Hi,

I'm thinking about getting the new TSX. The quotes I got for A3 and TSX are very close. So actually I could go either way. I'm mainly concerned with the interior of TSX comparing to A3. Does anybody have any experience/knowledge on these two models interior and willing to share some thoughts?


thanks!!!

 

My first question is: Have you ever owned an Audi? If you are leasing, not as big a deal, but if you plan on owning one out of warranty be prepared. I have owned an A4 and and MDX. I bought another Acura, nuff said.

The 2009 TSX fit and finish is much better than my 04 MDX (which mirrors honda on the inside). The only cheesy finish on the new TSX is the plastic door handles which should have been polished metal. Other than that I would say its on par with the A3 and then some.

 

I have had 3 Audi's and all were trouble free but I did not have after warranty so I can't tell you about long term reliability. Audi interiors are the best in the business and they hold up very well to wear and tear. Unless you can get the A3 for invoice or less, wait for the 09's to come in a couple months.

 

i like both audi and acura

 

side1021...I think your choices are two great ones and boild down to personal preference...in the short term. Beyond warranty...no doubt ACURA will give you much more peace of mind. I was debating between Audi's and Acura's myself as I lease my cars and trade very often. That being said, as much as everyone raves about Audi's interior, it doesn't appeal to me. I find them too simplistic, too retro and I think BMW is also the same. I know Acura's 09 TSX is quite flashy and can seem busy but I find it more current with today's day and age...but thats just me. As someone indicated, yes the door handles would have been better in metal than plastic but life is not perfect. I am a 2006 owner and my 2009 is about to arrive (within days) so that should tell you that I am very happy with Acura and their product...but don't get me wrong, Audi's are nice cars too and the 2009 A4 will be a beauty and their interior will change somewhat...but I know it will be in hot demand and interest rate here (canada) will not be as competitive when this car will come out so I'll wait a few years. Best of luck...

 

Thanx for the insight. You mind telling me how much you paid your new TSX? ..just for reference (pretty useful when it comes to haggling with the dealership )

 

Side1021....I am from Canada so our market is not as competitive so I had to pay MSRP for my TSX although I was able to get the bodykit at dealer cost. Since I am 2 years into my lease, I would have normally paid a pretty hefty penalty to get out of it so the fact that this was waived (the car is in ABSOLUTELY MINT condition and no mileage) so getting out of my lease with no penalty or difference to roll into the next lease, and the bodykit at cost, I didn't mind paing MSRP. I'll post pictures as soon as I have some....

 

Which trim you got? Everyone is raving about the tech package, but it's quite expensive. I'm thinking about the premium. I might get the Aero Kit later down the road. Good thing you can get out of your lease without penalty! Currently I wanna wait til July and see if there will be a lower lease rate. Although the current 3.9% / 48 month is already pretty good, but I'm hoping to see 2.9% or lower in July

 

Side1021...I see you are from Canada too as we are the only one getting the "premium" package. I did get the Premium Package because where I live, I don't need the Navi at all, and certainly don't need a camera to back my car BUT....would have loved the ELS stereo but for 2800$ plus tax, I couldn't justify it for just the stereo feature and instead, put the money on the bodykit instead. I was debating waiting as well but my sales manager called me on the day the new TSX came in and said..if you wanna make a good deal, nows the time...and he wasn't kidding as there is no doubt that he gave me a sweet deal by getting me out of my TSX. I called another Acura dealership (a few hours away) and they came NOT EVEN CLOSE of offering me a deal this good and besides, 3.9% versus the 5.9% I was paying on my 2006 TSX is still a good deal....throw in MSD (Multiple Security Deposits) and my interest rates drop to close to 2% so my actual lease for the 2009 TSX is actually
5$ less than my 2006 which doesn't have the bodykit!! Can't go wrong with that!!

Keep in mind that interest rate are not the only factor, there is also the residual factor that comes into play so even if rates go down, the payment might stay the same or even go up...its a #s game....

 

I would wait until I could save up a little more for one of the new A4's coming out.

 

Could you give me some details on the MSD to get your rate down? As much as I know, residual is set by the manufacturer and it's pretty much fixed. From acura.ca I get $17000 for 48 month and $20000 for 36 month for residual.


The new A4 is really nice. I like the "necklace" DRL.

 

I have test driven the A3 and the 09 TSX, sat in an 08 tsx. To me, Acura and Audi have always had very appealing styling. I think the A3 interior is more along the lines of the 08 TSX. The 09 TSX dash is much more massive and angular with that high nav screen.

I thought the extra skylights on the A3 were cool, but not really functional. There are some forum reports that the direct injection 2.0 Turbo is an oil-drinker. Who knows what's true out in internet land.

Visibility was about the same as both cars have a somewhat chopped roofline.

A3 had a little more "road feel" in that german tradition, but both cars were very quiet and smooth at 80 mph.

I drove the automatic in both cars, even though I will be purchasing a manual in whatever I buy. The DSG system on the Audi makes for very fast shifts. There is no comparison.

 

I cross-shopped the TSX with the A3/A4 and found the interiors to be competitive in terms of fit/finish and materials quality. The A3/A4 interiors are not as stylish as that of the '09 TSX in my opinion though. What you really ought to be more concerned about is comparative price when comparatively equipped. I'm betting that close quote you got is for a far less equipped A3. Load up the A3 with all the same options the TSX has standard and it ain't so close anymore. Same with the Lexus IS 250. A base model with manual tranny and no options actually has a cheaper invoice price than the TSX (the IS 250 MSRP is higher because Lexus has huge retail markups). But when you equip the base IS comparatively to a base TSX, it's nearly 5 grand more. The moral of the story is: don't compare base prices. Compare equally equipped prices.

 

The material in A3 is better, but the style and design are shit compared to Acura. European interior = 1990 Japanese interior in terms of design.

 

side1021...I'll send you a PM tomorrow as I was about to log out....

 

i would rather compare the A4 to the TSX

 

Price and worries about Audi reliability were the two reasons why I didn't seriously consider the A3. About the latter... Consumer Reports recommends the A3 now, so I wouldn't be quite as worried about reliability. On the other hand the TSX is a first model year car, so you may experience some of the teething problems of a new model. Some '04 TSX owners have had issues; others have not, but even the '04 TSX wasn't the first year of the model (the Euro Accord came out in '03).

The A3 is going to get a freshening for 2009 with LED taillamps and the new Audi-trademark LED running lamps. If you wait until the '09s are on the way you could get a good deal on an '08. They're also adding a 2.0T Quattro option for '09.

If you're looking at the 2.0T, also do try the VW GTI. It's essentially the same car. The interior of the A3 does have the "Audi" look but is more of the older European well-built and purposeful design rather than all-out luxurious - like an E36 3-Series. The GTI feels a little cheaper on the inside, but not a whole lot. Of course, if you'd break out in hives if you drove something without a luxury marque emblem on the hood, the A3 is your only choice.

According to the price comparison at TrueDelta a comparably equipped A3 stickers about $3k more than the TSX. The only way to see the real difference is to get a number from your local dealers. The TSX is a new model and the A3's been around for a while, so your local Audi dealer may be hungrier than your Acura dealer.

 

thanks for the feedback! The price for A3 is indeed higher than 2009 TSX, however I was able to bring it down through Audi Supplier Purchase program. Because of this, the price for the A3 is very close to the 2009 TSX. The A3 I priced is a 2.0T /w S-Line pkg, Teck pkg, and Open Sky System. With all these options, it's very comparable to the premium TSX.

 

+1

Strange comparo. 4dr sedan vs a Station wagon? Also, the TSX is a much larger vehicle. Based on your priorities Side1021, it shouldn't be too tough to make the right decision for your needs. Got small kids and want to lug baby strollers around in style? Get the A3. Single or married/no kids and looking for a good commuter and weekend getaway car? Get the TSX

 

What is the Audi Supplier Purchase program?? By tech package, do you mean nav? How much did you pay for your A3?

 

I'm single and not married. LOL I guess TSX is for me.

Audi Supplier Program is a discount offered by my current company. It's MSRP - 6%. Tech. Pkg. doesn't have NAVI. Here is what it have:

Auto-dimming interior mirror with compass
Rain and light sensor
Bi-xenon headlights
Adaptive front lighting
Bluetooth phone preparation

 

Nonsense. The A3 is a hatchback, not a wagon. Plenty of single people drive hatchbacks. Ever known someone in a band? They need lots of space. Ever known a surfer or a skier? Ditto.

The TSX is a much larger vehicle than the A3 but if the OP doesn't need the space then the extra size of the TSX is a disadvantage. FWIW the A3 is very comparable in interior room to the 1G TSX, and not all of us are happy about the 2G's growth spurt.

 

Is that above or below invoice on the Audi? When I looked at an A3 the supplier price was actually slightly above invoice. You may still be able to negotiate it further. However, the supplier program does give you the advantage of hassle-free purchasing.

The bottom line is that nobody here is going to tell you anything that will really make up your mind. There's no real reason not to buy either car, so make sure you've driven both back-to-back and make the decision for the car you like the best. If you really feel the need to take the advice of a total and complete stranger, read on...

If I were in your shoes I'd get the A3. What I value in a car is a nimble yet confident feel that I love in the 1G TSX. The 2G TSX destroyed most of that feeling. I don't know if it's the added weight, the added width, or the new electric power steering, but there's no pleasure to be derived from chucking the 2G around corners. From a driving-feel perspective I thought the GTI (and hence the A3) was just behind the 1G TSX.

If the A3 you're shopping has the premium audio system you will prefer it to the stereo in the non-navi TSX. The A3 also has steerable headlights and a pretty cool monster sunroof.

Lastly, if you're shopping an entry-level luxury car then image is part of the consideration, and Audi seems to be gaining in reputation while Acura is rapidly damaging its brand (or not doing what it takes to enhance it).

 

Hi, this is my first post in the forum even though i've been following it for a few months now. I really felt like i had to register and reply to this thread because this was actually the same situation i was in when considering what car to purchase about a month ago. I was heavily considering the 09 TSX and was waiting anxiously for it to come out for the past months or so. When it finally came out, I was a bit disappointed by it, not by the visual appearance, but by the perceived size of it-it seemed much larger than the 08 model.

Some background: I'm just out of college, in my early 20s in southern California, and wanted something built solid, a bit sporty, with plenty of space to go camping, snowboarding, to the beach, and to move my stuff around from apt to apt over the next 7 or 8 years. I was looking for a non-navi, automatic car over the past few months, and finally settled on the A3 2 weeks ago.

Personally, for my lifestyle, I didnt need such a large vehicle (the 1st gen was a much better size for me), and the extra size of the 2nd gen was noticeable. I felt like the interior materials of the 09 TSX were also cheapened when compared to the 08. I was going for the non-navi, and the glare off the radio display was extremely distracting to the point where i could not even read it (on a sunny day). In my subjective opinion, the plastic used in the interior had a very cheap feel. I did really like how so many electronic features were included, and all the options that were included standard. The interior was very spacious, but personally, it felt TOO spacious for my taste, and this mainly the reason I began to look at different cars.

Which brought me to the audi A3. I didnt even consider the car until after I test drove the 09 TSX, and saw the Audi dealership down the road and decided to test drive it on a whim. When I got inside, the feel and refinement of the car was instantly noticeable. Although there was also extensive use of plastic, it felt like it was higher quality materials. I especially liked the feel of the steering wheel, especially the perforated leather on it, which is actually my favorite part about driving the car. Although the car doesnt include as many gizmos and options standard, I was happy with many of the standard options. The total cost of the car-pre-tax and registration-was 29400 (invoice)-so comparable to the TSX, and I was able to negotiate free audi care (free maintenance for 5 yrs/50000 mi), probably a result of the new 2009 A3 refresh coming out in september/sometime in the fall. The car itself is much smaller, and in the 2 weeks i've had it, ive already had to move out of my apartment and was amazed at the amount of stuff i was able to fit in it despite the A3 being almost 2 feet shorter than the TSX. The interior doesnt feel as large as the TSX, but thats not to say it lacks space-it just feels like youre much more connected to the car while driving it.

In the end, the interior of the 09 TSX was much too similar to the 08 Accord, which i was also considering. The layout was extremely similar and it was difficult to justify the additional costs of the TSX over the Accord (with leather). Both cars felt too large for my taste, and living in LA, I didnt exactly want something large since parking generally equates to parallel parking. With the A3, parking is much easier, since its so short.

Reliability was definitely a concern for me since i'm planning on keeping the car for 7 or 8 years. The consumer reports recommendation of the A3 put my mind more at ease about reliability, and it seems as though audi has been improving their overall reliability lately. I know that my mind would definitely be more at ease in regards to reliability with the TSX, but the size, refinement, interior, and sheer joy of driving the audi were too much to overcome for me when i made my choice on the A3. Only time will tell if i made the financially smart decision...

I probably missed some stuff, but if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

 

I guess the bottom line is: to each his own. Test drive all the cars you are considering and decide for yourself. Some hate the 2nd gen. TSX. I for one love it. The 1st gen, TSX was never even considered because to my eyes it looks bland and more like an economy car than a luxury car (think '04 Civic). To me the new model looks far more sporty, expensive, and looks like a true luxury car. Despite what its detractors say, it does outperform the original in speed, cornering g's, etc., while providing more room inside and getting better mileage to boot. So while it may not feel as sporty as the 1st gen. to some, the numbers don't lie. This doesn't mean the 1st gen isn't a great car, it is. But love it or hate it, the new model accomplishes what new models are supposed to do: it instantly makes the older version look dated.

As for all the other entry level competitors: A3/A4, IS250, 325i, G35, etc., are they all better pure driver's cars than the TSX? Sure. I test drove them all. But they cost $5 - $10k or more to equip equally to the TSX. So while they may be better in some respects, they aren't $5 - $10k better. Their base versions were all too little car for too much money comparatively. For me, bang for the buck and included features was more important than pure enthusiast driving. If the best driving experience is what you're after and cost is no object, then yes, there are better options than the TSX. But if you want the most luxury sports car you can get for as little money as possible while still having a pretty good time behind the wheel, you won't find a better deal than the 2nd gen. TSX. But don't take my word for it - that's just my opinion. Decide for yourselves what best suits you. As long as your happy with your decision, that's all that matters. There's no need to be hating on what others choose.

 

Craig-D...Well said and eventhough will disagree with you, let me say i do agree with everything you just said....but again, its my opinion also...O love the 2g TSX and I have the first one (which will go any day now)

 

Hey Side1021,

I was in the same boat as you.

In early March, I put an order in for a 2008 Audi A3 w/ (6speed, s-line, open-sky, titanium pkg, xenon, convience pkg). The dealer told me it would take 3 months for the car to be built and shipped to the dealership (Santa Monica, CA). While i was waiting I test drove the TSX and fell in love.

Both A3 and the TSX were around 32k, however the Audi didnt have half the things the TSX has interior wise. The looks of the audi, I would have to say looks better then the TSX, but when it comes to interior - the two are not even comparable.

The smarter pick is the TSX, long term, and reliability wise. Also maintenance cost....

By the way, I went with a black on black tsx with technology. Plus i got it for a great price - $29,900 before taxes and license.

-Johnnyaxion

 

you guys with your great prices Enough to make me depressed with our 38 000 sticker price here in Canada and extra for auto transmission!

 

That's one of my favorite things. lol