Way to go TSX

Sales of the TSX were up 11.6%, while sales of every other Acura (and every other Honda excluding the Fit) were down. Thats pretty good, and I'm sure it's because of the efficiency of the TSX and it's pretty good looking too (compared to the rest of the Acura lineup). This is a great time for a V6 .

 

I actually hope they never bring out a V6 version, for one reason...

because I don't like knowing that I don't own the most powerful version available. LOL

 

Same here hahaha... cmon, I just got this car..

 

It does make me wonder why they are turning off TSX production?

 

I just checked and the TSX outsold the Lexus IS for the month. With a V6 the TSX should easily outsell the IS and a few other vehicles in it's class. Now that the TL is universally hated a lot of buyers are going to flock to TSX especially with V6.

 

 

Nice job guys.

 

Probably so they can build up some demand pressure and ease back the incentives thus increasing the margins.

 

TSX outsold A4 for the month, too. It did pretty good, against it's direct competitors this month. The G outsold both the TSX and TL though.

 

So clearly people are liking the TSX in this economy. The numbers are very impressive when you compare them to competitors.

The TSX offers nice features and a nice ride at a very reasonable price, and it has a fuel efficient I4 engine. It makes a lot of sense for buyers still looking for some luxury right now. Acura needs to keep pushing the TSX and IMO that includes bringing over the i-DTEC. Bring it over and make the TSX the obvious choice for luxury car in people's minds.

 

The diesel is dead in the water with current gas prices. The argument for diesel is an uphill battle for the general population (most people still have the idea of diesel cars from 80's and early 90's in their heads). It won't have any traction until we start seeing $4 dollar gas again. Honda knows this and is a large part of the reason for yanking the launch of the engine when they did.

I think these numbers should show that Honda knows what it's doing in the market segments it competes best in. It's too bad the new TL is such a dud because they made a ton of headway in that segment with the previous generation. All in all, I have been terribly unimpressed with what has come out of their new North American design facility. They need to get some new leadership in there before they put Acura in a hole that will take 10 years to dig out of. I have to think the spectacular failure of the new TL would be plenty enough impetus for Honda to do that.

 

There is nothing wrong with bringing diesel here. VW has smallest decline in North America due to diesel Jetta. and they are introducing it in Audi. Audi A4 will improve with lighter FWD model.
This Canadian sale snapshot.
So they definitely needs to improve on TSX by bringing Diesel/V6/Turbo/AWD in single platform.

 

My how the mighty (TL) have fallen.

 

Man, can't we have a single thread about Honda's future without SSFTSX coming in to trout about the superiority of every other brand? You're like a broken record full of advertisements.

 

you made an inaccurate statement that diesel have no market. For luxury brand it is more so.
Diesel cars have less depreciation. So lease payments will likely be smaller or similar even at $36K price. THere is definite market for diesel TSX. with 5speed auto it has same performance as 2.4 with 45% better fuel economic on same cycle. The point is to give some thing to Acura dealers to sell quickly even with 6MT otherwise they will close the shops with current sales figures.
www.honda.co.uk

 

I agree, I don't entirely buy that the decent sales are on account of it's I4, more the all around crudiness of the TL, which is large, expensive and ugly. I think the TL is suffering the RL's fate while the RL suffers something even worse thanks to Acura's efforts to turn it into an Edsel.

This goes to show what a mistake it was to punch a hole in Acura's lineup where it had been strongest for years running and all the more reason we should expect a V6 TSX very soon.

 

First, its "fuel economy" not fuel economic. That's fuel economy.

Acura has problems and is trying hard to keep up. They don't have the charisma or the cache at this moment needed to sell those diesel farting cars from the 80's to the modern US public. A car company with a better image than Acura that's not based in Europe would have to introduce such as vehicle in order for people to give it a thought. Yes, maybe Lexus could do it.

 

Its like the movie Airplane: "looks like I picked the wrong week to stop drinking"

"Looks like Acura picked the wrong time to make the car more expensive"

 

With a V6 in the TSX the TL sales are going to get even worse. I saw the my first TL on the road the other day and before I even knew what was, I was thinking "ugh, what is that?!" When I realized it was the TL I was honestly shocked at how badly they had butchered it. It's an order of magnitude worse than what they did to the RL. It's seriously a rolling eye sore.

 

It least the TL has a coherant look, the RL looks half keen edge, half early 2000's bland. If they had stuck the 2G TSX's front and rear on the 1G TSX you'd probably laugh and throwup, but that is what the RL is, literaly.

When I see the new TL I think "Maxima with a walrus' face" and then I feel all the more grateful for the all around decent look of the TSX, especialy with a moded grill.

 

I think SSFTSX is bringing something good out here. He just mentioned that diesel could be beneficial to Honda/Acura in North America, and he's right.

The styling is most definitely impacting TL sales. If the mags are any indication the TL is hated at worse and tolerated at best. This is the worse thing Acura has done in recent history. Mess the styling up on thier best selling model ever. But now the TSX will have to take the TLs place.

Check the even mightier MDX

 

It's crazy and pretty sad how the TL has fallen off so drastically. I can only hope that Acura realized their mistake and does at least a few touchups on the styling, although that probably wouldn't be enough to fix the downward spiral. It really needs a FMC ASAP. The price probably doesn't help, either.

FWIW, I do see 2G TSXs around. Not as much as Accords of course, but certainly quite a bit more than 4G TLs. I've only seen 4 new TLs.

 

I've seen one and my office is about 3 miles from a dealer. There's been more 2G TSXs than I can shake a stick at. They really grew on me once I saw them in person (the TSX I mean).

 

They definitely bungled the TL's design. It would have been a hit if they slightly tweeked some of the lines of the 3G TL. Look at the new G, it's just slightly different than the previous generation. It will be 4 more years of dog sales for the TL. The RL is basically dead. The TSX will be moderately successful because it has a more coherent look. I love Acura/Honda but when I am ready trade up from my 3G TL in 3-4 years, it probably won't be an Acura.

 

I'm seeing a ton more 2g tsx on the roads in nyc lately....

 

So can a recall or a TSB be sent out to replace the TL grill? Just wondering.....

 

There's more problems than the grill but the grill makes those problems hard to forgive. I was at a dealer recently and a TL had its grill painted to color match. I'm wondering if the factory is sending them that way or if the dealer did it to a show car to demonstrate for customers how it can be made to look decent.

 

LOL maybe this will help:



... conjunction junction, what's your function... hooking up words, phrases and clauses....

 

This would my my advice to Acura. Maybe it should be title "My advice to Acura..."

1) Offer a V-6 in the TSX
2) Get rid of the RL
3) Modify the TL and make it slightly bigger with more HP and offer it only with SH-AWD

The RL is way too close to the TL. I would focus on what Acura is good at, fuel efficient, high-tech, affordable entry luxury cars.

I would offer at Tech and non-Tech TSX and only a tech TSX-S (V-6) I would offer only one TL. In these times, don't offer so many options. In my opinion, too many options leaves too many areas for quality/electrical issues (BMW, Mercedes, etc.) The RL is a beautiful car with great technology, but they bit the bullet and have never market it properly. Also, offer a manual on all models. You make great manual transmissions.

Prices
TSX non-tech: $29K
TSX tech: $31K
TSX-S (V6) tech: $35
TL tech: $38

Power specs
TSX: same 2.4L engine
TSX-S: 240-250HP, 200-220lbs
TL-tech: 300HP, 260-280lbs

Don't spend your R&D money on developing a V-8, leave that till later. Keep up the great work on your V6's. From now on, fuel economy will always be important.

Acura, remember, keep it simple stupid. Focus on what your good at, not what you think you should be good at. You can't be making money selling 200 RL's a month. You shocked everyone and got rid of the RSX, do the same with the RL.

 

2 reasons why TL has fallen and we all know them. 1- UGLY design.... 2- price. It is just sorta out of its range... After I checked the current prices on TL, I began to understand why many of u want a V6 TSX so badly. No wonder G37 outsells everything. It is the best bang for the buck in its own category today.


PS: MMsTSX is just being realistic

 

What? no... put the 300 HP engine, AWD and 6 speed MT in the old body.... and offer RWD model.

 

I forgot to mention, the TSX styling is fine, but you have got to change the TL/RL styling. How, I'm not sure, but the TSX grew on people once they saw it in person, the TL is going in the opposite direction.

Enough, I'll shut up now...

 

I think the 3G TL is the best looking Acura ever. I own the TSX, but think the 3G is better looking. RWD would help sales in the south, but I'm afraid there are alot of people up north where it snows that Acura would lose if they went to a RWD platform. I think the SH-AWD is good enough.

 

Remember that the TSX has much more dealer money than the TL in January, also, you could lease a TSX for $299/month, which was a great inticer. I think people are dialing back on the spending, especially the disposable spending, which could be the reason why some people chose the TSX over the TL. The TL is polarizing in looks, the same issue the 2nd gen TSX had when it came out. Over time, people are liking the TSX more.

I think the TL is well done, however the beak needs painted. Since the TL is such a parting design from the mainstream, it has the ability to be accepted (or not, remember the Pontiac Aztec???). I do wish the TL wheel flairs and rear end were used on the TSX. Sometimes you have to come out with a cutting design to drive the mainstream - look at the BMW 7 series 5 years ago and what that did, it created the term "Bangle butt" for the designer Chris Bangle, yet it ended up getting copied into many vehicles.

Regarding ALL OF THE TALK on the V-6, I still believe, "its not coming" It is not Christmas, Santa is not going to deliver. Too much pressure on fuel economy and the cost sensitive public. Direct inject the i-4, put a super/tubo charger on it, and let her rip. The direct inject alone would add around 20 ftlbs of torque?

 

Keep in mind you're talking about adding things that Honda does not yet have developed or are not very fond of (the K23T in the RSX). I digress though as there are two other very active threads on this topic.

The back of the TL is only slightly better than the front, which is to say it's hideous. I'm very glad they didn't bring that styling to the TSX. The back of the 2g TSX is really quite nice I think. Probably the biggest difference between the TSX and TL in design and marketing is that the TSX looks better in person than it does in pictures while the TL looks worse in person. And it looks bad in pictures to start with. I don't see the TL becoming accepted in time the way the TSX has.