6 speed manuals - TSX vs ILX vs Civic
 

Hello all. I'd like to see everyone's comparison and thoughts among these 3 vehicles. As for me, I used to own a 2013 ILX 6 speed when it came out, and currently own two 2004-2008 TSX 6 speeds. I've never driven the current gen civics, but keep hearing the civic and ilx is pretty much the same car...

When I owned the ILX, I had came from a 6 speed 04-08 TL (base). I test drove a 6 speed 2013 TSX special edition, but felt like the ILX was more nimble/quicker, and not as bulky (it felt similar in size to the 04-08 TL), so I ended up with the ILX. After about 2 years, I got bored with the ILX and went back to a 6 speed 04-08 TL.

Fast forward another few years, I started getting bored of the TL, went to a TL Type S, but then hated the poor gas mileage and lack of maneuverability. Went to an S2000, but lacked the roomyness and comfort of a sedan LOL. So then here I am, now owning 2 TSX (1st gen), which I feel is like the compromise between the TL and a 2 door. It's quick for a 4 cylinder, good/decent gas mileage, easy to mod w/ lots of aftermarket support, and plenty of parts available. The motor has been tried and proven, almost bulletproof.

For me, it doesn't make sense to buy a new ILX because they don't have 6 speeds available (I still enjoy the tactile feedback of shifting and being engaged with the car). The current gen civics seem like a very viable option to me, because they are starting to look better, but I'm not a fan of the exterior as much as the ILX. See my problem here? lol.

What are your thoughts or experiences with these cars??

I though my '06 TL 6MT was great. Handling wasn't the best but coils completely transformed it. Dropping a bit of weight with the "TL Diet" helped a lot too in terms of body weight and roll.

I did enjoy the comfort of the TL and the V6 power, but even when I had TEIN coilovers, my turning radius problem still wasn't solved lol. I live in socal, so the streets are tight and sometimes not having to do a 3 point u-turn saves stress. plus, i was only getting like 21ish mpg mixed with the TL... :(

I had an 06 TSX 6MT before I bought my 12 TL SH-AWD 6MT and yes, I agree that the MPGs suffer in the TL (3.7). But that's also cause my foot got a little heavier after getting the 4G lol. Both are fun cars to drive. Out of the 3 that you are deciding between, I would stick with the 1G TSX 6MT or even a 2G TSX 6MT. Personally not a fan of the ILX or Civic.

I live in Utah where things are relatively spread out and the roads are pretty wide. Downtown is an exception but I rarely drove it downtown. So I didn't really notice the turn radius. But if that's a factor then yeah, I can see how something with a 4cyl may be more attractive.

I don't have experience with the ILX or Civic but I definitely enjoyed my TSX. It was only an auto but still a very fun and nimble little car. I test drove a 2G TSX with the 6MT but decided on the 4G TL. Wanted more torque and something a little larger for the family :tongue:

On the turning radius note however, when you need to make a sharp turn just crank it then pull the e-brake to straighten out. :toocool:

I own an 04 6MT TSX and have driven a 13 6MT ILX (my brother's). I've been looking for a replacement for our TSX for quite a while. I did test-drive both the new civic hatchback sport manual and the new accord 2.0T touring (dealer did not have a manual).

The main difference for me with these cars is NA vs turbo. I personally love the high-revving nature of the K24 in the TSX and ILX. The new 1.5T is great in day-to-day driving but falls flat when pushed and revved-up. The turbo lag and rev hang are quite annoying when coming from the K24. I feel the new 2.0T is much better (not only more powerful but also more playful). I'm curious about what they did with the engine in the Si (1.5T) but I don't think they changed much.

If you want the 2.0T, there is the accord but I feel it's a very big car and thus a less enjoyable driver's car. The interior is great though if you want comfort.
There's also the type R but I just could not own a car that looks like it comes from a Fast and Furious 2 set.

In terms of quality, the ILX is a bit nicer than a Civic Touring but, depending on how much you value leather seating and a good stereo, the base interior is a good step below the ILX.

You could look at a used accord v6 coupe manual (never drove it but it should be good). I personally have been looking into a used Lexus IS 350.

I did drive the newest accord 2.0t and enjoyed it, but then again, it feels much bigger than the 1g TSX, 10g civic, and ILX. The Honda Sensing in all the new Hondas are pretty cool by the way anyone try it out yet?

Oh, if anyone is on IG, I believe super street made a post recently about the 2019 ILX aspec and everyone was complaining there about the lack of turbo and manual too! Lol.

Thanks for the reinforcement. I was thinking to stay with the TSX for now, and maybe just adding my own aftermarket turbo and upgrading the infotainment down the road

yah, you wont have issues in Utah with the turning radius lol. When I lived in Oregon, the 3g TL never bothered me until I came to live in socal. Streets are super narrow, and you have to be quick with the u-turns to fight for parking sometimes too! Haha. Have you been down here?

man, the TL's turning radius just plain ole sucks! In Houston, streets can range in width from 3 parking spots wide to narrow european like city streets. scary stuff with 2 way traffic and narrow ass roads.

Reminds me of when I had my S-10 and tried to pull a U. thought it was a truck and could at least rock climb a bit over the curb. Front bumper got stuck on a giant Lawn rock, had to push it off while traffic built up behind me.

if I didnt require the v6 power, or if fuel got too expensive, I wouldnt mind a lil 1st gen TSX or something smaller with three pedals of course.

aww man! that must have been embarassing and stressful at the same time!

so i test drove a 2018 honda accord 2.0t 6 speed manual this last weekend. has anyone else test driven it?? that torque/power that hits at just 3k rpm is so fun! but i don't know... the overall driveability and tossability didn't feel as captivating as my tsx still.. maybe i'm bias, but i felt so much better and more appreciative of my tsx when i got back in it. it's less techy obviously, but if we were to compare the pure sportiness of the two cars side by side, i'd have to give the edge to the tsx. to me, it's more pure mechanical and bare bones fun. it reminds me of getting into an s2000, just a raw driving experience without all the techyness of the modern cars.

anyway... that's just how i felt. looks like i'll be modding the tsx a bit more now :)

I have a 2G TSX 6MT, and I recently drove a 2.0T Accord Sport with the 10AT. I've also driven a 1.5T Accord Sport with 6MT. I didn't push the 2.0T that hard, but overall I thought it was fantastic, and would be a nice upgrade over my TSX. More power, less road noise, more safety tech, and similar agility. I liked it much more than I expected. Plus, even though the Accord is larger, it doesn't feel like it from behind the wheel. The sense of size is about the same.

But I think that's because my 2G TSX is so wide; the Accord's larger size comes from its length. Your 1G TSX is much narrower, and probably about the size of the current Civic sedan. Plus, your TSX has hydraulic steering assist, while my 2G has feedback-killing electric assist like the current Accord. With these differences, I'm not surprised you find your TSX more engaging than the new Accord. Smaller size and better steering feel will do that!

I wonder what you'd think of the Civic Si sedan. I liked it a lot, but wish the interior were more upscale, and that the engine didn't feel so gutless at low speeds. Once you find the boost, though, it feels great on winding roads and on the highway -- where turbo torque rules. The handling is spectacular. If Honda adds Sensing to the Civic Si for 2020, I might go for it. Otherwise, I think I'd be constrained to go with the Accord Sport 2.0T, even though I'd prefer something smaller than my TSX, not larger.