jmillie

My wife and I are in the market for a new car. We're in our late 20's, just had our first child, and need a car that my wife can use as a kid hauler, around towner, etc., but that will be fun to drive as well. She's had a '97 A4 since we graduated and loves it, but says she wants something with more cargo room and a bigger back seat. I've been so impressed with everything I've read about the TSX, I'm just not sure I can convince her it's "mommy" enough for her. Is this a car that'll work as a family car for a family who loves performance vehicles? Any input?

thS777

If your wife says that she wants something with more cargo room and bigger back seat, then definitely TSX is not way to go. TSX is not that much bigger compared to 97' A4.

dom

May I suggest a restyled 06 Accord instead?

Elephantman_nosefacehead

are you this guy?

BlackAc036

I think you should get an A3 or an Acura TSX both very cool cars that are good haulers too...

Alin10123

Maybe a can would be good for her?
Then you can get the TSX for yourself. hehe

Howard911s

may i suggest a camry V6? or Maxima SE with 3.5 liter engine? neither are as refined as TSX> but cheaper in price and much bigger room....not sure if u ever paid attention in test driving. TSX handle well. verysmooth on perfect road. but on the less well paved ones. TSX can get bumpy due to its hard suspension and performance tires... i love tsx.. but im not sure about if u have a newborn....
time for SUV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sleeper

like the tread title says, the tsx is ok. it's not good or great for rear passenger room. actually, i'm surprised how little space is left in the back when the front seats are almost all the way back. i'd take the tl or the accord if i needed more rear passenger space.

ianS

No, actually it is way bigger than A4 in terms of interior space and trunk space. Is TSX ok for family? it all depends what you lookiing for. If you looking for huge space than forget about it, go get a minivan. But if you looking for a nimble car with good handling and preformance but still able to fit 2 car seat and your kids won't complaint, then TSX is good for you. If you need a car that able to hold 2 strollers and still able to have space for gocery shopping, then tsx is fit for you. And the most important is when you want a car that able to travel with your child safe from point a to point b without worrying will the car dead on middle of the road then sure get the tsx and forget all the german!

I am very happy with my tsx and I have 2 kids and my other car is an BMW E46. My experience tell me that I should only go out with my kids on tsx.

TypeRS

for basic haul use, the TSX is a family car considering it's a slightly smaller version of the US accord but with much better handling and ride. i could barely fit my friend's Dyson vacuum into the trunk the other night. i didnt know the trunk was tat narrow.

moving from the A4 to TSX wont be tat big of a space increase but if performance is what you like, it's worth the cost. otherwise, u might need to spring for the G35

virtualbong

I would just go take a test drive and see for yourself. You can even park your A4 next to it and compare visually.

ianS

You can only fit 1 17" wheel on the A4 trunk but you can fit 3 17" wheel on tsx trunk.

jmathew34

JDM honda odessy

jmillie

Yeah, the point here is I do not want a minivan or SUV.

She's pushing a Passat, which seems ok, but it seems like you get more bang for the buck with the TSX. May not work for us, though. TL is a little pricey.

dom

I'd take an Accord or Camry over a Passat.

05_TSX_GP

Don't go with a Passat!!!

KEB

My wife just got out of a 03 Passat 1.8T and now I have the 05 TSX (for only a couple of weeks). I am 36 and have a 6 year old so I guess I qualify as a family man. If you like the TSX, get it! We have had Buick Regals GS, Maxima SE, Passat, and others over the past 5-6 years and the TSX is definitely the best of the bunch. They were all great cars (did not care for the Regal) and more roomy (except the Passat), but if you want fun, sporty, room enough for the family, great fuel economy (I am getting 27/33), go for it. I would take it over the others anytime. If you want LOTS of space, you are in the wrong classification.

05_TSX_GP

where are the performance tires on the TSX?!? the stockers are NOT performance tires.

Also, the TSX suspension is NOT really that hard, it's the perfect blend for handling and comfort.

Howard911s

hmm i was thinking from a newborn baby point of view...dont want the ride to wake up the baby. might be a bit noisy. just try to test drive. and sit in the back seat see how u two feel.. if the ride is smooth enough. then go for it. crash test for tsx is rated best in its class..

kb-deadhead

If your wife is going to be using it as her primary car I think it is too small and in time you may regret your purchase. Especially if there may be more children in the future. I have a 2 year old daughter and another on the way my. '04 TSX is my car and I only use it for quick trips and such when it's all 3 of us. If a stroller, diaper bag etc...is needed you will run out of room real quick. As my primary to and from work car and occasionally used to haul family it is perfect fun and 4 doors...

05_TSX_GP

sorry, I am always the driver... and can't be doing the test driving and sitting in the back seat at the same time :troutslap

kb-deadhead

My daughter falls asleep be it in the TSX, our old Landcrusher or the Odyssey my wife drives now..Either they fall asleep in the car or they don't. It's not the car it's the kid that determines that.

calbear2k1

I don't see why the TSX would be too small for young kids, espscially if your wife is driving it around. I remember when I was young I rode around the back of a mid 80's accord or 70's volvo and it wasn't cramped until i was around 12 or so. I doubt they were any bigger than the TSX. Why people need a minivan or SUV for kids that are actually really short is beyond me. If you have say three teenagers, the SUV is the way to go. If your wife wants sporty, I'd say enjoy a TSX for the next 8-10 years until your kids are big enough that they really can't fit in to a TSX. Chicks seem to like Passats (an Jettas) but they break so damn much.....

jlukja

As far as size is concerned, the TSX should be fine for small kids. The trunk is big enough. But, if I had kids I wouldn't want perforated leather. Anything spilled on the seats is going to go straight through the perforation and seep into the fill material.

Howard911s

BOTTOM LINE MAN...take the wife and kid and baby seat for a test drive.. test put baby in car seat and strap it down for a drive... see how much room u got left in the back. and how everyone feels. if u like it. take it. if not. ... ur da boss!

05_TSX_GP

Maybe kids these days just come in "super size"?!

We got no kid of our own but sometimes we drive a 7 year old niece around on the weekend, she seems to have plenty of room back there! She loves it when I "throw" the car into corners so she gets swung to the side (seat belt always on, of course)

Thank goodness my wife ain't one of those "chicks" who likes Passat or Jetta... in fact, she finds those cars blend and gross... she loves riding in our TSX

ianS

My wife love to drive TSX but must own a BMW . So she drives TSX to work on usual day and takes the bmw if she need to go out with her friends, co-worker or see client.

callmetsx

I love my TSX but I would not want to carry around a kid and all of the things you need with one in this car. Just too small. We are expecting our first and we just bought a Pacifica - I highly recommend it for people in our situation.

05_TSX_GP

I guess there's a big difference when I am just driving the niece to a quick mall or park trip, especially when she's 7... no stroller, no diaper bag and stuff

I have a friend with a 3 month old baby and a A4 (couple gens ago), he seems to be OK with the logistics for his family... so I assume the TSX would be just fine.

stogie1020

Jlukja has a good point about the leather. I think an Accord 4dr might be a better option. You can get the accord with cloth seats, scotchguard the hell out of them and never worry about spills in the back seat. Also, the accord has a little more room in the back seat. Not sure about the trunk, but it's probably a little bigger too. Go drive both and see what the "wifey" wants. Having said that, I LOVE my TSX, but I am single with no kids (I think).

jpooncanada

I think for a kid, size is not a big issue with a TSX. One of my friend has 6 yr old and she carries the 6 yr old in an ECHO!!!!!!! I think it's quiet enough as long as u don't put the nice speaker volume too high and the ride is smooth and yet keeping the handling as a sports car. We are planning for a kid as well and we see it as our family car. Now, we are carrying our 2 dogs in it.. small size dogs... I guess that's a good enough test that the dogs love sitting at the back seat... except when my husband makes sudden turn.... In conclusion, I think it's a good car.

manavi

Have you tried looking at the Subaru Outback or Legacy wagon?

vitocorleone

Get what you want. My wife is due in just a couple months now, and the TSX is our only car. It'll work just fine, especially if you don't want a huge car (if you live in a large city perhaps, or simply don't like them). If you search, you'll find that others have had no problems with car seats and strollers. The TSX is safe and fun and big enough for a family, even more so if you are not big people (height or weight).

Any car will take a beating with a child growing up using it. Just get over the "it's a new car" factor and treat it like you own it. Do what you can to reasonably protect the car, but know it'll never be enough.

We're planning to keep our TSX for 10 years, but we'll get a hybrid civic if we need a 2nd car some year.

Belzebutt

I'm in exactly the same situation, except it's in 2 weeks instead of 2 months

I'm planning on using the TSX as a family car (bought it to replace an Accord coupe) and it's our only car right now. I grew up in a place where people drove smaller cars so I'm kind of skeptical when people say "you need a minivan".

RickKel

I can't believe you guys are saying the TSX doesn't have a lot of trunk space. The trunk and folding seats was one of the top selling points for me. I love that narrow little fold-down seat on the right hand side. It is perfect for long things that won't quite fit in the trunk, but still allows three people to travel in comfort up front.

I have a rental property and my other half had the Explorer SportTrac out. WARNING: the next part is not for the squeamish - so beware....I had to use my TSX as a hauler for a six foot ladder, my power tools, a bunch of wood trim pieces and cans of paint, all the dropclothes and everything associated with painting. Guess what? All of it fit with room to spare. Of course when I was done I detailed the heck out of it, but the point is it had more space than I ever imagined. My tenants couldn't believe I had all of that stuff in my car (nor could they believe I was that stupid to be hauling paint around in such a nice car)

Of course this does nothing to answer the question of the original poster who wanted to know if the TSX can be considered a family hauler. I think if I had a family, I would be hard pressed to pick another more fitting car. Also don't forget the safety factor as our TSX's are outfitted with all of the state-of-the-art airbag systems.

I'd say buck the trend of those mundane minivan folk and idiotic SUV people. Get a TSX.

Vividi

My six year old has difficulty fastening her seatbelt. The distance between the seatbelts is less than the width of the booster chair making it hard to find the female half of the seatbelt. She has no such problem in the Odyssey due to the width of the seats.

SLO*TSXer

I don't think you would last long term with kids and a TSX. They get bigger and have more stuff its not ideal. Its not a Mom car. Think about long road trips like vacations. And carpools... etc.

sauceman

I don't know in what world some folks live in.

At home we were 3 kids, I was a young teen, my brother was younger, and my sister a child with a seat booster. We had an 87 Accord and none of us ever felt like we lacked space. As a family we travelled a lot of long-distance trips, and never did the space ever become an issue.

It always makes me laugh when I read about someone saying they can't have a TSX anymore because they have a kid or two. As if those two doors behind the driver and passenger were there just for decoration.

We travelled down to Florida last winter, we were four, all our luggage was in the trunk, and all of us were comfortably seated in the TSX. All of us were adults, my buddy and I do both over 230lbs 6ft+ and none ever complained we were out of space.

We really are going through a values crisis.

NickR

I'm in the same boat you guys. We have a 16mo and I'll admit that we had the infant car seat in both cars - my wife drives a Pilot. It was a pain to try to bend over and put the baby and her seat into the carseat base (base was in the middle seat, the safest spot BTW). Once she graduated to the normal carseat, we didn't put one in my car. It's too small. And the carseats are so wide that no one enjoys sitting next to it - there's no room.

I would not recommend using the TSX as your primary baby hauler. It is fun to drive and looks cool, but getting a small kid in & out a few times a day gets very old.

As sad as it may seem, there's a reason that most moms love SUV's and minvans. They work great for hauling all of the stuff that goes w/ kids. They're easy to put kids in without bending over and killing your back - babies in carseat carriers get HEAVY. Not to mention strollers, pack-n-plays and diaper bags - those things take up a lot of space.

callmetsx

I totally agree. The TSX, while it does have ample trunk space for a sports sedan, it is in no way enough. Think about going to the parents house for a weekend. Stroller, pack and play, luggage, car seat, etc. There is not enough space for all that.

I am surprised with all of the people who are in the same situation as I am though. It all depends on your situation. We chose to trade in a Jeep Liberty and get a Pacifica because of the large amount of space in the back with the seats folded down.

I love my TSX, but considering it a family car could prove a problem if you plan to actually drive your child around in it.