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Acura TSX vs. Honda Civic Si Sedan
Hi,
I have a small commute to work and looking for a fun yet practical car. I will be leasing as i will not be doing a lot of miles and we own our other car (rav4).
So, options are acura tsx (semi-cool & luxury) vs sedan si (very-cool & not so many luxuries)....Both i would get in manual (obviously Si is only MT).
What are peoples thought's on +ve/-ve of these?
thanks,
Brett
I have a small commute to work and looking for a fun yet practical car. I will be leasing as i will not be doing a lot of miles and we own our other car (rav4).
So, options are acura tsx (semi-cool & luxury) vs sedan si (very-cool & not so many luxuries)....Both i would get in manual (obviously Si is only MT).
What are peoples thought's on +ve/-ve of these?
thanks,
Brett
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Also, the TSX is just a rebrand of the European Honda Accord. TSX and Civics are completely different classes of car. Accord is a midsize sedan, TSX is luxury midsize, and Civic is compact
If it makes a difference, Acura salesperson and customer service are much much much better than Honda sales/service.
All the points made about the tsx better build quality, quieter and more luxurious are steering me in that direction....although the price of the civic and the fact that it is 'more cool!' is tempting!!
Any answers on the state question?
Taxes are based on where the vehicle is registered - not where it is purchased/leased. So the answer is no.
Go drive em...then pick your poison - the warranty on a Civic can be extended to match the Accura if that is a concern and you'd still be out less coin (assuming you can get the Si for MSRP which might be tough).
i just bought my Si this week and that's a really accurate description of the driving experience.. of course i'm still breaking it in, but when i DO get on it, it really can get kinda a mean and nasty.. for a little thing...
If I hadn't purchased the Si my second choice would have been the Legacy GT which I personally think hits right between the TSX and the Si on the YEEHAW-REFINEMENT spectrum.
My wife drove a manual Fiat Spyder in highschool but it wasn't as quick as the Civic (or as safe). Her attitude might change over time but well see.
Enjoy the holidays in you new car!
I haven't had anyone try to get me to race yet and I've had the car about a month. I thought I might get some attention from the younger modified tuner set but thankfully so far no one has tried to pick on me. That might be because of the new unmarked Dodge Charger State patrol that is working the main road on my commute to work. They had an article in the paper about that car a week ago... the trooper said he's had 4 people pull up along side him at stop lights and try to race him - I got a chuckle out of that!
I'm a 24 year old kid and chose a used TSX MT over a new Civic Si. I like that its a bit more refined, but is still as fun to drive as my my old del Sol VTEC. I disagree about the intake/exhaust sound comparison. The TSX has a sweet soundtrack, and IMO better than the Civic Si.
Using that distinction, it's not surprising that the TSX and Civic sedan are similar in size.
Here in America it is not a midsize sedan, it's a compact sedan.
Must be: 4 door, automatic, decent mpg, reliable, comfortable/confident at 80+ mph, and FUN to DRIVE.
So far, I’m considering the GTI (4dr), GLI, S40, TSX, WRX, Accord V6, and Legacy GT. Your advice, experience, or opinion would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
go_snail_go
But keep in mind, it's a VW. If you want stellar reliability, get the Accord. If you want some character and soul, get the VW.
The classification sizes are not determined by the manufacturer. It's the EPA that detemines the size based on interior volume.
The Mustang is a coupe, so I'm not even sure why that was mentioned.
But keep in mind, it's a VW. If you want stellar reliability, get the Accord. If you want some character and soul, get the VW.
The GLI looks like a real hoot. If it wasn't for VW's perceived lack of reliability, I'd seriously consider this as my next car. Hopefully, they've gotten things ironed out on this front.
It comes down to the battle of: "Fun vs. Conservative"
Both reliable cars too. Besides the interior plastic in the civic SI, it's just born to punish the road and once you hit the vtec, it screams for more. :-p
Perhaps this is true as a generality however not as an absolute. Robert Doolittle, the internet manager for Gillman Honda in Houston, is one of the best. He not only takes good care of you during the sale but follows up afterward to be sure everything is good. I've dealt with him for over a decade now and have never been disappointed. As long as he's in the business I'll be calling on him when I want a Honda product.
I hope everyone will drop by our Dealer Ratings & Reviews feature and rate any and all shops you've dealt with, either for sales or service (or both). Help out your fellow community members by recording your experiences under the dealership's name.
And btw nj2pa2nc, I appreciate your saying you will abide by the rules, but naming a dealership in a posting is not a problem. We welcome your feedback.
so if you were to compare a tsx to a si sedan, you almost have the same type of car: makes lots of hp for the engine size, high revving, fwd, handles well, excellent shifter.
they are more alike than you think.
The TSX also has a larger, more powerful engine that makes more usable power lower in the rev range (25 more lb ft of torque at 1600 lower RPM).
The TSX also includes many features that the Civic doesn't have, such as heated leather seats, auto climate control, heated exterior mirrors, fog lights, auto-dim rearview mirror, homelink, HID headlights, and upscale interior trim materials.
Most importantly though, the TSX has a superior double wishbone front suspension while the Civic makes due with McPherson struts up front. The TSX is also built a larger, more refined midsize car platform, so it is quieter, more comfortable, and has a more refined driveline (vibration, harshness, feedback).
The Civic is sportier thanks to it's lighter weight, but overall, the TSX is a lot more car. Whether it's worth the additional $7,000 is up to the individual.
the fact that the si puts up better numbers with its macphersons says a lot too.
i was just basically saying that they are almost the same car in their respecive segments: lightweight, high revving, nice interiors, and good handlers.
I wasn't saying they are the same car, as i know they are on different platforms and that there is an obvious difference between the k20 and k24.
But yes, I agree. All Honda's from the TSX to the S2000 share that light, nimble, high-revving character - that playful willingness to dance and their slick, refined control feedback.
I've always loved the way Honda's feel below 8/10ths - they're very satisfying to drive.
Actually, the similarities are only skin deep. The TSX is a heftier car: longer, wider, and heavier by 400lbs.; but has more interior passenger space than the Civic.
The TSX also has a larger, slightly more powerful engine that makes more usable power lower in the rev range (25 more lb ft of torque at 1600 lower RPM) to carry all that extra weight. Yet the Si has 1 ft-lb. more torque to weight, thus negating the TSX's slight power advantage.
Most importantly though, the TSX has a double wishbone front suspension while the Civic has sports-oriented McPherson struts up front, much like other performance sports-compacts like the BMW 3-series, and Porsches. The TSX is also built a larger, more refined midsize car platform, so it is quieter, more comfortable, and has a more refined driveline (vibration, harshness, feedback)-- unless of course you're a sports-compact enthusiast who needs immediate road feedback, and the superior cornering and handling abilities of the Si.
The Civic is sportier thanks to its lighter weight, and better handling, but overall, the TSX has a lot more features for a larger car. Whether it's worth the additional $7,000 is up to the individual.
Thought I might inject another perspective.
If you have followed the various TSX related forums for any period of time, you would know that people often drop in to comment that the TSX is simply a civic with leather seats, or some other similar nonsense.
While that's not the case here, it was a good opportunity for me to point out how they are completely different cars, with a different mission and demographic - and point out the reasons why the TSX costs $7,000 more than the Civic Si.
I don't know why people think the tsx is just a leather clad civic though...if anything its just a european accord. But the civic and it are on a different chassis.
but they are similiar in their respective segments.
The bottom line is that these two vehicles are going to appeal to two completely different markets, and this offer completely different feature sets at different price points.
Trying to determine which is "better" is silly, unless you narrow it to specific tasks. The TSX is better at driving around town, or transporting clients. The Si is probably better at some things, although nothing really comes to mind right now.
handling? fuel economy? lower cost to own? cheaper to buy?
In what way? Keep in mind I was only rewriting parts of the earlier post to counterpoint somewhat subjective statements, and injecting my own brand of subjectivity. There's no credibility to be had, either way.
:P
They are two different cars for different tastes.
I felt that a SI would be close in nature to my 89 Corolla GTS that I used to have. However, the TSX is a nice road car. I still have my xB.
So in a way, you got a more fun car for a cheaper price. Still a Honda.