silx29

i've test drove both cars, mazda 6s 5 door, and tsx and i still don't know which car i should choose, both are great cars, so i need some opinions.

dom

Which did you prefer in the test drive?

TSX Pros
- Looks (subjective)
- Sweet 6MT (if your getting MT)
- Interior is far ahead of the Mazda's
- Honda reliability
- Overall better made
- Navi option

M6 Pros
- Quicker
- V6
- Cheaper $$$
- 5 Dr is more pratical

Handling is a toss up from what I undertstand.

Welcome BTW

gsclifton

iTrader: (2)

Hmmm, wonder how many people on an Acura based board will say go with the Mazda?

I have 18k and 1.5 years on my TSX. I have been very pleased with the car.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Objectively, the handling is a toss up, but subjectively, I rate the TSX higher than the 6. Better feel.

Good list,

TinkyWinky

Never really even considered a Mazda .... reliability, perhaps?

TSX 'R' US

Well....if Mazda had a 6s 5 door at the time, I would've picked that. I wasn't fond of the sedan 6s. The closest Acura dealership is an hour away so I didn't even consider Acura at the time. I think if I had a choice now, I'd probably go with the 6s 5 door.
But if there was an Acura dealership in my town, I'll take the TSX.

GIBSON6594

Acura>Mazda

TinkySD

Be warry of the reputation of low end torque with a v6 in the 6s. Sure it's got more go when it gets on cam and the swirl vavle opens in the intake path, but under 3000 rpms the tsx actually cranks more torque in stock trim. The m6 will definitely be a bit quicker, but don't get into the whole v6 vs i4 arguement.

I would call handling a wash. Personally i think the tsx has a nicer exterior(subjective) and a much nicer interior.(not subjective) Resale will be better on the tsx if you buy it..but a m6 will probably be cheaper as they are discounted heavily. What did you tink of the DBW on the 6...it's supposed to be terrible.

BonzoAPD

Both are nice vehicles. I had a 6 as a rental car on a vacation this past summer. It handled nicely and had decent power. It was a nice car but it really didn't grab me like the TSX did and I didn't have that "I have to own it" feeling. If you want to spend a couple of thousand less, get the 6. If you want to pay a little more and have the extra bells and whistles, get the TSX.

Both are cars are nice. I had the 6 in the mix when I was looking for a car the past few months but the TSX sealed the deal w/ the navigation system and all the extra goodies Acura has to offer.

Texan

I once thought about a Mazda6 until I found out the V6 is a Ford engine. I am no fan of Ford...at all. I tried a Ford Probe years ago and it destroyed my wallet...never again. I had a Mazda 323 that just kept going, it had 225,000 miles on it when I got rid of it.

Reliability was a huge factor for me and that's why I got the TSX. If the 6 had a Mazda engine it would be worthy of consideration but as is I think it's mild insult to the TSX to compare the two.

stphy32

i love the mazda 6 lights..front and tail. BUT that car has like zero pickup IT SUCKS. i looked at that car too, but u have to think about this Acura is made by Honda, very reliable. who makes Mazda.. FORD. im not too impressed with ford products. plus i think the mazda 6 can get a little overpriced once u try to get everything the TSX has.. the tsx has 2 options (MT vs AT tranny) and Navi vs non-navi. EVERYTHING and i mean EVERYTHING 2005 models (heated front seats, leather, dual power seats, heated mirrors, homelink, premium sound, etc. etc.) all come STANDARD. ITS AWESOME. once u put all that stuff on the mazda 6 it gets wayyy too expensive.
doesnt everyone agree?

BonzoAPD

yup this is very true

ClutchPerformer

Actually I disagree...

I just priced one at $27,400 which is pretty close. It's gonna come down to personal preference.

I think if the 6 wagon had been out at the time I would have looked at that car a little more closely....

dom

And thats before a HUGE dealer discount.

jwb998

I really like the 5 door 6. That was in third place when I was picking out my new car, right behind the Lagacy 2.5 GT and the TSX. The TSX won out for gas sipping and interior (I really liked the Navi). I don't think you will be unhappy any way. I got my 6spd Navi TSX for 27,650 two months ago and haven't regretted it for a second. If you want a stick, the TSX is by FAR the best.

MarkPinTx

Ford Probe = Mazda MX6. If the Probe was a pos, it was Mazda's doing, not Ford's.

rayploy

you can just wait for the mazdaspeed 6, it's the same price as the tsx and ~280 hp inline 4 turbo engine, but i like still like the tsx, it looks better. :-)

BonzoAPD

I think what he meant by way too much is that you are paying $5,000 for all those accessories on a car that sells for $22,000. (actually I think the 5-door w/ a v-6 starts out even less than that).

Viscum48

Re: M6 Pros ....- 5 Dr is more pratical...

Yes, wagons are practical. I can attest to that after 14 years with a Camry wagon (sold well last month after my wife got her Tsx).
I understand that the term "wagon" has become a dirty unmentionable word .

Acura, please call it whatever way but start selling here TSX in the 5 door "Touring" version sold in Europe!!!

sleeper

shaggin' wagons are great. if i had a choice between the 5-door and wagon, i go for the wagon. 6's are pretty good value, but if money wasn't an issue and you have a choice between the tsx and 6, go with the tsx.

sungykang

I was in your situation couple of weeks ago. My choices were 6s, rx-8, wrx, and tsx but i ended up with tsx and i have no regrets.

esk

I had a Mazda 6 (6 cyl) wagon for a loaner when I brought my Acura in for service. First thing I did was go to home depot and load the back with bags of dirt and lawn supplies. Other than that, I wasn't very impressed with the car and was glad to get my TSX back.

Pilbox

I was in a similiar situation between the TSX, Subaru Legacy GT Ltd. and a 1998 BMW 528i

I found this site through my credit union which helpped alot in desiding between the 2 cars: http://cu-autosolutions.com

I did basic config between the Mazda 6 5dr Sport HB i Auto and the Acura TSX w/o Nav.

The 2005 Acura TSX 4dr Sport Sdn Auto has the following advantages over the 2005 Mazda MAZDA6 5dr Sport HB i Auto:
# 40 more horsepower (200 vs 160).
# 11 more ft/lbs of torque (166 vs 155).
# 26 more miles cruising range on the highway (530 vs 504).
# 1.1 inches more ground clearance (6.2 vs 5.1).
# Electronic Climate Control standard, versus not available.
# Dual Zone Front AC standard, versus Single Zone Front AC standard.
# Heated mirrors standard, versus available.
# Power passenger seat standard, versus not available.
# Moon Roof standard and Sliding Sun Roof standard, versus Moon Roof available and Sliding Sun Roof available.
# Leather Trim standard, versus available.

The 2005 Acura TSX 4dr Sport Sdn Auto has the following disadvantages as compared to the 2005 Mazda MAZDA6 5dr Sport HB i Auto:
# As configured, the MSRP is $4315.00 greater ($27190.00 vs $22875.00).
# 38 less miles cruising range in the city (376 vs 414).
# Passenger Front-Impact Airbag on/off switch not available, versus standard.
# 3.5 inches less length (183.3 vs 186.8 which may be a disadvantage).
# 2.3 inches less rear legroom (34.2 vs 36.5).
# 95 pound(s) more base curb weight (3318 vs 3223).
# 5 fewer cubic ft. of passenger space (91 vs 95.7).

To get to this area, click on "new cars" then Comparison Selection". select your 2 cars and click Advantage. You can also switch which car is primary. There is also a 'side by side' mode which is really nice.

The most important thing to remember is, this will be your car for the next 3,5 or even 10 years. you need to figure out what you like about each. and do your own comparison.

Find out what is important to you: price, style, safty, reliability.

Put your priorities in line and you will be much happier with the car you buy.

Good luck with which ever car you buy.

GSI

I agree. Wait on the Mazdaspeed 6 before you make your decision. It looks a little weird in the magazines, but the performance may be worth the wait.

ostrich

I considered both cars too. In the end the TSX won because I wanted something more stylish and more luxurious. I knew that the TSX would also be considered a premium compact whereas the 6 would always be a compact/mid-size family car.

Oh, and the resale value....

stphy32

ok well when i went to mazda they tried to pull some bullshit on me saying like mazda's hold their values BS. i called this girl on it and they still wouldnt come down to much on the price. i was going to end up paying just as much for the mazda6 as i am for my TSX. oh they wanted my mazda 6 payments at $500+/month. i dont mind paying that on a TSX but not on a mazda. my ex has a 350z and my payments are almost as much as his!

stphy32

i dont know about gas SIPPING. i honestly think that my tsx doesnt get nearly what the book says the fuel should be MPG. but i also drive a lot of quick fast go and quick stop, which i know doesnt help but.. DOES ANYONE ELSE AGREE?

stphy32

yeah actually when i was at mazda the new RX-8 I LOVEEEE. i know their not as good/fast as the 7's but SHUT UP. i love them they are BEAUTIFUL. suicide doors...
hehe
anyways, those bad boys are GAS GUZZLERS. and their RWD. not good for chicago weather. oh well im much happier with my TSX

dom

Your really picking up on this Post Whoring thing

You should be getting no less that 22-23MPG in normal city driving. Also don't forget that winter months are harder on the car and result in poor MPG.

stphy32

[QUOTE=domn]Your really picking up on this Post Whoring thing

hahah sorry i cant help it, i love my car and i have all these questions and comments about it

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

though my leadfoot probably doesn't help much either.

jwb998

Well the fuel ratings for the car were the best. Now that I have my car, I have been getting about 26mpg. I just got back from a trip to ATL where the car got 29.6mpg for the whole trip. I was driving between 80-85mph on the interstate and driving pretty hard around Atlanta. I think that is really good, but I had a V8 4x4 grand jeep before that got about 15mpg.

TSX69

I still am only getting about 21mpg; I was expecting to @ least to get 23. I am not exactly a harsh driver & do a lot of hwy miles so I am less than pleased about it based upon the estimates

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Highway driving in traffic = worse gas mileage that city driving

Highway driving at 80+ mph = worse gas mileage than posted highway mileage

If you're only getting 21 mph, you may need to look into what you're doing wrong.

Try this thread...https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2182

Chompin

Bonzo...you said it best,when you said that you rented a Mazda. When a car company decides to sell their cars as fleet cars/rentals they automatically reduce their appeal,status and value.

slats

Haven't driven a Mazda 6 but I heard that the four banger version's engine has nothing down low and takes at least 3K rpm just to take off from a stop quickly if you have the MT. There was a 10 family car comparo in Motor Trend a while ago. The Mazda ranked 3rd or 4th, the Accord 4-cyl ranked 1st. If an Accord is better than the Mazda, the TSX should be as well. If you get the V6 your paying a lot more for gas and missing out on Acura/Honda liability. The TSX is way nicer inside and better build IMO. Long live the TSX!

scheißterhöffer

The difference here is negligible. I considered both cars in MT trim and this should not factor into a decision.

If you assume 22.5 mpg (average of 19/26) in the Mazda, 12K miles per year @ $2/gallon (87 octane), it works out to $1,066.67 per year.

If you assume 25.5 mpg (average of 22/29) in the Acura, 12K miles per year @ $2.20/gallon (91 octane), it works out to $1,035.29 per year.

That's a difference of $31.37 per year for 12K miles. I'd certainly not choose one or the other based on this.

I chose the TSX, but it was for presumed reliability, better shifter feel, VSA, interior quality, and exterior styling that strikes me as a little more classy. But I still like the 6 and think I may have been pretty happy with one.

Chompin

As the owner of an 02 RSX-S I've been looking at the TSX for several months. Anyway...today I went by the Honda dealer and fell in love with a V6 Accord sedan/Eternal Blue pearl. Other than being very common on the road this car in this color was prime. And pricewise a slam dunk. What everyone's opinion? Would I be disappointed and does the Accord have issues like the TSX ?

jwb998

I passed on the Accord because no manual oprtion with the V6. If you want an auto, then you will be happy. I thought the Accord also didn't handle nearly as well as the TSX and magazines have said the same thing. The accord is a very good car.

Belzebutt

I drove both the Accord V6 sedan and the TSX: the Accord is a quality car, but it drove like a plushy rental while the TSX felt very sporty. I just couldn't imagine spending all that money on a car that would feel like a rental. And I wouldn't have got it based on the looks anyway.