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2009 Acura TSX Quality Review

July 28, 2008

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Solid assembly quality with nicely textured trim and plastics
ConsumerGuide

Well-built with nice materials
Edmunds

Easy to find a good driving position
Cars.com

With the 2009 Acura TSX redesign, the engineers and designers at Acura HQ have addressed a few of the issues that affected the outgoing model, but not all the problems have been solved.

The 2009 Acura TSX offers seating for five, and as is the norm, those up front will find themselves sitting in decidedly more comfort than rear occupants. ConsumerGuide reviewers find that "legroom is good" up front, "but headroom for taller occupants gets tight beneath the sunroof housing," and the "nicely bolstered" seats prove to be a "bit too firm for ideal comfort." However, they come in handy when throwing the Acura TSX around twisty roads. Reviewers at Cars.com feel that "it's easy to find a good driving position" in the seats of the Acura TSX, which are "covered in standard leather upholstery." Unfortunately, they add that "the backseat isn't as comfortable" and offers "limited legroom." ConsumerGuide agrees, citing the rear room as "somewhat disappointing given this vehicle's longer wheelbase versus its predecessor."

One category in which the increased dimensions of the 2009 Acura TSX are evident is cargo space. ConsumerGuide reviewers are pleased to find that, for 2009, Acura offers "storage pockets in all four doors" that help to "compensate for the somewhat small glovebox and center console bins." As for the trunk, Edmunds says that it "measures 12.6 cubic feet," which Cars.com says can be expanded "with both sections of the rear seat folded."

Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com show that materials quality and assembly are commendable on the Acura TSX, which features typically high-quality Japanese design and Acura touches. Edmunds says that the "materials are consistent with the rest of Acura's well-built line," though "those looking for a Lexus-like level of opulence will be disappointed." Fortunately for Acura, Lexus is closer to a competitor with the more upscale Acura TL rather than the 2009 Acura TSX. Other reviewers find favor with the interior quality, as ConsumerGuide mentions that the interior features "solid assembly quality with nicely textured and trim and plastics." Cars.com adds that "the previous TSX's material quality was already good for its class, and it's been improved with this redesign."

One of the biggest complaints about the outgoing Acura TSX model was the obtrusive level of road noise. For 2009, Acura engineers worked hard to make the interior quieter, but according to some reviewers, they may have gone overboard. Edmunds reviewers find that "the 2009 TSX is equipped with additional sound-deadening materials and newfound structural rigidity, which quiets things down on the freeway." However, ConsumerGuide reports that the Acura TSX's engine "sounds loud and unrefined, particularly as its speed rises."

Conclusion

The 2009 Acura TSX excels in tight fits and good finishes, but there’s still more interior noise than with some luxury sedans.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:Solid assembly quality with nicely textured trim and plasticsConsumerGuideWell-built with nice materialsEdmundsEasy to find a good driving positionCars.com With the 2009 Acura TSX redesign, the engineers and designers at Acura HQ have addressed a few of the issues that affected the outgoing model, but not all the problems have been solved. The 2009 Acura TSX offers seating for five, and as is the norm, those up front will find themselves sitting in decidedly more comfort than rear occupants. ConsumerGuide reviewers find that "legroom is good" up front, "but headroom for taller occupants gets tight beneath the sunroof housing," and the "nicely bolstered" seats prove to be a "bit too firm for ideal comfort." However, they come in handy when throwing the Acura TSX around twisty roads. Reviewers at Cars.com feel that "it's easy to find a good driving position" in the seats of the Acura TSX, which are "covered in standard leather upholstery." Unfortunately, they add that "the backseat isn't as comfortable" and offers "limited legroom." ConsumerGuide agrees, citing the rear room as "somewhat disappointing given this vehicle's longer wheelbase versus its predecessor." One category in which the increased dimensions of the 2009 Acura TSX are evident is cargo space. ConsumerGuide reviewers are pleased to find that, for 2009, Acura offers "storage pockets in all four doors" that help to "compensate for the somewhat small glovebox and center console bins." As for the trunk, Edmunds says that it "measures 12.6 cubic feet," which Cars.com says can be expanded "with both sections of the rear seat folded." Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com show that materials quality and assembly are commendable on the Acura TSX, which features typically high-quality Japanese design and Acura touches. Edmunds says that the "materials are consistent with the rest of Acura's well-built line," though "those looking for a Lexus-like level of opulence will be disappointed." Fortunately for Acura, Lexus is closer to a competitor with the more upscale Acura TL rather than the 2009 Acura TSX. Other reviewers find favor with the interior quality, as ConsumerGuide mentions that the interior features "solid assembly quality with nicely textured and trim and plastics." Cars.com adds that "the previous TSX's material quality was already good for its class, and it's been improved with this redesign." One of the biggest complaints about the outgoing Acura TSX model was the obtrusive level of road noise. For 2009, Acura engineers worked hard to make the interior quieter, but according to some reviewers, they may have gone overboard. Edmunds reviewers find that "the 2009 TSX is equipped with additional sound-deadening materials and newfound structural rigidity, which quiets things down on the freeway." However, ConsumerGuide reports that the Acura TSX's engine "sounds loud and unrefined, particularly as its speed rises." ConclusionThe 2009 Acura TSX excels in tight fits and good finishes, but there’s still more interior noise than with some luxury sedans.  2009 ACURA TSX STYLING | [8 out of 10] ConsumerGuide: "Gauges are large and quick to decipher at a glance" Autoblog: "A much more aggressive stance than before" Edmunds: "Not as streamlined as the original 'flying wedge' design" After five years on the market, the Acura TSX was due ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

Shoppers looking at the 2009 Acura TSX will probably be considering other front-wheel drive vehicles, and possibly all-wheel drive vehicles, but more expensive rear-wheel-drive sport sedans such as the BMW 3-Series and Lexus IS are likely above their budget and wants. The Subaru Legacy GT has performance that rivals the TL, though its handling is a little more crisp and all-wheel drive makes it more all-weather-friendly. The Legacy’s back seat is also tight. However the Legacy isn’t as quiet and refined as the Acura. The Nissan Maxima is another alternative; it’s not as feature-rich as the TSX, but it has a torquey V-6 engine that gives it scorching acceleration off the line. The base, front-wheel-drive Audi A4 2.0T is also a worthy competitor, with similarly good fuel efficiency and edgier performance without a sacrifice in ride. Versus any of these competitors, there’s another big selling point: Acura dealerships.

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See the Acura TSX in Other Years:

2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

Comments (1 total)

  1. By mark #1, Posted: 10/7/2008

    thoughts on TSX after Accords

    I bought a new 09 TSX in mid-July after buying four Honda Accords over the last 18 years. Compared with my last V6 Accord (2003) the TSX has a few drawbacks. Less space in interior console and door pocket area, door pockets that don't hold drinks as well, more rattles and buzzes at 4000Km than the Accord has at 90,000Km, the need for high octane fuel, disappointing fuel milage (no better to date than V6 Accord), no strut to hold up hood, a ridiculously small battery (we have real winters in this part of Canada), reduced rear seat room, and a fairly cheap single player CD. In Canada Acura charges 25% more than US prices, so this is no bargain car. The car is okay, but less than I was expecting from the Acura division. Next time I will look elsewhere to buy.

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