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I love Accords; I have the 2003 EX w/ leather but 4-cyl engine automatic....reason I would choose the Acura is becuase I heard (and felt slightly on the test drive) that the V6 does not handle very well for a V6 for the price. I've heard adjectives like "mushy" when describing the handling of that engine due to the extra weight up front.
I can understand the weight factor, but mushy handling, I don’t think so. Don’t be jealous because you only own a four cylinder..jk. The four will never out handle the 6 cylinder, no matter what you have HEARD? Tell me a V6 that handles that much better in its price range.
mike - all I'm saying is that I've heard the V6 simply isn't worth it. I heard the mushy handling thing from the "other side" - a European review site that rated the American vs. the European versions of hte Accord. The S2000 has a 4-cylinder engine too and not many people seem to have a problem with the number of cylinders. I'm sure it accelerates very nicely, but for me, it wasn't worth the extra money. Especially with the 2003, compared to the 2002; the entire car got redesigned for 2003 but the 2002 was still using pretty much the same engine as the lighter 1996 model, so it lacked pep; even whe I have the A/C on full blast on my 2003 it's nice and quiet and doesn't scream at me when I need to accelerate to merge in a highway sitaution. Why would I bother with the V6 then? To say I have a V6 engine? for the price, no way.
Stop making excuses. The V6 is awesome, the four pales in comparison. I don’t care what you have read, of course the car is going to be heavier,it may not be as agile as the 4 cyclinder, but not enough for the average or even experienced driver to notice. Pack four people in your car, put the AC on and let me know how it is to merge onto a highway compared to the V6. If money werent an issue you cant say you wouldnt have gotten the 6. The V6 is praised by automotive journalists, but its funny how you quote a European Magazine.
THe S2000, are you really bringing that into the topic.
People who say the V6 isnt worth it, or a waste of money, are the same people who say money doesnt matter in life..lol
Try again ! The 6 handles well, but the question is , does it really out handle the accord to the extent a normal driver would notice. THe slalom numbers are practically identical.NOPE!
PS: The Mazda six automatic is a DOG! Thumbs down to FOrd for that
"Try again ! The 6 handles well, but the question is , does it really out handle the accord to the extent a normal driver would notice. THe slalom numbers are practically identical.NOPE!"
The Mazda6s with the sport package handles better than the Accord V6 and out-brakes the Accord by a long shot. The Mazda6i sport package leaves any Accord in the dust in the handling department.
"PS: The Mazda six automatic is a DOG! Thumbs down to FOrd for that"
Thumbs down to Ford for that? It's a Jatco transmission, not a Ford transmission, and it doesn't bother me anyway because I don't buy automatics. Thumbs down to Honda for not making a manual V6 available in the sedan!
Both good cars on day 0. After Day 0, look at the resale value of both cars. I don't even have to type my point because it's so obvious. Thank you for reading.
I test drove an auto. TSX and an Accord EX V6 today. The TSX has the edge in quality, and a tighter suspension, but I felt that the Accord was much nicer to drive. I was impressed by the Accord's smooth engine and transmission, and it had a nice balance of tightness without being too harsh. The TSX engine has to work much harder, and didn't shift as smoothly. Anytime you gave it a little gas, it had to downshift. It seemed like a fun car to drive hard, but in daily driving I think it would be annoying.
I was somewhat disappointed with the Accord interior. The leather was not as nice as the Acura's, and some of the trim seemed cheap, especially on the door panels. Not US manufacturer cheap, but not the quality of a luxury car, which many people claim it has. The dash and the gauges are first class, many switches are identical to the TSX.
I'm actually leaning towards an '03 TL Type-S. I'm getting a great price with the $1500 marketing support at $27,150. It doesn't have the modern look of the Accord or TSX, but it offers the combination of quality and performance that I'm looking for. If Acura would put the Accord V6 in the TSX for another $1000, then I'd be interested.
I'll add my two cents in having driven the Accord V6 extensively, owned several Accords, and now owning a TSX.
The Accord V6, in my opinion, is the best buy available in ANY CAR (lofty claim, I know). It does handle OK, but I don't think you could call it sporty. It is nose heavy and feels mushy around the corners (but, I do think the Honda V6 handles nearly as well as the Mazda 6). The ride is composed and the interior very comfortable.
I think the Accord interior is every bit as nice as the interior on my Acura. Most of the materials are really top notch - worthy of a much more expensive car. The only real difference, in terms of quality, is that the leather on the seats in the Acura seems much nicer.
The Accord 4 is a smoking deal as well. The 4-cyl cars have are missing some of the features that the V6 has though. Of course, the 4 won't have the acceleration of the V6. Still, the four feels pretty damn lively, and handles better. If feels a lot more balanced than the V6. In Consumer Reports tests, the 4-cyl automatic version of the Accord did 0-60 in 9 seconds - competitive with the V6 versions of some other vehicles (like the Mazda and VW).
As for the TSX, you pay a premium for exclusivity and a lux name tag. So, it s not nearly as good a bargain as the Accord. It is also much smaller inside. Yeah, I know it is only a few inches here and there, but you really feel it. The ride on the TSX is also kind of stiff, but not horrible. The handling is much, much more sporty than the Accord. It is a really fun car to drive. And, the long I have it, the more I love the way it looks on the inside and out.
Anyway, all three of these options are great choices, and you can't go wrong. If I had a family and needed room, and I didn't mind the way it looked (like many others, I don't like the rear end of the new Accord at all) I'd probably get the Accord. But, I'm single, don't need space, and wanted something more sporty.
Even though I test-drove the Accord V6 and was impressed with its acceleration, there are two main reasons why I didn't seriously consider it when cross-shopping for a 4-door sedan.
1) I really don't care for the '03 exterior redesign. I don't like the headlights, the bulbous shape, and the overbloated trunk. To me, the car is just plain ugly. I think the previous model year looked just fine.
2) The sedan is a shared car. My wife is MT-challenged, but I prefer a MT, so "auto-manual" transmissions were a must. The Accord does not offer a manually-shiftable AT (unlike the MZ6 and the TSX).
Based on these 2 primary criteria, the Accord was axed from my short list, leaving just the MZ6 and the TSX. Ultimately I chose the TSX because I couldn't get a MZ6 optioned the way I wanted at the price I wanted at the time I wanted... but I digress; this discussion is about the TSX vs. Accord.
I just got my Accord EX V6 Sedan last nite....I LOVE IT....i now love the looks inside and out and it is one hell of a ride...and the pick up...my god...i was used to an 86 cavalier for 4 years and then my 89 camry for 2 years....i don't think i'll ever be able to go back to a 4 banger!
The new accord is so classy looking, f- sporty, it's sporty enough and I tell you what, my friends all love it and wish they had it...my buddy drives a bmw 3 series and says after driving it so long, he'd rather save money and have the upscale luxury and new design on the accord...my other buddy drives the altima and says that he should have at least considered the accord more then he did.(he didn't at all). and my other friend has the Maz 6. I like that car too, but he also said he can't believe how luxurious the accord feels compared to his.
anyway....i paid 100 under invoice, added mudguards, foglites, and wheel locks, for an additional 600 installed. Not including the extended warrenty walked out of there at around 25.5 even including tax, extras, tags etc...
One hell of a deal...the TSX would have cost me a lot more and I'm using the saved money for my new house!
if you get the aftermarket spring set for the Accord, it will probably handle better. Honda most likely has the exact same suspension(springrate, damper, rebound, etc) set in the V6 as the I4. Only thing is the driver front tire has an extra 200lbs on it which doesn't exactly help out the balance of a car designed for a 4cyl engine. ....
Well folks, I just went to the dealer to pick up my car, which I dropped off yesterday for it's first oil change and some rattles. I also asked them to check the tranny because it took a bit to engage into drive from P, R or N (1-2 second delay to engage D). No biggie, I thought... I was hoping that they would say that this is normal.....been like this from day #1 Nope, "Re manufactured Transmission" has been ordered. Service told me that this is not "normal". They also told me that they have replaced transmissions on other '03's. I didn't ask for details but I did want to let you all know because I have seen posts on these boards with this same symptom. Question: They tell me that a "Re manufactured Transmission" is not a "re built transmission" because ALL the innards are new (perhaps used casing) and it's not assembled in an assembly line, but rather by humans at Honda motors... Is this true? I also demanded a new torque converter.. they told me that Honda only sends them as together to eliminate contamination concerns. Does anyone have the facts on these two items? Anyone out there work or have worked in Service? Lastly, has anyone had a tranny replaced before? If so, what everything right after that major repair (alignment, rattles, no damage, etc.) They tell me that the car will not need wheel alignment. Can anyone confirm that? Sorry for the long post, but given all the tranny issues and questions, I thought the replies to this one would be helpful for others as well. Thanks!
Our transmission went out at about 18K miles. On a 4 cylinder. Same scenario as yours.. My wife's car.. She said it just didn't seem right, but to be honest, I couldn't detect a problem. They test drove it, and said it was bad, and needed to be replaced. It seems Honda techs never replace internal transmission parts, they just swap out transmissions. As far as getting a new transmission? I don't think auto manufacturers even stock them after the model year is over. They just keep making the internal parts, and use the housings from the old ones as they go bad. I think thats everyone, not just Honda. Anyway, back to our car. At 46K miles now, and not one hiccup. Runs just like it was new.
Congrats! I have the same car but with the V6. Great color combo. The XM radio is awesome. It really grows on you. Great variety and sound quality. The TSX was on my short list as well. Hope to step up to the TL someday.
was a tossup for us. Chose Desert Mist Accord EX V6 navi because of better availability and price considerations. AT nav tsx pretty scarce and selling for 2-3K more than ex v6 navi. Color combinations limited on tsx (no desert mist). Desert mist ex v6 accord with nav was also scarce, but became available at a good price while tsx remained relatively scarce and full priced. DW loves the navi, xm and the handling. Ride firmness of accord is just right; tsx seems to have been just a little too firm. Liked the size of the tsx, but regular gas also made accord an easier choice.
You may actually find you like the 4-cyl Accord better than the six. Both cars have decent acceleration, and the four-cyl tends to handle better because it is less nose heavy. The 4-cyl in my TSX is not a whole lot quicker than your Accord, and find that the car has more than enough power for me.
As far as Octane, the K24 in the Accord is tuned for 87 and you will derive no benifit whatsoever from 89. In fact, with 89 you might get poored gas milage and you could notice a sulfar smell coming out of the exhaust.
The V6 is another issue. Honda recommends regular, but you do get improvements in performance at higher octane levels. So, with the V6, you might get some benifit from 89 or 91.
Hydra2 - I have a TSX and the ride is nowhere near as smooth as the Accord. If ride quality is an issue for you, you definitely made the right choice. And, of course, you got a world class V6 for less money than I paid for my 4-banger.
I too was impressed by the accord 4 banger, but chose the v6 for extra smoothness, DW wanted nothing to remind her of her 1990 civic, and traction control(unavailable in 4 banger), civic did not even have air bags. Accord has every safty device except vsc. Did anyone mention power?
Billyperks: DW turned down a temporary swap of her new accord for my dts.
We have a 04 EX-L and we too are hooked on the XM radio. That made the decision for us to go with the 04 as we had located a 03 EX-L NAV 5-speed manual that the dealer had for 8 months.
yes, traction control is available on the EX-L, but only with the v6, not the 4 banger.
According to 2004 Honda Accord Brochure. But even if you are right, DW will never give up the great v6 power, now that she has enjoyed it for almost a week.
I bought a TSX w/nav today after driving both the 2004 Accord sedan EX-V6 w/nav. I absolutely loved the low-end acceleration of the Accord, it blows away the low-end acceleration of the TSX. I was able to get a deal on the TSX that made the price comperable to that of the MSRP on the Accord. Although the acceleration was much better on the Accord, the driving experience (IMO) was not very fun relative to the TSX, which has great handling and takes curves with ease. I also really liked that the TSX is 100% made in Japan, and the Accord is made in Ohio and has had a few (minor) recalls already. I think that either way, both are great cars and both will probably make you very happy. They are so similar that getting the TSX really only makes sense if the price difference is minimal or if it is not a big deal to you. Also, the Acura comes with many extra things like free loaners during servicing, roadside assistance, concierge service, trip-interruption benefits, and an extra 12 months of warranty. They said that even if they don't have a loaner available when you go in for service, they will rent you a comperable car (examples given to me were Nissan Maxima, several convertibles during the summer).
The stiffer suspension is what got me to buy the TSX. Like most TSX owners I wish a 6 Cyl was available in this car but.... The car is quick after you get it rolling. 1st gear is low and wheelspin can occur if you throttle hard too early. Accord was on my short list but the"made in Ohio" made me think of my Ford truck that I was trading and of the quality issues I had with it. Just for compare, today I had a Camry 6 cyl pull off the light and jump onto the acceleration ramp onto the interstate cutting me off. I wasn't racing but knew I was being played with. I accelerated into the 90* bend and held the inside of the corner while I could see the Camry fighting not to jump off the ramp with the G pull carrying it to the far side of the ramp. I wanted more cornering speed and the Camry's suspension was already done. The TSX feels quite nimble and the 6 spd manual is the smoothest ever built. Go take one for a run.
... the Honda Accord sedan's rear end looks like it is melted metal. It just looks funny and the word people use is frumpy. Why did Honda design it this way? My hunch is so the TSX will sell more to people like me (figures the TSX only has 4 cyl). I really like the front of the Accord, the V6 engine and that luxurious interior. However, you look at it from the back and you just have to say "nah" and walk out of the dealership.
The v6 w/240 horses(comparing AT Accord to AT TSX...a no brainer), regular gas, class leading mpg, better ride than the tsx without sacrificing too much handling, great price for ex v6 navi (cheaper than non-navi tsx which was in short supply and selling close to list when we bought in October)and finally, the TSX is not available in desert mist (beige).
BTW, looks are subjective, but the rear end of the accord, especially in desert mist, looks better and better to me every time I see ours or another one on the road. Honda new designs always initially appear to be bland or ugly, but improve with age like classics.
Why I really love my Milano Red TSX 6sp is that for the past four months in the city of Richmond, VA I have yet to see another, mean while I see all sorts of old ladies driving the new Hondas. I am sure it's a nice car and I would recommend it to anyone, but it to me it's pedestrian, the TSX is new and a ton of fun.
I am a 24 female and have owned 4 new Accords including 2 of the latest generation. Interestingly, that old lady or myself would give you a run for your money if she owns a 4 cylinder 5-speed Accord and would absolutely obliterate you in your TSX if it were a V6 or even worse, a V6 6-speed. If I were you I would start trying to like the rear of the Accord because that's what you will see the most of if you try to race one.
Enjoy your TSX but don't knock the Accord because it's a darn good car whether you like the looks or not.
if its my V6 EX. I'll take the better gas mileage, more power, lots more room, and lower price. I'll even take those boring old 240 HP I use to blow by very interesting TSXs.
If the Accord is vanilla then the TSX is french vanilla. Neither one are going to set the automotive world on fire and they are both kinda "boring" when you consider you can get an AWD WRX with 200+ HP for the same price or a 200HP Neon SRT for even less.
People buy them both because they will more than likely be reliable, economical, and offer a rewarding driving experience for those who appreciate Honda's brand of bland, refined excitement.
We really shouldn't compare the V6 with the 4 cylinder. Thats not fair. They are the same family and the same genes so rather than debate on mechanical features, what if we just base our opinions on looks alone, who is a head turner? The Accord Sedan or the TSX? I think that is what tommyijr is leaning towards. When I see an Accord back end, I go "ew". When I see a TSX end, "sexy". Pure emotional reaction. I really just wish Honda did the Accord end better, if they did, I'd be driving one now.
When I want to start racing Accords "yawn" I'll be sure to look you up! Some of us did not buy the TSX for racing, I would have bought something else if that was high on my list. The TSX is a good small sedan, easy to scoot through traffic with and yet pleasant on the highway. It is also fun to drive and more practical then the NSX for day driving. (Although the NSX is much more fun but...)
Even a 4 cylinder Accord would give the TSX a run for it's money. Car & Driver tested a 6-speed TSX at 7.2/15.6 and a 5-speed 4 cylinder Accord at 7.5/16.1. Braking was identical. Sure the TSX had the advantage in roadholding but I bet some more performance-oriented 17" wheels and tires would negate that difference. The stock Michelins on the Accord are far from the tire of choice if you are going to go blast around some corners. They last a long time, are fairly quiet, and are a nice all-season tire but handling is not their forte.
Looks are subjective. I will admit every time I see a TSX I go "ooh nice" but I do the same thing when I see an Accord sedan go by like mine with the fog lights, spoiler, and splash guards. The best looking of the 3 vehicles based on the Accord platform is the 04 TL IMO.
"The TSX is a good small sedan, easy to scoot through traffic with and yet pleasant on the highway"
I agree. I never said it wasn't a nice car. My point was that the Accord is far from the grandma's car someone was trying to make it out to be. Just as the TSX is a good sedan, so is the Accord. And the Accord is also easy to scoot through town and very pleasant on the highway as well.
On the tire subject, the TSX is using close to the same tire as the Accord. They are all season and do not give great traction. This is one of the first items many owners replace. The car has greater abilities then the tires allow for. Typical Honda... I cannot accelerate hard in first due to wheel spin. I think the Accord is a great car, just did not fill the criteria quite as much as the TSX. And yes, I hate the rear design on the Accord although I do not love the front of the TSX but I guess you can't have everything... Merry Christmas!
TSX looks nice. I seen one in the light blue color that I liked alot. It looks pretty elegant.
TL-I hated it first but once you see it in person you will love the way it looks. I saw one in blue in a parking lot once: it looks killer.
Accord: I don't think I will ever like it.
I did think about trading my CL in for maybe an 05 TL but its way too soon. I love Acura's styling direction right now. I think its one of the best styling directions in the automotive industry right now.
Well, I took the plunge. I go to sign off on my new 6 sp TSX tomorrow, and, incredibly, I find myself waffling a little bit. I love the driveability of the TSX versus my current 2000 Accord EX V6 Sedan, which has been a very good car for me.
My only concerns are price and room. I could get a brand new V6 Accord for about $3000 less and not sacrifice any room. It's just that I really want a shifter, and the TSX's is totally sweet. What a clutch! Best I've ever driven. And the handling felt miles better than the Accord in the brief test drives I had. The fun factor is much higher for the TSX.
But, oh, that sweet V6!
I guess my question is for Accord owners who switched to the TSX:
1. Are you happy with your decision? 2. Is the room in the TSX overly restrictive vis a vis your Accord? 3. BTW, I got about $695 below sticker with all extraneous fees waived, prep, advertising, floorplan, doc fees, etc. Pretty much tax and license and that's it.
and buy the tsx if: 1. You really enjoy enjoy shifting and the fun of tossing the car around and need four doors, 2. You are o.k. with the price difference, 3. You don't need to put 6 foot tall passengers in the back seats, 4. You won't miss the larger trunk in the Accord, 5.Looks are important to you, 6. you want skid controll 7.you know you will hate yourself for not getting the tsx.
The tsx is a fine car, especially with a stick. You'll have so much fun with it that you probably won't miss the accord v6 power, just make sure you want the firmer ride.
We drove the tsx, bought the v6 accord. It does not handle as well as the tsx, but it is a fun car to drive in the twisties, even compared to the last generation accord. The V6 power is sweeeeeet!
Comments
THe S2000, are you really bringing that into the topic.
People who say the V6 isnt worth it, or a waste of money, are the same people who say money doesnt matter in life..lol
The Mazda6s
PS: The Mazda six automatic is a DOG! Thumbs down to FOrd for that
The Mazda6s with the sport package handles better than the Accord V6 and out-brakes the Accord by a long shot. The Mazda6i sport package leaves any Accord in the dust in the handling department.
"PS: The Mazda six automatic is a DOG! Thumbs down to FOrd for that"
Thumbs down to Ford for that? It's a Jatco transmission, not a Ford transmission, and it doesn't bother me anyway because I don't buy automatics. Thumbs down to Honda for not making a manual V6 available in the sedan!
Both good cars on day 0. After Day 0, look at the resale value of both cars. I don't even have to type my point because it's so obvious. Thank you for reading.
I was somewhat disappointed with the Accord interior. The leather was not as nice as the Acura's, and some of the trim seemed cheap, especially on the door panels. Not US manufacturer cheap, but not the quality of a luxury car, which many people claim it has. The dash and the gauges are first class, many switches are identical to the TSX.
I'm actually leaning towards an '03 TL Type-S. I'm getting a great price with the $1500 marketing support at $27,150. It doesn't have the modern look of the Accord or TSX, but it offers the combination of quality and performance that I'm looking for. If Acura would put the Accord V6 in the TSX for another $1000, then I'd be interested.
The Accord V6, in my opinion, is the best buy available in ANY CAR (lofty claim, I know). It does handle OK, but I don't think you could call it sporty. It is nose heavy and feels mushy around the corners (but, I do think the Honda V6 handles nearly as well as the Mazda 6). The ride is composed and the interior very comfortable.
I think the Accord interior is every bit as nice as the interior on my Acura. Most of the materials are really top notch - worthy of a much more expensive car. The only real difference, in terms of quality, is that the leather on the seats in the Acura seems much nicer.
The Accord 4 is a smoking deal as well. The 4-cyl cars have are missing some of the features that the V6 has though. Of course, the 4 won't have the acceleration of the V6. Still, the four feels pretty damn lively, and handles better. If feels a lot more balanced than the V6. In Consumer Reports tests, the 4-cyl automatic version of the Accord did 0-60 in 9 seconds - competitive with the V6 versions of some other vehicles (like the Mazda and VW).
As for the TSX, you pay a premium for exclusivity and a lux name tag. So, it s not nearly as good a bargain as the Accord. It is also much smaller inside. Yeah, I know it is only a few inches here and there, but you really feel it. The ride on the TSX is also kind of stiff, but not horrible. The handling is much, much more sporty than the Accord. It is a really fun car to drive. And, the long I have it, the more I love the way it looks on the inside and out.
Anyway, all three of these options are great choices, and you can't go wrong. If I had a family and needed room, and I didn't mind the way it looked (like many others, I don't like the rear end of the new Accord at all) I'd probably get the Accord. But, I'm single, don't need space, and wanted something more sporty.
1) I really don't care for the '03 exterior redesign. I don't like the headlights, the bulbous shape, and the overbloated trunk. To me, the car is just plain ugly. I think the previous model year looked just fine.
2) The sedan is a shared car. My wife is MT-challenged, but I prefer a MT, so "auto-manual" transmissions were a must. The Accord does not offer a manually-shiftable AT (unlike the MZ6 and the TSX).
Based on these 2 primary criteria, the Accord was axed from my short list, leaving just the MZ6 and the TSX. Ultimately I chose the TSX because I couldn't get a MZ6 optioned the way I wanted at the price I wanted at the time I wanted... but I digress; this discussion is about the TSX vs. Accord.
The new accord is so classy looking, f- sporty, it's sporty enough and I tell you what, my friends all love it and wish they had it...my buddy drives a bmw 3 series and says after driving it so long, he'd rather save money and have the upscale luxury and new design on the accord...my other buddy drives the altima and says that he should have at least considered the accord more then he did.(he didn't at all). and my other friend has the Maz 6. I like that car too, but he also said he can't believe how luxurious the accord feels compared to his.
anyway....i paid 100 under invoice, added mudguards, foglites, and wheel locks, for an additional 600 installed. Not including the extended warrenty walked out of there at around 25.5 even including tax, extras, tags etc...
One hell of a deal...the TSX would have cost me a lot more and I'm using the saved money for my new house!
Anyway, back to our car. At 46K miles now, and not one hiccup. Runs just like it was new.
regards,
kyfdx
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I was going to get the TSX, but my wife insisted on the Accord.
No hard feelings because I have the 03 TLS, but I think I will be spending more time in the ACCORD-new toy- SATALLITE RADIO.
I like that though- shows that one of us is frugal.
87 OR 89?
As far as Octane, the K24 in the Accord is tuned for 87 and you will derive no benifit whatsoever from 89. In fact, with 89 you might get poored gas milage and you could notice a sulfar smell coming out of the exhaust.
The V6 is another issue. Honda recommends regular, but you do get improvements in performance at higher octane levels. So, with the V6, you might get some benifit from 89 or 91.
Hydra2 - I have a TSX and the ride is nowhere near as smooth as the Accord. If ride quality is an issue for you, you definitely made the right choice. And, of course, you got a world class V6 for less money than I paid for my 4-banger.
Hope you both enjoy your new cars! Great choices.
The Satallite Radio as me hooked to this car.
Billyperks: DW turned down a temporary swap of her new accord for my dts.
The V6 Accord is an amazing buy.
According to 2004 Honda Accord Brochure. But even if you are right, DW will never give up the great v6 power, now that she has enjoyed it for almost a week.
I think that either way, both are great cars and both will probably make you very happy. They are so similar that getting the TSX really only makes sense if the price difference is minimal or if it is not a big deal to you. Also, the Acura comes with many extra things like free loaners during servicing, roadside assistance, concierge service, trip-interruption benefits, and an extra 12 months of warranty. They said that even if they don't have a loaner available when you go in for service, they will rent you a comperable car (examples given to me were Nissan Maxima, several convertibles during the summer).
TSX. Like most TSX owners I wish a 6 Cyl was
available in this car but....
The car is quick after you get it rolling. 1st gear is low and wheelspin can occur if you throttle hard too early.
Accord was on my short list but the"made in Ohio"
made me think of my Ford truck that I was trading
and of the quality issues I had with it.
Just for compare, today I had a Camry 6 cyl pull off the light and jump onto the acceleration ramp onto the interstate cutting me off. I wasn't racing but knew I was being played with.
I accelerated into the 90* bend and held the inside
of the corner while I could see the Camry fighting not to jump off the ramp with the G pull carrying it to the far side of the ramp.
I wanted more cornering speed and the Camry's suspension was already done.
The TSX feels quite nimble and the 6 spd manual is the smoothest ever built.
Go take one for a run.
BTW, looks are subjective, but the rear end of the accord, especially in desert mist, looks better and better to me every time I see ours or another one on the road. Honda new designs always initially appear to be bland or ugly, but improve with age like classics.
Enjoy your TSX but don't knock the Accord because it's a darn good car whether you like the looks or not.
People buy them both because they will more than likely be reliable, economical, and offer a rewarding driving experience for those who appreciate Honda's brand of bland, refined excitement.
be sure to look you up!
Some of us did not buy the TSX for racing, I would have bought something else if that was high on my list.
The TSX is a good small sedan, easy to scoot through traffic with and yet pleasant on the highway. It is also fun to drive and more practical then the NSX for day driving.
(Although the NSX is much more fun but...)
Looks are subjective. I will admit every time I see a TSX I go "ooh nice" but I do the same thing when I see an Accord sedan go by like mine with the fog lights, spoiler, and splash guards. The best looking of the 3 vehicles based on the Accord platform is the 04 TL IMO.
"The TSX is a good small sedan, easy to scoot through traffic with and yet pleasant on the highway"
I agree. I never said it wasn't a nice car. My point was that the Accord is far from the grandma's car someone was trying to make it out to be. Just as the TSX is a good sedan, so is the Accord. And the Accord is also easy to scoot through town and very pleasant on the highway as well.
This is one of the first items many owners replace. The car has greater abilities then the tires allow for. Typical Honda...
I cannot accelerate hard in first due to wheel spin.
I think the Accord is a great car, just did not fill the criteria quite as much as the TSX.
And yes, I hate the rear design on the Accord although I do not love the front of the TSX but I guess you can't have everything...
Merry Christmas!
TL-I hated it first but once you see it in person
you will love the way it looks. I saw one in blue in a parking lot once: it looks killer.
Accord: I don't think I will ever like it.
I did think about trading my CL in for maybe an 05 TL but its way too soon. I love Acura's styling direction right now. I think its one of the best styling directions in the automotive industry right now.
My only concerns are price and room. I could get a brand new V6 Accord for about $3000 less and not sacrifice any room. It's just that I really want a shifter, and the TSX's is totally sweet. What a clutch! Best I've ever driven. And the handling felt miles better than the Accord in the brief test drives I had. The fun factor is much higher for the TSX.
But, oh, that sweet V6!
I guess my question is for Accord owners who switched to the TSX:
1. Are you happy with your decision?
2. Is the room in the TSX overly restrictive vis a vis your Accord?
3. BTW, I got about $695 below sticker with all extraneous fees waived, prep, advertising, floorplan, doc fees, etc. Pretty much tax and license and that's it.
Thanks for any input.
The tsx is a fine car, especially with a stick. You'll have so much fun with it that you probably won't miss the accord v6 power, just make sure you want the firmer ride.
We drove the tsx, bought the v6 accord. It does not handle as well as the tsx, but it is a fun car to drive in the twisties, even compared to the last generation accord. The V6 power is sweeeeeet!