Kugs10

So after a long few weeks of test driving and research, I've narrowed my choices down to either a 2011 TSX, I4 + Automatic + Tech or a Infiniti G37x + Sport package + premium + nav. I decided the V6 TSX was not a good value, because at that price there are other better options (such as the G37, A4, etc).

Basically they are equipped the same in terms of comfort/convenience, and in fact I think the TSX has the edge in that category with a more refined audio system and technology package overall.

The major differences are obviously the engine: 200hp I4 VTEC vs. 300hp V6, and the FWD vs. AWD, and the side effects of that: milage, winter performance, etc. The G37 also has a 7 spd transmission, which is nice.

The price difference is $9,000, and both companies are offering aggressive financing and leasing options right now, so the difference remains $9,000 no matter how you look at it. Resale is slightly better over time for the TSX, so most of the $9,000 extra is not recouped at the time of sale from the G37.

So my only real reservation is whether the G37 is worth $9,000 more (plus approximately $700/year in gas due to worse milage). I can afford it, but I don't like to blow money on things that aren't worth it!

When I drove both of them the G37 is clearly more powerful...no question. However, I noticed that in my mid-sized city driving that I was not able to take advantage of that power very often, as I was at maximum traffic speed within a few seconds, and it felt as though the engine was begging to be let loose. In contrast, though the TSX is clearly less powerful, I felt that I could really run the engine and tranny through its paces in normal day-to-day driving. So I'm wondering if in the long term whether the TSX may actually be more "fun" for my daily driving? Am I completely off base here?

Anyone in the forum driving a 4 cyl TSX after driving a more powerful car, and if so, do you miss the straight-line power?

I understand this is a personal decision, but I thought I'd throw it out there for some opinions!

Thanks!

pbhak002

Hey man, first off welcome to Acurazine. I have a I4 TSX, which I have driven 12,500mi in the past 6 months of owning it, and every mile as been fun. My TSX was out of commission for about a 3 weeks as it was getting fix after I had an accident. So i had to drive my mom's GS350 for my daily commute of a 100 round trip. Honestly the GS was a blast to drive on the freeway. Especially when you merge onto the freeway I miss that you can out speed whoever you want. But once you reach cruising speed There isnt much difference between the 2 cars. When I got my TSX back the first thing that annoyed me was that I had to hammer it when I was merging on the freeway. But cruising wise and in the corners the TSX handles it self beautifully. The place where the TSX shines is in traffic, or in the city. The TSX is not as frustrating to drive in traffic/city compared to the GS. In the GS I hate feeling all this power but knowing I cant use it. lol In the end both are totally difference cars,the TSX will handle differently then the G35 cuz its all wheel drive. So to sum up my answer to ur question is that no i do not miss the GS's 300hp power in everyday driving, but I will say the GS did get 25-27 mpg close to the TSX's 30 mpg. lol Not sure if Infiniti r great on MPG. But if i was in a drag race, I'll take Bugatti Veyron SuperSport with 1,200 please Good Luck

TSXKid2010

Honestly, if it was me, and I'm just a kid, I would take the G37X if I could afford it. Those things are sick. LOL. This is just a personal opinion. There are a couple of examples on this forums of people buying the TSX as a "fun" Daily driver, and then switching it for a Lexus IS250F or a Evo X due to lack of power for "fun" driving haha.

Looking at it from a financial point of view though, the TSX seems to be the way to go. Best value for the money.

FLYGUY31

All very good observations. I was in a 04 TL which had about 270HP. I loved the power of that car. When looking for a new car, I tested the G35x (used versions 2008 and 2009). I loved the pick up that car had. It's extremely quick. But I couldn't get past the interior and the limited features it had. For the same price, I was able to get into a brand new car, with more features and zero miles. I like the styling of both cars, but the TSX is clearly "fresher" and there aren't many around right now. Yes, I do miss the power, but to be honest, I'm not drag racing, so what's the difference. Around town, the car is great. And once on the highway, there is plenty of power to go around. And now with gas prices climbing, I'm really glad I chose the TSX. I now fill up approx once every 7 days when in the past it was about once every 4 or 5. It does make a difference.

Kugs10

Thanks for the input.

I should mention my previous cars for perspective:

1987 Accord LX Manual
1994 Corolla Manual
2000 Audi A4 Quattro 1.8T Manual
2002 Toyota Highlander
2004 Audi allroad 4.2 Tiptronic
2006 Suburban (current car)

Obviously anything will feel sporty compared to my suburban!

pbhak002

Dude get an Audi A4 quattro. The G37 is not that pretty exterior or interior wise. lol I was pretty close to buying an red Audi A4 s-line but the dealer wanted a 4k markup on it. lol But Im very happy with my TSX. Its funny though that the Audi and the TSX would of cost me the same insurance wise. go figure lol

fxcarden

I test drove the A4, G37x and TSX and chose the TSX for the gas mileage and the value. My second choice would have been the A4, but I didn't want to spend the extra coin.

Test drive wise, the A4 blew the others away. I wasn't too happy with the G37x, especially at that price point.

Kugs10

I love Audis and would love to have another A4. But if I'm going to spend that much then I don't want to compromise, so to get one the way I want it would be over $43k and the lease/financing options aren't nearly as good as Acura and Infiniti right now, so the overall cost is much higher. Plus I don't want to own an Audi beyond its warranty, so then I don't have the option of owning this car more than a few years.

pinatubo

Assume that money is not your top priority, you only need advices.
Let me ask you, how young are you? Are you consider yourself as aggressive driver?
If so, go with the V6 engine, regardless of the G37 or TSX V6. It's much stronger than the TSX I4.
Yes, the I4 is cheaper, the I4 is fuel efficiency ONLY when you drive with gramma-style, if you drive aggressive, if you want to feel the engine rev'ed, if you want to feel how fast its response, it won't be fuel efficiency anymore but fuel eater.
I am saying that based on my own experience with my I4 and the previous Accord V6.

In term of luxury, I think both are at best, fans of Acura might say TSX is better, and fans of Infinity will say G37 better. Make your own judgement.

Kugs10

I am 35 years old and an above-average aggressive driver. I have 5 kids (we have a suburban and a minivan for them) so I'm not as aggressive as I used to be. Plus, 90% of my driving is in a mid-sized city in 35-55mph zones, so there is only so much I can do in terms of aggressive driving. The flow of traffic dictates everything.

Kugs10

Interesting that the fuel efficiency drops off that much. I did not realize that.

JavertHL

If you have family, are you comfortable with the back seat space in the TSX? I know it's a bit tight back there if you'll ever need to transport them with a TSX. Is the Infiniti better in that respect?

ParaSurfer1979

Good Lord...

EL_PIC

Good Lord again ...
Why cant you decide by test drives and/or edmunds.com etc comparisons ??

coffeefingers

Then you should definitely get the G37X...heck...you may even need to go up to an Infiniti M class car.

ParaSurfer1979

I was goo lording the amout of kids he had. Here I am wanting none at all..haha.

Kugs10

Because the people on this forum are enthusiasts about their cars and have more experience with them then the drivers on Edmunds. Test drives are great for a short impression, but do not necessarily translate into long-term reality.

Kugs10

No, actually the infinity seems a little more cramped in the back. The A4 was the most cramped. The TSX is probably the best of the three (new body style).

ufmike316

i just traded in a 2010 G37S loaded with NAV for an 11 TSX Tech. I like the TSX much more. the Navi system in the TSX blows away the Infiniti's. the stereos are about the same. the TSX feels much larger inside, and i like the gauges in the TSX much better. The infiniti had lots of squeekes when there was any body flex. the power was fun, but rarely used. also, the 7 speed tranny sucks in it. its always searching for the right gear, though with 330 HP, you never find yourself thinking the car doesnt have enough get up and go. (but wanted to note that the 7 speed tranny is not an advantage). The headlights on the TSX are also much better. i also just like the way the TSX looks better.

coffeefingers

Nooooooo....G37X FTW!!!!

ed_423

as a younger person, i'd take the G over the tsx anytime...just for that fun factor.

however, financially wise, maintenance, GAS, and having so many kids, i think tsx is a way to go. remember, tsx has a 5 star crash rating. its safe, nice trunk size, and decent quality. power tho, will not be great. but if you do mostly city driving, i think this might be better.

i do love the G though...

Kugs10

Interesting!

So you think the 5spd AT in the TSX is better than the 7spd in the G37? That wasn't my impression during test drives, but it's interesting.

I completely agree with you on styling. The TSX is much sharper.

So why did you trade it in so quickly? Do you miss the power of the G37?

Kugs10

Also, did you take a huge hit on depreciation when you traded in your G37 after one year?

Aman

It sounds like you might not get a chance to enjoy the G37's significant power advantage, instead fuel economy might have a bigger effect on you. You sound like a practical man, so I think the TSX would be the better choice.

Question: Have you posted the same question on the Infiniti forums? What have they said?

Kugs10

No I have not yet. But I will. Interestingly when searching the G37 forums I find no reference to the TSX. I suspect people who decided to buy a G37 typically have different priorities than TSX buyers.

ed_423

^ they will probably hate on the tsx

russel082581

tsx v6.

baksdak

This thread is ironic...I just traded in my 306hp 2007 G35S in January for the TSX 4 cylinder. One of the main reasons was what you stated - you just cant use the power in the city but you still take the mileage hit. Even on the highway the TSX has decent passing power.

I would do it again in a heart beat. Are there times I want more power? Of course. But those are few compared with the numerous smiles I get when looking at the mpg on the car computer!!

PM if you have any specific issues you want me to compare...

ufmike316

yes. sticker was 42k, bought it for 37.5k, got 29k in trade. on occasion, i do miss the power, but its a trade off i dont mind to get 6 mpg better. not just for the financial savings of the gas, but because i also want to use less gas (but cant bring myslef to drop below the 200hp threshold). i wouldnt say the transmission in the TSX is better, but i dont feel that the 7 speed tranny in the G is better. what i didnt like about the 7 speed is that in manual mode, its hard to get a feel for what gear you want to be in (ive owned many 5 and 6 speed manuals, and never felt in tune with the 7 speed auto). also, many times to really hammer the throttle, it would need to drop 2 gears, which it has issues doing smoothly.

Nedmundo

From your previous cars, obviously you can drive a manual, so go for TSX with 6MT. I live in downtown Philly, so I deal with city traffic all the time, and I'll drive nothing but stick. It gets tiresome in the ol' stop n' go on the clogged interstates, but in the city itself, I much prefer manual. Given your situation, the TSX might be better than the G37x for all the reasons you state.

I'll toss a left-field suggestion at you: Saab 9-5 Turbo4 Premium. That gives you loads of room, an enormous trunk, more luxury than either of the others, and comparable mileage to the TSX because of the high-tech, DI turbo four. Believe it or not, that turbo four moves the big Saab pretty well because of its wide torque band. I was amazed when I drove one. Saabs tend to be heavily discounted, so mid $30's should be possible. The only issue is reliability, but if you'd be comfortable with an Audi, you're definitely Saab worthy!

AcuraZealot

I went from a 2004 TL with the 6MT to a 2007 TSX with an automatic. It is always more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

Mr. NC

For sheer fun proly the G37x but for every other reason the TSX wins

pinatubo

Even with 201HP, you won't come close to that number.
Another keypoint, do you actually want the car that has faster response and quicker acceleration? Look for the V6 since this I4 is way too slow.
Yes, you choose the S-mode to get better "feeling", with this kind of driving, the fuel efficiency will drop to about 22 or 23 mpg which is about the same as my previous V6.
So if you want to maintain 28-30mpg on 35-55mph roads, go relax on your foot and avoid traffic as much as you can.

KillerG

used gt-r, they go for like 25k

b.ike

I was looking at the G35/37 before I got the TSX. For me it just came down to money: TSX is purely a value buy (to me at least...as I wanted something semi lux and "sporty" though the TSX is the least sporty of the entry japanese lux models imo)

Driving wise, anyone will probably tell you the infiniti will give you heaps of joy when compared to the TSX. (You're in an acura forum so theres a good showing of support for the TSX, but if you venture out of here, the praise for the TSX is virtually non-existent) Anyhow if I had the means, I would have definitely gone away with an infiniti isntead of the TSX.

Granted, the comparison here should be between the TL and G37 :P So in theory, its not a fair comparison as the TSX is a level under the G37.

But judging from your situation, I think the TSX will be a good choice. Unless you have the time and space to enjoy the power in the G37, the TSX will give you plenty of fun in the city if you push it.

Aruca Xst

haha it seems like many of us Acura owners contemplated buying a g35 or g37...I was going to pull the trigger on a used 09 g37x but I backed out when I realized I could be sitting in a luxury car with 0 mileage for the same price. The g37 power is excellent and it is a joy to drive. If I was in your position, I would go for the G37 simply because you stated your aggressive driving nature. But with gas prices these days, I wouldn't hesitate on the TSX either. It is plenty powerful for city driving and decent on the highway til you hit about 75 mph lol

Invisible

The Infiniti is just too boring looking. For the price, too many nice alternatives.

the_razor

That's soo true man. With this fuel price better to drive like grandma and save some $$. Anyways do you guys know what's the fuel tank capacity in our TSX? I am guessing ~ 60 or 65

Shotimer

I drove 08 G35S (sedan). 08 was last year they had G35's and they went to G37's at 09.

Then i traded it for 09 TSX. G35S was loaded with Navi, "S"package and everything. it was an awsome car to drive untill i sat in my friends honda accord and compared MPG. it was rediculous what he was getting and though to my self wtf am i driving this car when i rarely need the power. So MPG is obvious difference.

i personally like the TSX styling better but stock rims are better with infiniti i think. i didnt need to change my rims when i had the G35S but i changed my rims on TSX with in weeks. so i put extra $$$ on rims where as i didnt on infiniti.

Nav is sooooo much better on Honda/Acura. Period.

I think theres more room in the trunk. i play golf a lot so it was a hassle putting clubs in the trunk with G35S but not so much with TSX.

i could keep going but i will stop for now.

Caliwild

I came from a Lotus Elise to a 4 cyl TSX 6-speed. There's obviously a huge performance drop. But in all honesty, it was frustrating to have a car that can perform so well in Los Angeles. You're mostly on straight roads (no fun curves) and police are waiting for you to even think about speeding. So I went with the TSX. I will say that the manual transmission is much faster and more responsive than the authomatic. If you like a stick-shift, go with the manual 4-cyl. And it handles much better than I ever expected. And yes, I'm averaging 30 mpg in mixed city/highway driving, which is great with these gas prices...