Thinking of buying a 2012 4cyl AT TSX. I'm concerned about what I've read in some places regarding it being underpowered. Do you find the acceleration acceptable? Keep in mind my previous cars were a 2001 Maxima and a 2006 TL.

 

why not just go test drive it?

 

I'm surprised at how deceptively quick my 4cyl at is. I thought it would be pretty slow because of the weight, but it has a nice pick up.

 

its fine for DD. but sometimes i do feel it lacks torque

 

I find the power and acceleration acceptable, but just barely. I'd really like another 15 hp and lb.-ft. of torque. It's still a wonderful engine though, with great sound and feel, which makes all its power accessible. Coming from a 2006 TL, you might find it underwhelming.

 

Seriously, no one should be buying cars without test driving them first.

I find it to have enough power. Some may want more torque (and not hp like they think), but if you want to do that, just leave your car in 2nd gear at highest and feel the sound of the revs.

 

^buut of course, the trade off would be lower mpg

 

It is good for 0-45mph bursts so it's good for DD duty, when you are going for the pass on a highway you might find it a bit anemic and revvy to little or no effect. It gets the job done ultimately on the highway but it's not going to swallow up a position when you need it to at higher speeds.

 

Yeah. I found that out when I absent mindedly forgot that I was in S-manual mode and left it in 2nd.....realized what was going on when the needle started bouncing like crazy

all the other cars around me slowed down a lot after hearing the sounds though :p

 

I came from a 2009 BMW 335 that was also used for a DD. I don't miss the 300/300 at all and I appreciate a car that I know will start in the morning.

 

i want to also add that, if you are at 60mph on the freeway and want to overtake someone or speed up, shift it into sports mode.

 

even in regular D mode, just tap the paddle shift and downshift, its enough to pass and then goes back to normal driving

 

Spring for the V6 and no regret.

 

the 4 is a great car. i opted for the v6 myself for more power and i liked the feel better. plus it come with the better looking rims!

still have that "S" mode when needed! its alot of fun in the v6!!

 

That's a good way to put it. It mostly gets the job done, as you say, but doesn't have the punch for many highway maneuvers I could accomplish easily (and safely) in my old Saab 9-5 Aero.

 

I have the 4 cyl Auto and while the engine is pretty decent and I do enjoy the car, I do find it to be a little underpowered in more situations than not. It's no slouch, though, don't get me wrong, and it's definitely leaps and bounds over many other 4 cyls I have driven.

The MPGs [outside of highway driving, but I don't get to do much of that, unfortunately] is nothing stellar at all either, and I know people w/ various other V6 models that get the same (if not better) MPG than me.

Nothing beats a test drive but if I was making a decision now within the current lineup or a used one within a few years, I would probably go with a manual 4 cyl or the V6.

 

I4 all the way, but 6MT only. Rev's like a champ!

 

09 and up have a better usable power band. Just remember that peak HP resides at 7k RPM.

 

was climbing up a mountain at 4000ft elevation and car was struggling in 5th gear.

 

what the hell were you doing in a car while climbing up a mountain???

 

Go drive one and see for yourself. It all depends on what you need in a car. It's a good mix of fuel efficiency and zip when you need it (higher rpm range). It's also a very reliable engine for the most part. IMO, it's pretty slow until you hit about 4,000 rpms, so if you need to pass, downshift and don't be afraid to take it up to 6,000+, plenty of pull in the upper range. The 5AT is just good enough, but it's no DSG. The 6MT I imagine must be tons of fun.

 

training, duh!