect, but I think the TSX is a true compromise between luxury and performance at $30k.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to drive a 3-series like everyone else on the block. I like the passive-aggressive styling of the new TSX, with an underbody/wing package of course. I know the 3-series are great cars, but it was never about how much umph I get. The I4 is just fine by me (though the TL's V6 was impressive, it just didn't quite cut it when compared to the agility of the TSX).

Anyway, all in all, I can't wait to get my PWP 6MT Navi! I pick it up next weekend!

TSXinTN

I assume that you all know that you can turn the honk off, right??? I have my '04 set to blink the lights on lock.

Yui

I did not know that =P

psteng19

I had the same problem finding 6th gear in my brief test drive.

Ron Parr

Thanks very much for your comments.

Everybody else on the block? Hmmm... You must live in a nicer neighborhood than I do.

Ron Parr

Forgot to add: Best of luck with the new TSX. I'm sure you'll love it!

themayor

nope. the '05 also has the quiet beep for confirmation.

fuckleberry

care to share ?

jpt

I actually have the same problem with the bmw. Here (Tysons Corner area, VA) a good two thirds of the car on the road are high-cachet makes (MB, Bimmer, Lexus, Audi, Porsche) -- the 325 is especially common because of its relatively low price. To quote Jeremy Clarkson "when you buy a 3 series, you are telling the world you have no imagination" The TSX is a very rare car around here due, I presume, to its lack of snob value. I can't deny that makes it even more attractive to me

I'm going to test drive mine next week, and you've inspired me to do a similar comparo with some different cars. I'm going to be driving a TDI Jetta as well (the reliability concerns do worry me, but I do a lot of longish-distance drives from DC to western NY and the prospect of a 700+ mile range is super enticing). Haven't decided what else I'm going to drive yet, perhaps a G35, but the price difference is going to mean it'll have to be a stripper model.

bradykp

maybe they're a lot of 3 series on the road, but it's still a sweet car either way. m3 makes you a bit more unique!

Katz

Hi Ron,

Liked your review very very much.

My boyfriend is seriously considering the TL. I should refer him to your review page about your opinion on the torque steer. He likes to bimmer too.

Where did you test drive the cars? Did the car dealers allow you to take the car to a special drive lot? Seems like you got a lot of time to do your testing.

When I test drove the TSX, I had to use the regular highway, where traffic limits are set. (You know what I mean)

Nicely written review!

Thanks

Lisa

Acura TSX w/ navi 2005

weezer80

Haha, well, not literally on my block where I live , but I am in the Palo Alto bay area in California, so yes, there tend to be a lot of 3-series, Lexus, and Benz rolling around. I truly like the uniqueness of the TSX with its many luxurious amenities... now that I have made the decision to buy this car, I am always on the lookout... and even then, not too many around here! Yukit should know what I am talking about. Plus I am a Honda/Acura fan for life (well, strong possibility... at least will always love their cars).

Thanks, Ron!! I know I will enjoy the car - of course you will too...

Ron Parr

Thanks for you comments, Lisa. I live in North Carolina in the Chapel Hill area, so I did my test drives at Performance Acura/Performance BMW of Chapel Hill and Crown Honda. All were very nice about letting me drive their cars as much as I wanted. I say, "nice," but it's really just smart business.

I'd say I probably did about 8 test drives of the TSX before I made my final decision. I drove most of the cars I tried on I-40 and some back roads around Chapel Hill. The local Honda dealer liked to come with me on test drives, something I didn't like very much. The Acura dealer just gave me the keys, which was really the best way to sell the car.

Ellas9

Nicely written review.

I just wanted to point out that you can rest the fuel cap against a small hanger type system. And personally, I like the leather quality better on the TSX than on the TL or Accord V6 (non-perforated versions). I find it smoother and of better material. Also, against the TL, I find the seats in the TSX far more supportive in the front.

Savio

Nice writeup...




Go Wolfpack

bradykp

I certainly agree about TSX leather vs Accord leather.

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