2010 Acura Tsx Review
To many Honda and Acura buyers today, the new 2010 Acura TSX may look like an upscale version of the Honda Accord. Okay, maybe not too upscale in terms of the price, but you pretty much get what you pay for. A base model TSX with the 2.4-liter inline-4 cylinder comes at a price around $29,000, and the car already includes standard leather interior, Bluetooth, a USB adapter for your iPod or flash drive, and an optional navigation system with Real-Time traffic and a back-up camera for an additional $2500. If you want to get all of those features in a Honda Accord, you will have to step up all the way to the V6 EX-L trim with leather, and the Accord’s navigation system does not even come with Real-Time traffic and a backup camera. Price? Around $35,000 without sales tax, title, and license fees. Oh, yeah, and there is also something that Acura was smart enough to come up on their entry-level car: An optional 5-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode and paddle-shifters.
My first impression of the TSX was that when I was looking at it from a front ¾ angle, I thought to myself, “Hey, isn’t that a TL?” You could say that, but it is not really a TL once you look at the TSX from the back. The rear has a real stream-lined look, and the chrome exhaust tips give it a real sporty look and feel to it. The interior’s leather seats are very comfortable; it is like you are sitting in a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, only without paying the C-Class price.
The steering wheel is made of 100% leather, and the dash and center console’s instrumentation buttons are pretty easy to understand and use. Like I said before, the TSX may look like a Honda Accord, but the TSX is not complete without its convenient 60/40 split-folding rear seats, whereas the Accord just has the 100% bench-folding seats, which I think it is a real pain in the neck when you still have to carry some people around as well as your needed cargo; therefore, the trunk for a car this size is immense; I could fit a couple of guitars with ease. The navigation system in the Tech package is very easy to use, and I really dig the voice commands for the navigation, Bluetooth, and MP3/iPod capability.
Unlike the Honda Accord, which has a base 4-cylinder engine consisting of 2.4 liters producing 190 horsepower, a stock Acura TSX 4-cylinder has the same 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with 201 horsepower. I know it is just a 10-11 horsepower increase, but trust me; they are well worth the extra money. The V6 models, on the other hand, are a little bit different. When I tested both the Accord and the TSX V6, I felt that the Accord was a weak little jack-ass, and the TSX was the strong, courageous fighter, sort of like an upper-cut punch from Chuck Norris on Jackie Chan’s jaw.
With its 280 horsepower, 3.5 liter V6, the TSX’s engine is pretty peppy for drivers who want to pass by people on the highway. The Accord felt a little bit heavy, even if and when the 271 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 is trying its hardest off the line. The 4-cylinder TSX gets respectable gas mileage in both the city and the highway (22/30 respectively-almost as good as a turbocharged Volkswagen GTI), and the V6 TSX gets about 4 miles per gallon less; you are also having a bit more legroom and headroom than a regular Honda Civic with the TSX’s extended wheelbase.
I believe that it was a great thing for Acura to put out this version of its TSX compared to the ones from 2008. The car feels a bit lighter, yet livelier off the line, and the handling and cornering is fantastic thanks to its sports-tuned suspension. My suggestion to anyone purchasing a Honda Accord or even a Toyota Camry for $30-35k, is to take a look at the Acura TSX; it may not look like the Acura Legend like you once owned 15-20 years back, but as far as value goes, it is 100% worth it. Furthermore, if you get the TSX with the TECH package which costs about another $2500, which includes your basic navigation system, back-up camera, and 700+ voice commands, it is very well worth it.
