Just an interesting comparison: I visited the websites of Acura Canada, Honda UK, Honda Australia and Honda New Zealand, and tried to configure a car with is roughly equivalent to TSX Automatic w/Navi.

Here are the results:

1. Acura Canada: TSX Navi Automatic: CAD 40330 (USD 34508)
2. Honda UK: Accord 2.4 i-VTEC Petrol EX Saloon (Auto) with Navi: GBP 23700 (USD 46411)
3. Honda Australia: Accord Euro Luxury (Auto) with Navi: AUD 45990 (USD 36075)
4. Honda New Zealand: Accord Euro L 2.4 i-VTEC Auto SportShift: NZD 47700 (USD 33010)

For completeness' sake:
5. Acura US: TSX Auto w/Navi: USD 30760

I know every country has an different income level and things like that - but still it feels great

Couple of notes:

1. Accord in UK has advanced systems like active cruise control and lane-departure warning system that's not available here. Does that justify that RL-like sticker price?

2. Found a weird thing in honda.co.jp: Japanese Accord has TSX's exterior with USDM Accord's interior. The exact opposite combination is sold as Japanese Inspire . What was the message - like 'you can't have best of both worlds' ?

3. Does anyone else think that Acura Canada's website is sleeker than that of Acura US?

 

considering we are next door neighbors, we do pay considerably higher prices for new vehicles, especially when you look at premium brands.

 

1) Yes, a few extras, but at the expense of a poorer leather interior, but the main difference is those prices are with a 17.5% VAT included.
The US/Canadian ones will be without local state tax since each one is different (US for sure).

2) Yep - and you're surprised?
It's basically a cheap trick of the manufacturers (and the same applies to TVs, DVD players, etc) that leaves them room to manoeuvre if/when sales start to tale off before they're ready to introduce a whole new model.
Otherwise, if they gave you everything at once, what then else do they have left to tempt you to upgrade to?

 

Its becoming more and more worth it to buy a TSX from the US rather than Canada even inclusive of the duties and other admin fees. The only thing is that we (Canadians) need to accept mph unless we change the entire cluster. I heard on some news stories that Canadians are becoming more and more concerned about this and as such pressure is starting to be put on GM Canada, Ford Canada, Honda Canada, etc. to get prices lower in Canada. Unless all the manufactures do it, nothings going to happen.

 

@PJS

1. You guys pay 17+% VAT in UK? Oops, that hurts! And I'd always used to bitch about 8.25% sales tax in Northern Cali.

2. Very good point indeed. I'd also guess that's why the Acura range has ELS or Bose surround in '07 except for the poor TSX.

 

And $8-8.50 a gallon (imperial, not US), of which 60 odd % is pure tax by the Treasury.
Still wanna come to the UK?

 

Plus sales tax in Canada is high:

- 14% currently (except perhaps in Alberta). Which raises the cost of my TSX from 37,200 MSRP (auto, no navi) to almost $44,000

I did a calculation. Would have saved me $5000 Canadian if I bought in US. Decided this wasn't worse the hassle. (warranty, installing DRLs, Miles Per Hour on dash, etc.)

 

Most definitely! By the way, there's an article on the updated website in the latest edition of Acura's Expressions magazine (Fall/Winter 2006 issue).

 

In the US: " Together Federal and State excise taxes on fuel account for an average cost of approximately 62 cents per gallon. "

Check out this link if you want to see how much your individual state charges:
http://www.utahgasprices.com/tax_info.aspx

Social policy the world over is reinforced with fuel taxes.

 

Yes, but you still pay 1/3-1/2 of what we do.
Can't help thinking if the US had capped the wastefulness of low mpg SUVs and cars for the past decade, and introduced diesels, then there'd be a bit more oil left.
Admittedly, not a monumental difference in the grand scheme of things - but nevertheless.....

Bear in mind 66% (for the sake of argument) is tax - that equates to $2.80 per gallon. Your treasury takes less than 1/4 of that!
That's how expensive it is to live in the UK - and it's not as if we've any public transport worth talking about. With it having been privatised many moons ago, it's no less expensive to get where you want to - assuming it goes where you want it to!
Woefully underfunding has put paid to that as an option, an now we're possibly (likely being more apt) facing pay as you go driving.
Roads we've already paid for and then some are to be paid for the privilege of using them, again.

I'm telling you - you guys haven't a clue as to just how easy you have it over there.
Enjoy it while it lasts, or get the guns ready for your second revolution.

 

In my case, quite the contrary. I agree we have it good (great) in relative terms of tax policy, but when government can tax anything at 1/4 of its value and essentially no one even notices then there is a problem. We are also fortunate in that we are still more able to influence our elected leaders to actually do things - although we are also headed the way of some of the EU with too many apointed officials who don't feel the reponsibility to the great unwashed.

Diesel pickups are actually hugely popular where I live. They outnumber gas pickups in their class by about 10 to 1. This is in the oversize pickup class, what we call 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.

 

the thing i don't understand, is that they are about the exact same products, Acura.COM for YEARS has added the visual options when configuring the car, but Acura.CA still does not in 2007, what a shame !

 

In Russia there are 6 different models starting from $28k to 35k

http://www.flightauto.ru/prc_acc06.htm

btw check out that Civic

http://www.flightauto.ru/civic5.htm