Change "Accord" for "Integra" and the fact that I didn't wait 3 years but bought an 04 instead and this is exactly my story as well.

 

I test drove the 2008 Civic SI (2 door and 4 door) and although the car is very nice its not an apple to apple comparison. The Civic SI will out perform the TSX in speed, braking and cornering, however the TSX blows the SI away on every other level. Smoother, more comfortable, much, much more refined, quieter ride, etc.

And I also agree w/ the Accord comments. Very nice car that would make anyone happy to drive, but the Couple looks MUCH better than the 4door IMO and the lack of fold down seats is one of those things that doesn't bother you until you realize how useful it would be if they did.

 

The short list of cars was the 08 Accord, TSX and TL. I didn't like the new Accord and it was the 1st year so that was pretty easy to eliminate. They are getting bigger and more boat like, almost like a Toyota Avalon. I guess cause the average age of the Accord buyer is going up, now the Civic is the hot car for the younger crowd, and while they have gotten a lot nicer in the last 10 years as far as features go, I wanted something with more umph and more room.

TL was pretty big, less MPG. I love the extra features on it(better radio, traffic, cooler key, etc) but I drove the TSX and was hooked on how well it handled and still had the power when you want it. It was sporty but has 4 doors, something important now that I am turning 25 and will be having this for many years(think family). I loved my last 2 Accord 2dr coupes because they were sportier, sat a little lower than the 4drs, etc.

TSX handles great, gets great highway MPG, has a laundry list of standard features and has 4 doors but retains the sport-like ride I'm used to with my 98 Accord 2dr. That Accord V6 had more torque, the TSX is a bit of a downgrade in the power/acceleration catagory but it does get better MPG than that V6 did(which was 10 years old and still pulled 30mpg on pure highway, amazing).

A car like the TL might be in the future, something a little bigger, quieter, more luxury features, softer suspension, etc. I am realizing how much my TSX is like the 7th gen Accord, and I'm not upset by that, yet it is still fairly rare to see them on the roads, TL's are a dime a dozen. The TSX stands out.

Glad I got the navi too

 

I had a 1995 Honda Accord EX 5MT (5th Gen) sedan which was the car I searched for specifically. And when it was time for me to replace it, I wanted a car in the Honda family that was similar in terms of styling(As I believed the 1994-1997 Accords were the best styled Honda next to the S2K and the NSX) and size. I knew that Acura had the TSX and it was the Accord in Japan/Europe. The TSX was very similar in size and the styling. And everytime I drove by my local Acura dealership, I would see the TSX. I fell in love with it. I test drove a 2006 PWP 6MT at a local CarMax because the Acura dealership didn't take me seriously and I fell in love with the interior ergonomics, fit and finish, handling/ride, and the list of standard features.

I also looked at the TL but I figured the TL was a bit big for me and the 6MT was only available in the TL-S. I was not about to pay $38K for a car as I'm still in college. Plus TL wasn't so neutral in terms of handling. I also didn't see myself paying for the gas in a V-6 car.

Another plus with the TSX was that it had a K series engine. I was really into the tuning scene with the Accord so I figured the K24 would allow me to get my hands greasy much like the F22 in the Accord. The gas mileage was fantastic and I loved the potential it had as far as me modifying the car. Long story short, after a week of the test drive I went into the Acura dealership to purchase a brand new TSX. They had a 2007 PWP 6MT non-navi which I was looking for.

In conclusion I bought my TSX because it was the car I wanted from the get go. The car made no excuses as far as what it was. It was a fuel efficient, sporty, comfortable sedan. I thought that the TL was a compromise of many factors as far as being a car. TSX FTW

 

i like most people here wanted a TL at first... test drove both and very much preferred the feel of the tsx.

also, the tsx is better on gas, a bit cheaper, and i was choosing between TL with no navi vs. TSX with navi

 

I was one of the few who skipped the TL altogether the first time around, focusing on the TSX's European pedigree and smaller size. The availability of the fold-down seats was also a big plus at the time.

When I made the first purchase, it was purely an emotional buy, given that I liked the TSX's look, driving dynamics, and comfort/cost ratio, especially coming from an Integra.

The second time around, I was much more diligent about test driving anything and everything in the category and still came back to the TSX because it was the car that best fit my needs at the time.

While my 2006 TSX was an absolutely fantastic car, especially with the A-Spec suspension, I began looking again because I was interested in a car with a little more power that I would not have to mod at all to satisfy my desires for a little extra speed. The TL-S fit the bill and I got a great deal on one, so I am happy to stay with that for now, but who knows what I will driving in a couple years.

 

I was in the same boat as others, looking to go from an 01TL to and 3g TL. I first test drove the TL when I had my 01TL. My plan was when the time came to upgrade, that would be the next car. I don't agree with those that don't like the 3G TL, it's a nice looking car and will age very well.

About a year later, I got a new job so I decided to upgrade to something that was:
1) An Acura
2) Very Reliable
3) Good on gas
4) Sporty yet comfortable

It came down to a used 04 or 05 TL or a new 08 TSX. I researched and researched the issues with tire wear, alignment, drivers seat leather, and most of all "RATTLES" which I absolutely can't stand.

I decided since my wife was going to be the primary driver, I would prefer something smaller, easier for her to drive. It seemed like the TSX was the car for us.

We went to the dealer, didn't even test drive the TL, and drove the TSX. The only issue became the interior color. We had a black TL and it was a pain to keep clean, so we agreed on PWP as the exterior color. She wanted the parchment interior, I wanted the black and I won.

We have had our 08 TSX for about 9 months now and love it. With gas prices going up, the gas mileage is a plus, not that much in the city though. This is my 3rd Acura and I'll have trouble buying anything else. I had some problems with the 02 RSX and learned my lesson about buying first year cars, but other than that, there is no better "deal" on the road when it comes to reliability and features.

 

TSX=Made in Japan, good quality I thought

TL=Made in USA (Ohio), heard about shitty quality and tranny problems.

 

You know tsx is fwd also.

 

tell that to the 20 tsx drivers i see on my way to work..

 

that was exactly my experience. to the tee.

 

Just the opposite in Seattle. The TL (latest gen) is by far the most common Acura on the road. I actually really liked the look - one of the nicest sedan shapes around IMO - but there are so many of them it just wasn't special any more. I'd guess the ratio of TL's to TSX's I see is around 4 or 5 to 1.

 

All my cars have been Honda. If you're related to me you probably drive a Honda. If you're a friend of mine you probably drive Honda. I had a civic, then drove my GSR for 14 years. I was waiting for an Acura sedan with a stick. When I saw the TSX I quite literally fell in love with the look of the car.

Of course I went back and forth with the TL/TSX debate a few years. The styling of the TL didn't really grab me like the TSX but the thought of the power was intriguing. I also prefer a smaller car but tried to justify the larger TL with "my kids are going to be tall". I had it in my brain that the TL was a better TSX. I guess it was some left over Type-R lust (you know there is something more powerful out there and want it). I cross shopped the IS250 and the same BMW 3's as everyone else but from a value/long term maintenance( and in the case of IS250 -rear seat) perspective I just wasn't feeling it. For a while I stopped looking because I would change my mind every other day between the TL/TSX.

When I actually drove a TSX that sealed the deal.... I prefered that spirited driving experience over the TL. The TL was a great ride and big torque but the TSX handling sold the car.

The fact it is made in Japan was also a big factor. Again not taking anything away from the TL, in fact I urged my buddy to get a TL.

In the end for me it was personal preference and the TSX value. There was over 10K difference up here in Canada after taxes.

 

The only thing better about the TSX than the TL is the fold down rear seat and 3-4 more mpg. Styling between the two cars is debateable. I

If you're on a budget and you need to try and justify the $ difference than the TSX wins. Ask youself if you were given the car which one would you take , I'm sure many of you may come up with a different conclusion. I know I did and there'd be no way now I'd swap my 6MT TL for a TSX.

 

No need to repeat 'all of the above reasons'...I went to buy a TL, but the back seats don't fold down and there was no way to put a snoboard inside...personally I don't like using roof racks. And it wasn't difficult to pocket the difference in price...

2 years later...very happy (except for brakes bah)...great for distance trips, nice highway car, while still having some fun factor...my need for speed and sport is satified by bikes...(SV1000 on-road, DRZ400 off-road).

 

There are a ton of TLs also... but about the same for TSX.... the TSX is the most wanted car under 30K (well not anymore, but the 1st gen was)

 

i'm seeing actually more 2009 TSX's than I thought around the Chicagoland area. I couldn't miss it because it's the only Acura on the road with the new grill.

i did the new 09 RL, but only from the rear yesterday. it looks like a mercedes s class from the rear.

 

More like 30:1 here. Though I'm seeing more and more 1GEN TSX' on the roads.

Saw my first 2GEN on the road this morning. Did a double-take on the umistakeable "element."

 

What he said....

 

Have to add that where the RSX' styling kind of intrigued me, though it was banal in the "nothing new to see here, move along, move along" way,... the TSX had a very distinctive design ethic to it when I first saw them. A row of 10 or so of them at Leith Acura caught my eye when I first saw them. I still like the way the tail ends abruptly in a slice, with the wrap-around brake light bar providing a sort of accentuated stripe across the back. The front is rather sleek like a puma down low ready to pounce. The way the car's nose starts low and then swoops back in a single, concentrated and unadorned way is pleasing to me every time I see it.

I say this, because seeing the 2GEN nose from a changing angle this AM, it looks like a collection of dissonant elements that've been smushed together. Just my .

 

It's about 2:3 here TL vs TSX and I see at least 10 TSX's a day. They're everywhere