Edmunds: First drive, 2009 Acura TSX

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=125231?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..2 .*

I'm feeling a little bit let down. I thought this might be the car that would end up replacing my 335i at lease-end... but I might actually buy this one.

I've always liked the Accord/TL, but the new Accord is just way too big... classified just barely 'large car' status by the EPA. And so the new TL is sure to be just as big as well.

So then you've got the TSX... the 7/8ths Accord sized car that is the European spec Accord... Europe generally seems to agree more with my perceptions of what a car should be in terms of size and weight... the cars aren't as generally bloated there as they are here, and seem to put fuel economy as a higher priority.

But now that the full details are out on this car I just feel a bit let down. 201 horsepower is weak. I could deal with if it gave the benefit of stellar fuel economy, but this TSX 4-cyl actually gets 2.5mpg average worse economy than the 4-cyl Accord which is a larger car.:confused:

My last standing hope is that they'll bring out the diesel they've been promising and it'll blow the 4-cyl's economy out of the water, and/or they'll bring out the turbo-4 from the RDX SUV with much improved performance with minimal impact on economy.

For now the power train just doesn't compel me.

I'm also not too sure about the looks. It actually looks pretty good in a late model Saturn sort of way except for the goofy plate of armor looking thing in front of the radiator.

The interior also just doesn't look substantially upgraded enough from the US Accord... I still can't really tell the two apart very easily in pictures which is bad considering that the previous gen TSX/TL had interiors that were an obvious upgrade from the US Accord.

Acura sales were down 4% in 2006, 10% in 2007. Nice to see they're set on keeping on-trend.

Acura sales were down 4% in 2006, 10% in 2007. Nice to see they're set on keeping on-trend.

Yeah, they've never really broken free of their "near luxury" image. Having nothing but FWD-based vehicles sure doesn't help. Nor did their inclusion of a Civic-based volume model. And their switch to the alphabet soup model names destroyed any equity they might have had in the 90s. With so much variety available in the "true" luxury segment, there's little reason to shop Acura aside from being a Honda fan.

I see Acura as a brand that is good for those not quite content with the plain vanillaness of the standard bread and butter family cars, but not quite impractical enough to justify buying an expensive full fledged luxury or luxury performance car.

I see them as practical luxury.

I also love the fact that they don't nickel and dime their customers to death on every option... most things are standard on their cars... it's just a question of auto or stick and tech package or no tech package on most of their vehicles.

That's too bad. I think the current TLs are dead sexy for a daily driver.

The one thing that did disappoint me about them was for such a large car, the interior (rear seat room especially) felt cramped. In contrast, the interior of my G6 feels absolutely cavernous (has almost as much rear seat room as front seat room) and is classed as a mid-size. :confused:

Some of the angles don't seem to play off each other right. Bould just be the weird camera angles though.

They need to step up their game to keep up with the leaps that GM is making with their new introductions. Not saying that GM's new introductions are better than everything else, but it seems as though GM is sprinting right now and everyone else is jogging.

Dan

That's too bad. I think the current TLs are dead sexy for a daily driver.

The one thing that did disappoint me about them was for such a large car, the interior (rear seat room especially) felt cramped. In contrast, the interior of my G6 feels absolutely cavernous (has almost as much rear seat room as front seat room) and is classed as a mid-size. :confused:

The G6 and TL are pretty close in size... especially in length... within 3 tenths of an inch of each other with the G6 having a 4-5 inch longer wheelbase.

The current TL is of a reasonable size, I think. The all new 2009 TL won't be though unless for some crazy reason it is no longer going to be based on the Accord.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=125231?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..2 .*

I'm feeling a little bit let down. I thought this might be the car that would end up replacing my 335i at lease-end... but I might actually buy this one.



Are you kidding me? A FWD 4 cyl family sedan for a luxury car price? With 6 cyl gas mileage?

How Acura manages to sell any of these is beyond me. The only people I know who buy one are buying the badge.

If you've really got a Honda thing going and the Accord is too big, buy a top-of-the-line Civic and save your money!

Looks more corporate Honda than the last one to me...

I was actually a fan of the last TSX ( ssssssh :D ) For what it was it was nice looking car , especially inside . Like the new Accord , this one is just lost . The new TSX ....again like the new Accord , look like they could have come from Hyundai a couple years ago .

I was actually a fan of the last TSX ( ssssssh :D )

I'd want to keep that quiet too :D