frescagod

::sigh:: not another one, right?? sorry! i couldn't resist.

i sold my 2005 TSX about 18 months ago because i didn't need a car (nor the payment + insurance). i got into an S2000 last year and have loved most driving aspects of it. however, i got a brochure for the 2009 TSX and had to go take a look. i definitely miss some of the things that were in my 2005: navigation, comfy ride, decent handling, good gas mileage (30-33 mpg on the highway), and the backseat and trunk. anyway my quick review/comparison goes like this...

things i liked more in the 2009:
-more torque! accelerating from a roll in 2nd gear seemed much improved. i found myself around the 5000 RPM range very easily, yet i barely ever drove my 2005 up there.
-size and thickness of the steering wheel. it's as small as my S2000's wheel now. the leather quality seems about the same.
-floating gauge needles. they look cool!
-automatic headlights. it was light out but i saw an auto function.
-one touch moonroof. finally!
-handling. seemed slightly improved. the salesman told me to floor it through a couple of corners and the car obliged. there was obviously body roll, but like the 1st gen, it stayed taut through the rest of the corner and held its line pretty well, even as i accelerated fairly hard (gave it 90% throttle going about 50mph in 3rd gear)

things i liked less in the 2009:
-exterior styling. YUCK. some people said it grew on them, but i seriously stared at a grey one for a good 15 minutes and couldn't find anything i liked about it. the windshield seemed a bit more raked, which was ok, but the huge flared wheel well design looks goofy, the wheel gap looks larger than it should, the grill looks awful (obviously), and the tail lights really do look camry-esque.
-steering. it is super light. it's relatively quick, but it feels like a cheap arcade game. remember that game off road? where you'd spin the wheel and catch it to stop the turn? that's what it feels like. not good.
-buttons. i thought the layout on the 1st gen TSX looked sorta cluttered. better than some, but could have been better. this 2nd gen layout has what seems to be about 20 additional buttons, and they're not terribly intuitive after my 30 minutes in the car.

things that i thought were about equal in the 2009:
-transmission. i thought the clutch was lighter, but the shift throw was about the same from what i remember. very good. the 1-2 shift is indeed a bit improved.
-overall interior. some plastic pieces looked a bit cheaper, actually. the leather seems about the same as the '06-'08, but it felt a little softer than my '05.
-trunk. it looked like it might be a little deeper, but i think i remember reading that its size was virtually unchanged or even slightly smaller. not sure though.
-tires. they look like the same michelin tires, but i'm not sure, again.

all in all, it was a decent try, but there's no way i would plop down $30k for this car today, based on the exterior styling and the numb, light steering feel.

terpfan29

I felt that way about the steering feel a bit when I test drove it... otherwise I really liked it for the most part, but it was pretty light. I prefer the TSX because it has most of what I want...good fuel economy, good enough performance, nice interior, good features, decent exterior, etc.

Newplay1

Steering feel light because you been driving s2k for a year

Colin

Steering feel in the S2k is very light. Lighter than the TSX, RSX and TL. The ratio, however, is very fast with the '09 TSX and AP2s being almost the same.

Mokos23

i also like the flowing needles gauges too

09TSX

frescagod...funny how the exterior styling does turn some on, and turn some off. I like the 09 styling, alot, especially in PWP with a bodykit...Sweeeeeeeeet

frescagod

i thought about that, but yes, the TSX's is still super light. when i hopped back into my S2000 to drive home, i immediately felt the nice weightiness of it. the TSX steering wheel is sneaky...it is small and thick, but it feels like a video game.

the steering feel in my S2000 is not lighter than the TSX, RSX, or TL. i owned an '04 RSX and an '05 TSX, and have driven my friend's '04 TL several times and the steering is lighter in all three cars. i enjoyed the driving feel of the RSX more than the other two (which is probably why i am in an S2000 right now and not a TL).

colin, if your S2000's steering feels lighter than your TSX, you might want to take a look at the alignment. i recently had my S2000 aligned and the steering feel immediately felt weightier, and i think it had to do with the toe being out of spec.

as for the steering ratio, the TSX is at 13.4:1, while the S2000 (AP2) is 14.9:1. an AP1 is 13.8:1, i believe. again, these are just specs and not the be all, end all of steering feel, driving experience, etc. i believe porsche carreras have 16.9:1 steering ratios, but they're also nicely weighted and not artificially boosted to the point of the TSX.

Colin

It is very highly boosted, there is little doubt about that. I think because I'm used to the feel from driving the S2000s, it doesn't bother me. I have a theory that some of the G1 TSXers reactions may be colored by their lack of experience with a really fast ratio.

We've had 4 S2000s (2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005) and I drive the other cars for a living so I'm quite familiar with them. The S2000 has significantly more boost, especially at low speeds (we used to autocross a lot). We've had a number of different alignments on the cars, mostly for better front grip at the track but we never raced the AP2s. Since the assist is variable, this may account for the difference in our opinions. I was referring to low speed boost.

Sorry, I had the wrong "AP" in my earlier post.

frescagod

i could steer a 2009 TSX using only my pinky finger, but i can't really say the same thing for my old '05. i was one of those who complained about the size of the 04-05 steering wheel vs. the change they made in 06, but i would gladly take the bigger, thinner wheel in exchange for more weight and feel than the 09.

if i were in the market for a slightly upscale sedan with good highway gas mileage, i would snag an 08 for a little under invoice in a heartbeat and skip the 09.

Colin

We both agree on this point. The '09 may have the most low speed boost of any Honda/Acura to date. The RDX and S2000 are a close second. Having said that, they all firm up well at speed.

I just think that in the new TSX, the overboost combined with the fast ratio, has prompted the level of criticism that may not be entirely warranted. I've been driving the new car a lot and once you get used to the 'light touch' needed, it's not that bad. Damning praise I know, but my point is that as with many things, it requires a slight adjustment period..... maybe longer than a short test drive.