CaliAtenza

Trust me..chicks dig da 6 too....

fishoj

Hey guys, all I have to say is wow! So many great choices for drivers! Mazda 3/6/RX8, Subaru WRX, BMW (whatever series 3,5,7). The Acura TSX/TL/RSX, Lexus IS330, Infiniti G35 coupe/sedan, VW Passat/Jetta, Audi A4/A6 (whatever flavor, AWD,FWD,turbo,twin turbo), Saab 9.5. The list goes on. So many great cars to choose from. I believe it just boils down to what you like and what is in your price range. As far as what is the "best" drivers car, it is going to be very subjective and the discussions will go on forever. All I know is it is a good time to be a car enthusiast!

Silver TSX, 5MT Nonav owner

robert_tsxgeek

A-men to that !
IMO, overall exterior-wise TSX is a much more head-turner...
interior-wise I like TSX's sophisticated, subtle, simplistic look......
WTF with all those knobs & fake metallic in the Mazda6 ?


M6, unlike TSX, is like 90% American....nuff said for me.
:ghey:

robert_tsxgeek

...and Mazda website gives me a frigging headache...
all those cheapish Flash stuff swirling around..someone let
the graphic arts junkie go nuts....

CaliAtenza

Come on..its not bad if its American....its very reliable..already it was rated as high or higher than the Camry or Accord in initial quality. Iono, i still think somehow the 6 is a bit more of a headturner than the TSX..but when both of them are equiped with the factory body kit..its preety close. I like the interior of the 6...and i like the plastic and metallic accents.., i wouldn't have chose it if i didn't. Don't get me wrong, i like the TSX too..but it wasnt out when i was buying and it was a bit over my budget limit ($26000)...plus i wanted the extra oomph of the V6 and with the injen CAI that i have now..it zooms fo sho!!. All in all, bassically, its a dead heat between the two cars.....its all up to your personal preferences.

jcg878

I agree. These are both excellent cars. IMO the 6 is slightly better looking and slightly better handling, but with a less refined engine, accelerator lag (v6 auto), and a less luxurious interior. For me, that last point was a big deal and it's what sold me on the TSX over a lot of other cars. But I won't take anything away from the 6 - it's an awesome car. I still troll over at the 6 forums from time to time (though there's some TSX haters there, it's to be expected).

Najeroni

Oh man all this Is300 talk is making me rethink my decision to get a TSX...

Najeroni

I take that back lexus is to much

TSX 'R' US

I thought I was the only one that noticed the accel lag in the v6 auto... That was what drove me towards the TSX... I love the exterior styling of the Mazda 6...very sexy..kinda like a rounded TSX.. I drove a 6i and a 6s on the same day and it seemed like the 4cyl had less accel lag time than the v6. Ah well... Mazda 6 hatch

heyitsme

I have to agree, the 6 is more of a headturner. The tsx is clean but it has no lines, which lends to being conservative. Right now I think the new subaru is the car to drive against the tsx.

ange1

um, i didn't feel any lagginess in the m6AT comparing to tsx though, maybe i should go test drive it again=D

CaliAtenza

yah..the lag kinda sux on the auto, but with a CAI, its barely noticible, and i think its more of a software problem than anything else. And trust me..the sound is crazy with the Injen CAI..the V6 roars like a muscle car...but then returns to being quiet and conservative when u are just driving normally. As for the less luxurious interior..heck, its a Mazda..it supposed be less luxurious then an Acura. But hey, im not complaining...i have my heated leather seats, heated outside mirrors, moonroof, and 8 way power drivers seat

jcg878

Yeah, the features are there, the execution is just questionable. Has the lag been attributed to the DBW system? That seems like it would be fixable through a quick tweak.

In it's defense, the TSX has one line subtley running down the sides that I really like. In the wrong light you don't even see it; in good light, it's very attractive IMO. I think it's accentuated in black

TSX 'R' US

That was my problem...I've never done any mods to any of my cars before and sheltered myself away from intakes, etc.
And you're right...Mazda doesn't really go for full lux/entry lux...they're more into speed/sporty..and with a few options, you get enough lux to make the driver happy
I think they've done a great job with their cars

CaliAtenza

yah..the lag is connected with the DBW system..i think Mazda will eventually release a fix in a new flash version. The auto tranny is really good though, other than that.....I enjoy the sportshift mode whenever i race and stuff. Yah im not too much into modding..im bassically stopping at CAI and springs...i might do exhaust and the Diablosport Predator, whenver that gets released....

ric

Is the art of appreciation of understatement completely lost? The interior of a Mazda6 looks like a teenage girl tarted up to go barslumming........... I find the interior overwrought, created by designers that think that more is more.

I was instantly drawn to the TSX interior because it's layout is studied, clear, simple to use, and not so "styled" that I will get bored by it 30 months into my three-year lease. The TSX is a slick, sleek, understated car that achieves a nice matrix of sporty handling and creature comfort in a very tidy package and aces that with a very, very competitive price structure in relation to other cars of its ilk. One posting to this thread noted that there are lots of choices for car enthusiasts, and he's right. That said, there are few cars that address comfort, nimbleness, clarity of design and ease of use as well as the TSX, and then package it with low initial and operating cost (great reliability.....)

Not that I'm on a rant, but.... geez, people - sometimes the clarity of understatement is infinitely more elegant and powerful than blathering cheap plastic trimmy bits all over the place........ As for the power - I am willing to take the trade for obscene power in favor of nimble, sweet, reliable handling any day of the week. If I wanted sheer power, I'd go lease a Hummer (did I say that?). I think the TSX's European parantage say a lot - Europeans, faced with setting priorities between handling vs power go for handling, especially since gas is a capital investment there, not an operating cost. I think Acura as done a very credible job of gussying up their Eurosport Accord for the American trade, but it is not ever going to appeal to Everyman.........

emgarf

One car I don't think I've seen mentioned in this thread is the new '05 Legacy GT...

250hp/250tq
nimble, said to be an excellent 'driver's car', MT available
AWD
excellent safety ratings; side bolster and full side curtain air bags
understated, classy look
power everything, dual climate, heated seats/mirrors/wiper de-icer, 6 CD changer, trip computer, leather, moonroof
available as wagon
price range for all levels $21K-30K

The only negative compared to the TSX is that no NAV is yet available.

Anyone looked at these?

jcg878

I sat in one at the NY auto show. It definitely looks sleek, but the interior is not on par with the TSX. I would take one for a spin if I was car shopping now, and the wagon might appeal to me in a few years

tgrundke

I'm with Ric on this one, folks. I think that the American manufacturers in particular have a hard time with the concept of "less is more". Just take a look at most Pontiacs with all of their craptastic body-cladding and gee-whiz wanna-be looks. That crap irritates me and is so gimmicky I want to puke.

I'm a minimalist and the interior of the Mazda 6, while nice, is just too much. The Mazda3 is even more "teenie-bopper" in my opinion.

What immediately sold me on the TSX was that the interior had the look of a Volkswagen/Audi: clean, simple, elegant, and functional. In short: timeless and classy. One of the great things about Audi/Volkswagens is that their designs rarely look dated and never look out of style - they are clean and simple 'Bauhaus' designs. (Exception: the new generation Audi A6 which, IMO, is overstyled, particularly the interior).

jcg878

Who who know this? They don't last long enough to be able to judge


(though I agree- classy, long-lasting style is a trait of VW/Audi)

biker

dipkat

Not to mention, the VW Jetta GLI/ 2.0T loaded is a serious contender for the TSX. I am not in favor of either the TSX or the GLI. There are pros and cons for boths. My biggest complaint against the TSX is that for 30K you cant even get proper 1-touch up/down windows. Also the dimwits at Acura forgot to provide a midrange control on the stock audio system.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27472


The Jetta GLI will smoke the TSX any day, but VW's track record for reliability has not been good. Also, the Jetta's an overgrown Corolla and looks like a jumbo shrimp.

fuckleberry

dayuuuumn how the heck did you find this oldie

rugbybrado

FLAT ???? there is nothin flat about the tsx tourqe curve.??

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Umm...nice of you to dig up an old thread.

Have you looked at a TSX dyno graph lately?

tom12282

That review is BS!!
no offense to Mazda 6 i like it, but how dare to compare to TSX
what an idiot!~

frescagod

i think the 6 looks flat out ugly, inside and out. and i'm not a conservative (generally).

qweezyq

agreed, when i was looking for a car, which was only a few weeks ago, i considered the M6. In the end, when I consulted the family car expert, my bro in law, he recommendedagainst it becasue mazda has a serious reliability issue. Now pretty much everyone in my fam has a honda or acura.

STL

I think the 6 looks nice exterior wise (and sorta like a TSX is some ways), but the interior left a lot to be desired. I also didn't like the fact the V6 was a Ford engine, but that might explain why it felt so weak (for a V6).

mjtsx

Like everyone else (at least it seems that way), I considered the Mazda6 and Legacy in addition to the TSX. I found the four-cylinder Mazda engine loud and prone to vibration on the highway, while the V6 lacked the efficiency I was looking for. I was also not as thrilled with the car's handling. I didn't try the MazdaSpeed6, since for that money I could have a TSX and a year's worth of fuel. The Legacy I liked better than the Mazda6, but the interior comfort couldn't stack up to the TSX. Attributes like power, smoothness, and comfort are very subjective, so I'm not surprised that some prefer the Mazda or Subie.