blackmagiCL_S

My fiance' is looking to buy a new 4 door car so we went out today and test drove the TSX and the IS300. I was SOOOOOOO disappointed in the TSX. It was very nice inside but so damn slow! Granted it was an automatic but it was very disappointing. I didn't get to see how well it handled. Anyone else feel that the automatic TSX is a slouch? Now the IS300 on the other had was a lot of fun to drive. The instrument cluster looked very cluttered to me but overall it was nice. Peppy and nice to look at. I got some nice tire squeel on a highway on-ramp (then I got scolded by the sales person). Next we'll test drive some BMWs. We looked at the A4 but didn't testdrive it. Anyone feel that we are missing out by not taking the A4 1.8T for a rip? I didn't really like the feel of the interior after being in the IS300. It seemed pretty bland. The TSX had the nicest interior by far. I really wanted to like the TSX but overall it seemed pretty weak to me.

KCPreki11

Audi's are known for their interior.
The TSX's strong point is the interior, but now surprise that you think the TSX is a slouch.

blackmagiCL_S

I let my girl drive my CL on the way to the dealership...we didn't expect the TSX to stack up against a modded CL but it was still disappointing. My last car before the CL was a Prelude, 4 cyl with 200hp and it rocked compared to the TSX. I bet the manual TSX is a lot more fun.

The car mags all love the TSX so I don't know why it seemed weak to me....

Davediego

the stick is SIGNIFICANTLY faster than the auto in the TSX, you shoulda tried the stick, although as soon as you get back into your CL im sure you'll still find the TSX lacking in power the stick TSX should have no problem keeping up with a is300 though or possibly beating it

blackmagiCL_S

Beating it? Really? Certainly not the automatic though. No way. The IS300 would OWN the TSX auto vs. auto.

As a commuter car, she didn't want a manual tranny. Oh well.

Davediego

i didnt say it would in the auto, i said it would in the STICK

eclipse23

TSX in stick is fun, in auto, well, it's hard to pull power out of the auto.

AcuraFan

Yeah, the 'lude was a great car and with 200hp, it rocked. The difference here would mostly be transmission and weight. Was your 'lude a stick? (vs the automatic TSX you tested). Also, the TSX weighs significantly more.
But yes, I agree, the 6spd TSX is a lot more fun to drive. Also remember, a car isn't always about 0-60 and the 1/4. I think, if you can toss the car around a little on a fun road you'll see why a 6spd TSX is so addictive.

Also, you asked if you were missing out by not taking an A4 1.8T for a spin. I would say, if the automatic TSX was too slow for you, then an automatic A4 would be as well. IMHO

Eternal TL2k3

A4 has a lot of aftermarket support (mostly for the turbos) and has a great solid interior. the a4 would be a great choice to go for but if ure worried about speed, then the a4 isnt something u want then unless ure gonna mod it

Dan

I had my wife drive a TSX about four weeks ago. She was not impressed to say the least. There is a new IS300 in the garage now. In my opinion having driven both cars, once you get past the ricey dash of the IS300 there is no comparison, the IS300 wins hands down.
Dan

sidemarker

i have a hard time pictureing a TSX keeping pace with a IS300. maybe get a good size jump from the start, eventually the IS will catch up. But cruising or on the highway the IS will blow away the TSX.

sidemarker

zamo

With the IS300 due to change soon, I will rather get the TSX

sidemarker

i think the a4 and TSX is a great comparision BUT because the a4 has so many differnent options like turbo or v6 or FWD or AWD. I think the a4 is a better buy.

i do think the TSX has an edge over the interior/exterior styling though...

sidemarker

Dan

"With the IS300 due to change soon, I will rather get the TSX". This is why I got the IS300 now, I wanted the stright six that it comes with. This is one of the nicest engines I have been around. It was great in the Supra and is even better in the IS300. Now if it only made as much HP as my CL-S.
Dan

NOVAwhiteTypeS

i kinda liked the TSX, very solid, but it IS still a FWD car. if your going to compare it against a IS300 then the is300 is going to be better in the fun to drive factor. Also looks like your comparing auto vs. manual. and inline 6 vs. 4cyl . not reallly fair comparo other than they both have 4 doors

zamo

Granted.
@ $26,762 + tax for 212 HP in-line 6 RWD, it's a good price.

Get it here before the V6 comes (with more power?), or just wait fot the coupe.

cusdaddy

The IS300 is faster than a TSX if you compare the same tranny's. The Auto IS300 is faster than an Auto TSX and a manual IS300 is faster than a manual TSX

I really do like the TSX, but I have said 10,000x before, it needs a V6

SilverCL225hp

Since it is so disappointing then buy the IS300. TSX is cheaper than IS300 by a few thousand dollars when both have about the same features. I personally still found TSX much much more intriquing than IS300, which should have a Toyota badge instead of Lexus' besides being a rear wheel drive.

xrunner86x

The TSX looks like a cheap ass civic. The IS300 is better in all respects. The Toyota badge is rather respectable, by the way, and if anything should have a different badge, the TSX should be a Honda rather than an Acura.

AcuraFan

"the TSX should be a Honda"? Why's that? It has one of the best interiors Honda/Acura has ever produced. And, imho, one of the best handling Sedans they've made as well. Why a car of this quality "should be a Honda" is beyond me. It's a perfect fit for the entry level lux market.

On a lighter note...I finally hit my 500th post. Aren't we all excited? lol

SilverCL225hp

You tell me Toyota badge is more respectable than Lexus badge? Come on, be real.
By the way, you think TSX looks like a Civic because Honda vehicles have a family look. There is no doubt IS300 is a very good looking sport sedan, but it has no Lexus trait as far as exterior styling. Lexus's strong point is super quiet and super smooth ride so thus super comfortable cabin. Any Lexus vehicle not going in this route doesn't sell too well, and that is the case of IS300 and GS sport sedan, therefore they don't give me a feeling of belonging to Lexus family. In fact, although Lexus has a very clear selling point, so far it has not created a very solid family look. Plus IS300 really has a toy-like interior, therefore a Toyota badge is more appropriate for it. My suggestion for IS is change it back to Altezza and put it as a Toyota vehicle, give it a 2-litre level of engine with a Turbo and price it at the V6 Camry level, it would attract much more young people.

JRock

The stick TSX is a good performer.

I'd say you're not missing anything by skipping the Audi, but if you didn't like the TSX, maybe you'll like the Audi since it's pretty much the exact opposite of the TSX:

Smaller interior
Ugly dash
Less headroom
optional V6
optional leather (vs standard in the TSX)
optional AWD
lots of other OPTIONAL stuff
etc

Zoot

What about the C230 Kompresor Sports Sedan? It starts at 28k.

heyitsme

a super smooth, supper quiet, ls430-esque ride and sports sedan do not go together. thankfully lexus had the sense not to turn the is300 into a tomb isolating the driver from the road. also this family design idea is horrible. if i don't like the way the tsx looks, i 'm automatically not going to like the way the new tl looks and whatever else acura feels like dropping the tsx facia on-like copying audi. you don't like the a4, well every other car in their line looks like an a4 so you better move along. thankful lexus doesn't copy one car's style, its called creativity. glad to see bmw dropping the 'family' theme also in favor of unique designs throughout the lineup. lexus's strong point is quality beyond that of any other car manufacturer.

if honda brought the tsx back under their label in the us and priced it at the accord level it would sell a hell of a lot better also.

zamo

Thats what euro's are all about. Optional everything. Even they had optional CD player a couple of years ago (when Nissan Altimas - SE - where being sold with stock 6 CD in-dash changer).

You pay for the badge. I was also dissapointed with the A4 1.8T. I needed to get something more powerful, and then i looked at the A4 3.0 Quattro.... price way beyond the CL with stock everything - just the Navi is an option!

Why mess around with average quality cars (JD Powers Initial Quality 2003 - Mercedes, Audi), when u can get top notch quality for your buck (Lexus, Infiniti, Audi).

I will get the IS300, now that i looked at the price. But for a couple grand more I can get the TL-S. Due to change later this year, time to get a deal!

7or8

Hi guys,

First post here

I was reading this thread and had to make a reply to the comments about how Acura messed up with the 4cyl and how it can't hang with an IS300.

This is a quote from Car and Drivers recent TSX test drive..

.. Consequently, the powertrain harmony makes for brisk acceleration: 0 to 60 mph takes 7.2 seconds, which is as swift as the Lexus IS300, quicker than the Saab 9-3 Vector (7.3), but a few ticks slower than the BMW 325i (7.0) and Mazda 6 s (6.8). It should be noted, too, that the TSX’s 5-to-60-mph street-start time (7.7)—a more realistic indication—is only half a second slower than the clutch-burning launch, indicating that the closely spaced gear ratios make the most of the 2.4’s power band. The quarter-mile time of 15.6 seconds at 91 mph is quick as well, and a mere 0.2-second behind the torquier Bimmer, Lexus, Mazda, and Saab.

...On the skidpad, the TSX pulled 0.85 g, which easily tops its four-cylinder Accord sibling (0.77) and bests adhesion numbers from competing front-drivers—the Saab 9-3 Vector (0.83) and the Mazda 6 s (0.84)—as well as the rear-drive Lexus IS300 (0.78). The only car the Acura couldn’t outgrip is the BMW 325i (0.86).


http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=2

I'm not trying to bash the IS300 by any means. I really like the car..It's just that some posts on this thread where making it seem like the IS300 would blow away a TSX just cause it has a 6cyl.

AcuraFan

Good point 7or8. Some people have this preconcieved notion that the TSX can't compete. You can't win over every heart. To each his or her own.

Welcome to the forum.

7or8

Thanks for the welcome

EZZ

I believe they were comparing the auto IS300 to a manual TSX. The manual IS300 does it in 6.5. Also, the IS300 responds better to mods if you want to go that route. The IS300 is a Lexus because it was created for the sole purpose of chasing the 3 series. Although its success can be questionable, the TSX, IMO, fails worse than the IS300 if its purpose is to compete in that arena.

JRock

It's not. The cars the TSX is primarily competing with are the S40, IS300, and A4.

That the IS300 is going after the 3series is irrelevant. The TL/CL are Acura's 3series competition.

blackmagiCL_S

Thanks for all of the input guys. Unfortunately since my fiance' doesn't drive manual and doesn't really want to learn since it will be a car that she commutes in I may never take the time to test drive the manual TSX. As far as the Car and Driver article, I had read that as well which got me excited about the TSX. Once we compared the two in automatic trannys it became pretty clear that the auto vs. maunual TSX must be two different beasts. The inline 6 in the IS300 was nice and smooth with a fair amount of pull off the line compared to the smaller 4 cyl in the TSX that just didn't feel as zippy. Not a real suprise since the 6 cyl should be more torquey anyway.

I'll let you know when she makes up her mind. I wish that she would think about the Mazda 6 but she isn't a Mazda fan. I think that Mazda 6 is a pretty nice looking car. Since the TSX didn't "wow" her, she is considering a TL-S since she would like to stay in the Acura family (she has an Integra now) but is conflicted since the new model comes out pretty soon. Oh well...comparing cars is kinda fun so I am not complaining about test driving them.

7or8

I hear that

Chaptorial

Details on this one please.

blackmagiCL_S

ha ha ha....not too much to tell. We were getting on the highway and I decided to see how well the IS300 handled. The onramp was a nice curve and I just leaned on the gas a bit harder than he may have liked. Nothing too crazy, but after my Skip Barber class instructer told me that "squeeling tires are happy tires" I just had to push the car a bit.

1SICKLEX

Uhh, it is a Honda in Europe. An Accord. We don't get the wagon though.Yes, Honda dictates all their cars look alike. And all reviews point to bland styling. What has amazed the experts about Lexus is they DON'T look alike, and each one is a winner. There is not much family resemblence in each model. Now BMW is going that route.That IS 300 had 16" tires (the only one I've seen). Besides, I think most people would rather the exhaust note of a 6 than a 4. That buzzy noise can get irritating.

Again, the TSX is a nice family car but I read a review in Sports CAR International that summed it up perfectly : "The TSX will win buyers, just not any from AUDI, BMW or Lexus".

SilverCL225hp

First, not each Lexus is winner. When you look at the sales figure, only three models are really winners, and they are RX330, ES300, LS430. SC430 and GX470 are okay players I would say. But IS300 and GS300/GS430 are definitely losers, or at least one of the losers. The winners sell well not because they all have different look, but because they are selling what Lexus is good at-----comfort ride, smooth ride, and quiet ride. Anything that is not going through this route is not selling well. Because people have other choices when they are concentrating performance such as 3-series and 5-series. By the way, I can't see how BMW is going the non-family-resemblence route. Even without the BMW badge, I still can tell they are BMW vehicles no matter when. Look at Z4, 7-series, and upcoming 5-series and 6-series, they still maintain the typical BMW face.

r10apple

If cash weren't the issue, I'd get the IS300 any day. If it were a major issues, yes, the Mazda6 has grown on me...
I drove the TSX while having my car serviced and I was not impressed at all by the performance. It felt top heavy in the corners (though stock it would have taken my TL-S when it was stock on those crappy tires) and the overall acceleration sucked. Features wise, seemed to be right on par with Acura--it had everything you could want. The interior was awesome. I LOVED it. Price? In Florida, they are demanding-and getting almost $29k for a loaded one with a stick! Huh? WAY too much jack for this car...Maybe $25 or $26k tops...
Overall it's nice but for $29k I'd rather have a base IS300, an A4 with some options or a 2003 TL-S instead...

AcuraFan

Two things:
1. The TSX is upgraded from the Euro Accord. (more powerful engine and I think some improvements on the interior.)
2. There is no Acura over there so of course it would be a Honda. The NSX is a Honda in Europe, does that mean it should be a moved over to Honda here?

cusdaddy

The TSX is a European ACCORD. When is the last time we had an Acura Accord here???? Of course it would be a Honda

AcuraFan

Wow, talk about cyclical logic. 1Sicklex said the TSX should be a Honda because it's a Honda in Europe. Something to the effect of "It's a Honda over there so it should be a Honda here as well." My point is: the reason why a car of that quality is a Honda in Europe is because there is no Acura over there. If Honda had an Acura division in Europe, we could very well have seen a Euro Acura TSX. A car cannot be sold under the Acura nameplate in Europe if there IS NO Acura nameplate over there. So again I say, the NSX is a Honda in Europe...following Lex's logic, the American NSX should be a Honda too, right?