does anybody know? i'm wondering, i feel the same way as edmunds.com

"Of course a powerful engine is key to a successful luxury sport sedan (just ask Nissan), but the fact that the TSX gets its power from a four-cylinder might seem odd for a luxury branded car. A 2.4-liter, DOHC i-VTEC motor that makes its maximum power at 6,800 rpm doesn't seem like a power plant befitting a luxury car. Honda's 240-hp V6 would seem the perfect solution, but then again, we're not Acura engineers. "

 

OK dudes, lay it on him! (I can hardly wait.)

 

V6 engine is heavier than the tsx engine. Sport cars are suppous to be as light as possible

 

One down, about ten to go.

 

they could have compensated by taking out the heated or power drivers seat. that would have saved the added weight of the V6 engine

 

Yeah, but then you are going to throw off the weight distribution of the TSX. Right now it's an even 60/40, front to rear, if you put a heavier V6 in the TSX, it will probably make it closer to 70/30, and that would cause a lot of torque steer in this car.

Not only that, but do you really think Acura wants to compete one of their car models, the TSX, against another one of their car models, the TL? The current Type S TL comes with 260 HP, if you put a 240 HP V6 in a TSX, they are going to lose a lot of their TL business. The 200 HP 2.4L is a good solution, and Acura/Honda makes such great performing 4 cylinders, that it is more like a V6 than you realize. Obviously you have not driven the TSX yet, otherwise you would realize that the TSX would not benefit from having a V6...

Now, why would it be better having a V6? So you can go just a tad faster in the quarter mile (this is not a race car though, or a sports car), or so you can get less gas mileage? I'm curious to see what your pros of a V6 are?

 

I have read on these sites previously that the Honda V-6 from the Accord simply won't fit in the slightly smaller TSX. Plus, at 2.4 Liters, the TSX four is already as large as some smaller V-6's. Why put a small V-6 with worse gas mileage and not much more power?

 

pro's of a V6? smoother acceleartion, more low end torque. and if they made the car RWD like they should have (Acura needs one RWD car in their lineup i think, besides the NSX) and then the distribution could be close to 50/50 like the 3 series.

 

Binnnnngooooo !!!!!!!

A V6 would simply not fit. Lets not forget that the TSX aka JDM/Euro Accord was primaraly designed for Japanese and Europeans roadways, where you guessed it Fuel economy is of great importance. So during the design process of the TSX/Accord Honda made a concieous decesion to make the car 4 Cylinder only. Not to mention that Europeans and Japansese customers don't put that much stock in 1/4 mile and 0-60 times like we N/A's do.

Having said all that I still feel as though the TSX could use another 20-40HP. But knowing Honda that will be easily accomplished with the current engine and/or IMA.

Here we go again....

 

If Edmunds think that a 4 cylinder engine is not suitable for a luxury vehicle, then what do they make of the Audi A4, SAAB 9-3, MB C230, or various Volvos?

Also, I am fairly tired of all the b*tching and moaning that goes on in the automotive press about peak horsepower RPM of Honda engines. Does it work well? If so, then what's the frigging problem? Isn't a flat and smooth torque curve what you *WANT* in a sports sedan? Why else would you even want a 6 speed transmission?

Sure it'd be nice to have a compact lightweight V6 in the TSX, and 240HP is certainly more welcomed than 200HP. But the TSX is well balanced as it is and the 2.4 I4 is clearly up to the task of motivating the TSX near the front of its vehicle class.

 

Honda V6 wont fit, and even if it did it would completely throw off the handling of the car. And this is a big 4, with 200 hp, which makes it as good , if not better than alot of v6s (not hondas though). Remember the i4 in the TSX has more HP than the i6 in the 325.

Have we had enough of this troll yet? I have.

 

All valid points. But for whatever reason Honda has decided and their president had publicly stated that they do not plan to join the RWD game with the exception of the S2K and NSX. So a RWD V6 Honda is simply not in the cards unless they make some drastic changes to their business plan.

BTW, I agree that Honda should make a RWD sedan. But they may know their business better than we do.

 

troll? what the fuck? i'm just having a discussion. i don't see how it won't fit in the engine bay, the front part of the car looks as big as the new accord.

 

IMO this should always be the starting point.

I'm puzzled how a lot of people can get hung up on what I call a "paper factoid," even a paper factoid as important as cylinders, before considering just how the car is, sometimes even without having driven the car. I say you start with that -- then, if you have a criticism of how the car actually is, then you can get down to the paper factoids, whether it's cylinders, hp, or whatever.

The car's fine. Heck, it's maybe even great.

So, what was the question???

 

You don't see how it won't fit because you didn't design the car. I didn't design the car either, but I trust the engineers that did when they say the V6 won't fit.

 

I drove the 6 speed. And i'm considering buying one.

 

fdl, I have to vouge for donut. I'm pretty sure he came here in search of answers in making his decesion between the TSX and 325.

But I will say this donut, if you or anyone has to wonder why the TSX does'nt have a V6 then you're probley better off not buying one. And I mean that in the nicest way possible. Everday I get behind the wheel, having a V6 is the furthest thing from my mind.

 

I agree with donut about, "what troll." I personally think it's great that he's on here and that he's asking these questions. After all, don't we love answering them, even if it's about the six hundredth time? (Which he had no way of knowing.)

BTW, donut, have you tried the car? I don't know if you'll have the chance to do it, but if you do, I'd really be interested to know if you still seriously would have the same question. (Some people who've tried it have still had the same question. Most haven't.)

 

the car IS great. it's a GREAT car. i'm just questioning honda's decisions on some things, and i can't ask the dealers because they don't know anything.

so i don't have any other questions. excpet, why did you buy the auto? and where is the tsx made?

 

He's not a troll. He's just asking a basic question b/c he's considering the TSX.

The answer as people have said is that none of Honda's current V-6es will fit. Even if they did, they'd mess up the weight balance, and many other things. There's also the fact that it would then eat up the bread-and-butter TL sedan's sales. The 4-cyl it has is essentially the same size (displacement-wise) as BMW's small six (2.4L vs. 2.5L). It has plenty of low-end torque--in fact, that's where it all is. If you don't believe me, check that dyno sheet i posted on your forum. Bottom line, the car does not require a V-6, so it won't happen.

Edit: I bought b/c there is no better car for $27k. It's made in Japan.

 

I don't see how a V6 has smoother acceleration, the TSX accelerates excellently with the 2.4L. Yes the V6 would provide more low end torque, but you wouldn't get that great torque curve all the way through the RPM's like you get with the 2.4L either. Yes, the TSX would benefit from being RWD, but it is not, and Acura/Honda have stated that only their sports cars will be RWD. Obviously they know what they're doing, look at how great their sales are.

You still didn't answer my question though, have you driven one yet?

 

(1) Because I suck.
(2) Japan (YESSSSSSSSS!)

 

Ok, so you have driven one. My bad, the page doesn't update that fast for me here during the day. So after driving it, do you really think that it would benefit from having a V6? Do you not think that the 4 cyl is powerful enough for the car?

I have the 6MT, and the TSX is made in Japan and then imported over to the US.

 

i already posted that i drove it and am considering one when i get out of college next year. i've also driven all of it's competitors within a 10k price range of the tsx. you know what would be cool, if it was a turbo, then there would be a lot of low end torque, like the A4 1.8 or even the WRX.

 

Take it, dudes!

 

...hey Domn, noticed you've got the indigo blue...I'm in Victoria and that's one of the color choices I'm looking at, the other is the pearl white, how is your paint holding up to swirl marks? I have an EL that is a dark green pearl, and has been nothing but a headache from day one to keep looking in top shape. Now that you've made a choice of color, are you having any second thoughts? The TSX looks, to my eye, a bit sleeker in darker colors, in white and silver it looks a bit heavy by the rear door when viewed from the side...although I still like it in white, as it looks great from every other angle...problem is, I like both colors, my wife likes the indigo, so that may have an impact on which way we go, but I can't forget the horrors of trying to keep my dark green EL looking good...

Thanks for any input you may have,

Lorne Miller

 

The only way you'll ever get a Turbo or SuperCharger in a Honda is if you put it in yourself. That's why Honda and BMW are my 2 favorite car Manf, they absolutely refuse to turbo their cars. They believe in Technological knowhow over forced induction.

 

i'm not sure if it would benefit from a V6, more power is always nice, but unecessary, since i'm not going to track the car.

 

Oh boy don't get me started with this comment. "dealers don't know anything..."

 

i believe the 760Li is biturbo. but that's it. that's why i love the E39 ///M5. no turbo necessary

 

I know I’m in the minority with this view but…why does the TSX need RWD?? Do we really push our cars to the limit on a day to day basis? Would we ever notice outside of a race track? Furthermore, is RWD really that much superior to FWD? I think Domn or Bowersan has brought this up before - just look at the WCS races where FWD Acura’s are competing very well (and winning) against RWD 325’s, IS300’s etc.

IMHO this car has enough power/speed to satisfy most of the people who buy lux/semi-lux ‘sports’ sedans. Those who want real sports cars will buy the WRXs, Evos, Mustangs, Corvettes, M5s etc., and bring them out to the track once in a while to push their limits. On the road, I seriously doubt a 325 Bimmer will prove to be that much different in ‘sportiness’ when compared to the TSX in light of any of the other true sports cars that I’ve listed above.

 

I absolutely love my Indigo Blue.......When its clean. It can also be called purple, when its in direct sun and clean. But fact of the matter is the color is just as hard to keep clean as black. If you enjoy washing your car then I can reccommend it, if now then you should probly stick with the white or silver. I personally was'nt bowled over by the silver, probly because everyone and their sister has silver. I'm not having any problems with swril marks actually which is quite surprising but I've Zainoed the car. My Red GS-R used to be full of them.

If I had to do it again however, I still would'nt get the silver, but probly the White. Then again how many blueish purple cars do you see on the road?

Good Luck

 

I've driven all the cars.

BMW 325i
Saab 9-3 Linear and Vector
Audi 1.8T and 3.0 (Quattro and non-Quattro)
Subaru WRX
Mitsubishi Evo
Mazda 6
Acura TSX

Out of all of those cars, the price was not that big of a selling point, but how the car felt. I bought the TSX just because it felt the best to me. True the WRX and the Evo were quick and fast, but I hated the way they looked and sounded. The BMW was nice, but eh, it's a BMW and everybody has one, and it seemed a bit underpowered to me.

The biggest things I hated about the 1.8T and the 9-3 were the fact that there was some serious Turbo Lag. The 1.8T felt like it didn't even have a Turbo, and the 9-3 was better, but still took too much time for the Turbo to kick in. You talk about having more low end torque, and then mention that the TSX would be great with a Turbo. Well the Turbo may add some torque, but it's not low end torque, as it takes way too much time for the majority of Turbo's to kick in and for you to actually feel it. A Supercharger would give you more low end torque...and would be more ideal for the TSX in actuality. But I agree with most here, one of the reasons I liked the TSX, was that it is naturally aspirated.

 

go drive the 3 series. you can tell if you're going fast into a turn and slow down, you feel the difference between FWD and RWD. in daily driving no one really cares that much, but RWD is superior because there is oversteer instead of understeer.

 

Size/fit considerations aside, the above is really the reason why the TSX does not come with a V6. It does not have one because Honda did not want to put one in.

Honda doesn't put in a V6 when an I4 will do (TSX, S2k).

Honda doesn't put in a V8 when a V6 will do (RL).

Honda doesn't use RWD for their high-volume vehicles because FWD will do.

Honda doesn't use full-time AWD because VTM-4 will do.

Now, some people might not like what Honda does. But I for one am pleased to see a company that is aware of its engineering DNA. As the captain of the Enterprise-D once said, "If we're going to be damned, let's be damned for who we are."

 

I wouldnt exactly say that. You want a car to remain nuetral in corners, with "controled" oversteer. That is why a 50/50 balance is great. Too much over steer can be bad too. But being nuetral in a corner, with the ability to throw the back end out at your desire is great.

As for the troll thing. I dont like it when people register just to post 15 negative posts in a row. Pisses me off. So if you are not just here to cause shit, I appologize.

 

I guess I don't know enough about the RWD vs FWD argument to comment too much but like crisco said. When cars are race prepped, their is'nt much of a difference. The Integra Type R (My favorite car of all time ) was the best Speed Vision Touring Car for 4 years and probly of all time. And it was'nt because it was faster or had more HP, In fact on courses with more straights it was the Bimmers usually coming out on top. It was the best because nothing could keep up with it in the corners. It was flat out the best handling car on the track.

This is now being repeated in teh same series with the RealTime RSX and Mazda Protege. (Although their not quite having the sucess of the ITR)

Does this mean anything in the battle of RWD vs FWD ??? I have no idea but it has to mean something.

 

i think the next gen RL is going to have a V8, maybe next year it's coming out? the one now i don't beleive is selling well.

 

Nope. You're probably thinking of the V-12 Mercedes-Benz engine. The BMW 12-cyl is all natural.

 

You're right. It's not selling well. But Honda's still not gonna make a V-8. They're too stubborn. Sorry.