prballard

My 2009 TSX Review (so far).

THE TEST DRIVE:
Before I get into it I an going to preface by saying that I have driven just about every Acura sedan since the early 90’s and currently own a 04 TSX 6MT/navi. IMO the 09 TSX is all around the best sedan Acura has ever made.

Last night after waiting what seemed like forever I finally got to test drive a 2009 TSX 6MT, non-tech. After filling the car up with gas the salesman turned the keys over to me.

I had a little trouble finding the lever to adjust the steering wheel. It is waaaay down the throat of the steering column. Speaking of the steering wheel it feels great. Fat and grippy and much smaller diameter than my TSX. The seats have a great combination of comfort and support. Even better than my 04. More on the interior later.

I pulled out onto a busy 6 lane highway and then popped up onto the Interstate. The car was very responsive and even with the extra weight of the car (and salesman) a flew up the ramp. I punched it to get between cars merging on and off the freeway and did a quick lane change. I was super impressed that it handled better than my TSX in this maneuver, even with the crappy stock tires it has.

We got off the Interstate through some neighborhoods and then on a twisty road down to the river. Going through the gears was a pleasure. The clutch is light as feather and throws as before feel great with the weighted shift knob (they just seem to fall in place). And I really appreciate the slightly more aggressive gearing. The only trouble I had was sometime not feeling the right time to shift. The car is so silent and there is so little vibration it was hard to tell.

The steering feedback on the twisty road was wonderful. After some of the reviews I was worried, but I felt even more connected to the road than my TSX. The 09 has a stiff, and very firm ride. Not has harsh as my TSX, but it is a driver’s car. The only thing I can bad thing I can say about how the car, is when we got back on a longer stretch of the Interstate I really needed to pay attention to my driving. The electric steering behaves super when you are at low speed or when you are pushing the car. Strangely the steering seems a little touchy at Interstate speeds. Not like an early 80’s GM, but just slightly.

As for strait-line acceleration it is really not my thing, I could have afforded a TL back in 04, but didn’t want one. I still don’t want one. I will say the 09 feels much quicker and smoother than my 04. The midrange torque is highly improved and you can really feel it and as mentioned before they have it really geared perfect to suit the engine. I don’t how this will translate to 0-60 numbers, but for everyday driving it is very quick and a delight to drive.

Back to my bold statement in the first paragraph, other than what I have mentioned above why do I feel this is Acura’s best sedan ever. The car is so attuned to the driver is it just freaky. So balanced, so firm yet comfortable, so well engineered. I have a hard time putting it into words.

Thoughts on TECH package, interior, and exterior to come in later posts.

prballard

One thing I would like to mention about the test drive that I forgot to mention is that even though the TSX is wider it didn’t feel wider. I didn’t think I was a TL or an Accord, It felt a nimble small car, event though it really isn’t small anymore.

godfather2

can you comment on the brakes please? the 09 brakes are nearly the same as ours, but the new TSX is heavier ...

jwaters943

Great writeup! I'll be sure to post my test drive impressions as well after I drive one this Saturday.

Can't wait to hear your take on the interior.

prballard

I down shift a lot. I will get back to you on that when I drive an 5AT.

prballard

When we got back to the dealer, they had a TSX with TECH package available for me to play with.

THE INTERIOR AND SOUND SYSTEM

I love the new steering wheel. I really like the look and feel of it, The buttons have a much nicer feel than my 04 as well. That can be said for every button I tried, soft, firm, well made.

The interior of the TSX quite a bit different than the 04. It has much more of three dimensionality about it. The gauges for example: the speedo and tach seem to come out from the dash, while the others appear depressed. The dash it self is two tiered. It wasn’t working for me in pictures, but it looks great in person. The fake metal strips, look at lot better as well (more real). They are a different color than my 04 and really look great with both the ebony and taupe interiors, (don’t look bad with parchment either). The door handles, multiple pockets, and general layout give the car both an edgy, techy feel, but still upscale and elegant. To me it looks much nicer than the TL.

The front seats provide more hip and shoulder room and the center arm rest is now wind enough for 2 people. They are firm and comfortable. I didn’t seat in the back seat, but leg room didn’t seam much different.

The Navi screen (or in the case of the non-tech, information display) is depressed deep into the top part of the center of the dash. I didn’t get to drive a TSX with navi, but it I did get to play with a parked on for a few minutes. The screen seems well shaded against glare and being just below the windshield should reduce the chance of an accident due to distraction.

Of course all of this means no touch screen, which I would really miss, I didn’t play with the navi much so will hold my review on that until a later date.

The sound system on the other hand, is something I did play with. I whole heartedly agree with Jeff @ vtect.net that this the best Acura sound system yet. I played a little of the sample DVD-Audio, Eagles Hell Freezes Over DTS surround, Sting Ten Sumner’s Tales DTS surround, Dark Side of the Moon (Alan Parson’s quad mix) DVD-Audio, Who’s Next DVD-Audio. Every selection rivaled my home system. The cabin size and speaker placement is just great for surround sound. I have close to 100 titles in surround sound most of which I can play on an ELS system. BTW this system completely blows away is Lexus IS Mark Levingston.

The interior colors are all nice. I prefer the taupe and ebony, but the parchment looks better than what they have offered in a TSX before. The taupe is a slightly darker and warmer color than the quartz in my TSX and is my favorite. The headliners and rear deck lid are taupe on both the taupe and ebony interiors. That really made a bit of strange look on the Black and Grigio exteriors with a ebony interior. The parchment has a parchment rear deck lid, I didn’t notice the headliners.

dom

Good to hear. A couple of fairly different opinions thus far.

So do you think you'll end up buying an 09?

cg2006TSX

...right about there. Good for laugh, though. I'm sure present TL owners are going bum rush nearby Acura dealers to trade in their rides for the new TSX, along with existing car buyers who are going to pass up a heavily discounted TL's to buy a TSX. Don't fret as the two guys from the Acura website are all in for the 09 TSX.

prballard

Different opinions are good and different people are looking for different things in their car. If someone is interested in an 09, they should test drive one and decide for themselves. Because it is there opinion that matters.

prballard

IMO the TL is too American and doesn't handle as well as the TSX. ( Ist gen. or 2nd.) The shifter is no were near as smooth either. Torque steer!!!! etc.

Same can be said for Accord Coupe.

But that is just my opinion.

nycgay23

Thanks for the in-depth review! I'm even more excited to go check one out this weekend!

prballard

THE EXTERIOR

The dealer had ever exterior except the two blues and the red. I was really looking forward to seeing the Vortex Blue, but not to be for now.

I really loved the Polished Metal. I would describe it as gun metal. Enough said.
They had a 5AT with taupe interior. I am lucky they didn’t have the 6MT/tech or I might have been in big trouble with my wife. It looked so nice I might have bought one on the spot.

The Grigio is a nice dark gray with a bronze flake. You can really see a bronze tent at dusk. I will try to post a pic tonight or tomorrow. I shot everything in RAW and don’t have a jpgs to upload.

The black is very nice. It reminds be of the black on Lexus and Mercedes cars. I hope it continues through the rest of the Acura line. Very upscale. As mentioned, before I would see a black on black before you order one because of the taupe rear deck lid.

The white has a nice pearl finish and is nice change. It didn’t get a good luck at the silver. They had it up in the air doing prep.

Speaking of that, I do have quite a few underbody pics I will post sometime this week as well.

I love the edgy look of this car. It is really a great over all it looks so great in person. My 04 looked plain in comparison.

To the people they say it looks bloated or like a Camry. I have no idea what they are thinking. This is a very sharp car from every angle.

I am sure I have been coming off like some fan boy. Now to address the negative: The wheels are straight off a Mazda 6. They must go. I have already got my replacements. The accessories wheels are just variations on the 5-spoke as well. Where is upscale??? You can’t even start to talk about Tier1 until you get nicer stock wheels. GET WITH IT ACURA!!!

As for “The Element”, it does look better in person. I wish they would have made on change that would have really helped it. Both vertical edges on each side are disproportionately wide. The bottom edges look fine. I can live with it, but I can’t wait to see what comes out of Japan.

The bottom edge of the front bumper looks great IMO, I don’t know what people are complaining about. In fact all of the JDM styling (the element didn’t come from Japan) looks much better than the designs I have seen coming out of Torrance. IMHO

RkFast

Saw one at the dealer this AM. Its a nice looking car. Much better in person than in pictures. If you liked the older TSX, you should like this one, too. Its exactly what the 1st Gen was, but a bit more refined, IMO.

5thTo2nd

Can you comment on how the interior (especially the feel of the buttons, layout) compares to the 08 Accord? How about the drive compared to the 08 Accord?

BTW, thanks for the detailed write-up.

prballard

I have never driven an 08 Accord. I have driven the previous generation sedan and coupe and the 09 TSX is far more of a driver's car the Accords IMO. I know they are all Accords, but in many ways it is like comparing apples to oranges.

The buttons have a great tactile feel about them. As mentioned earlier "every button I tried, soft, firm, well made".

5thTo2nd

thanks.

JeffS

Prballard, thanks for your review. I look forward to forming mine tonight.

Colin

Our cars came in yesterday but I had a customer on TL-S so I didn't too much time with the cars. No driving yet because the PDI wasn't done and they all had 50lbs of air in the tires.

I have mixed initial feelings on the interior, don't like: the plastic door pulls, the cheap feel of the glove box door, the felt flocking on the center console map pockets.

Do like: the 3 click stops on the sliding armrest, the damped feel of all the things that open, the huge grab handle on the door, steering wheel feels like our S2000, gearshift throws seem shorter.

Anyway, hopefully I'll have a drive today.

MMsTSX

wow.

the OP and I about complete disagree.

interesting.

LaZyPiGgY

Why do some people mention torque steer and others don't? I've driven my own TSX, and my friends' 2nd gen TL-S and 3rd gen TL-S, and felt nothing near torque steer. I love the steering wheel feel of the 3rd gen TL-S.

xenonhid

Thanks for the review. Glad to hear the improvements are there, but still not the kind that it should be IMO.


I've felt torque steer even in my TSX. You have to accelerate WOT, like in 1st gear from a slow rolling start.

I can imagine its worse on the 3rd Gen TL-S with all that power to the front wheels.

Colin

I'm not surprised, you drive a modded automatic. Your expectations are different.

prballard

On purpose I didn't read your review before I posted mine.

It is interesting that Jeff @ VTEC (whom I really respect as a Honda/Acura enthusiast), even though not as enthusiastic as me had a lot of similar comments about its driving characteristics.

Link

club_euro2

Thanks for the nice write up.
08 TSX PWP non-nav

dom

I think I'll take a little out of your review and a little out of MMsTSX's and go from there.

I doubt its as good as you make it out to be nor as bad as he does.

Mokos23

So the new TSX is still Made in Japan? Anyways, that's good to hear.

Colin

This was never in doubt.

prballard

Drive it! You will like it!

Seriously, I don't think you are really in the market for what the 09 has to offer, but I am.

For example, if I didn't like the 09 I would much more likely to get an IS 250 AWD than a TL-S.

If I wanted uber performance I wouldn't wast my time with FWD. I would be driving a 335i or 335ix.

Of course you have been asking valid questions. Why can't Acura make a great handling smallish car with more performance and perhaps AWD? Of course it would have all of the Honda reilability that we all love.

If they did then I think most of us would be very happy.

dom

I have no doubt I will like it!

Why wouldn't I? I like my 04. I don't see any reason why I wouldn't like the 09. But I think I'm ready for more power and maybe RWD/AWD. I'd just like to try something different at this point after being behind the wheel of FWD 4 cylinder Honda/Acura products since 97!

Although with gas prices going where they are I'm leaning towards a Fit daily driver and a RWD weekend toy as opposed to a more powerful daily driver. We shall see.

Did you say if you were buying the 09? Or still undecided?

prballard

Good question.

The short answer is yes.

The long answer is it may be next year sometime. Of course if I do that then the 09 TL SH-AWD, 10 TSX diesel, etc. etc. come into play. It sort of sounds like the waffling like I did in 03 and 04 all over again. :

I will be sure to keep you updated.

Mokos23

i'll take a look at the 09 TSX when I bring the car in for a car wash maybe this weekend

dom

You got to Acura for a car wash?

xenonhid

Sure, its the hottest mod out right now, but its OEM, you go to the dealer and they'll add a "LightScribe" marking throughout your exterior thats only visible in the sun!


Some call it swirl marks.

xenonhid

^^ If you want swirl marks, going to the dealership for a car wash is the best way!

dom

I liked your deleted post better.

prballard

I noticed a few more 5AT reviews, including mine yesterday. But still I have the only in depth 6MT review.

There are now 2 new 6MT/tech owners

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42583

Maybe they will give their opinions on their new rides.

Mokos23

why not, i know the swirl marks, but they told their customers they replaced their old car wash with the new touch free water pressure one. it's going to rain anyways tomorrow, so i'll just go visit acura and look at the 09 TSX.

davidspalding

Superb 1st person commentary and driving impressions. Well done.