Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General TSX 6spd joined the family *my review*

As of June my sister bought herself a silver TSX 6spd to replace her TL-S. Now with about 2k on the car and me driving it on the weekends I can actually give somewhat of a review on the car. Let me tell you this, turning up the stereo on the will actually make the door panels in the front and a part of the rear RATTLE. That's on a brand new car too. The seats are definetly more supportive on me than in my SVT. Shifter is a cut above my car with short and precise throws, nothing like those on VW's where its rubbery. Now down to driving, this car is BORING. It has no excitement whatsoever. When you floor the car and put it through the gears, the car goes but its so bland. Power is flat with no rush of power like the CSVT after 4k. You sit there waiting for something to happen and it disappoints you with nothing. Handling is decent. I have read magazines reagarding it as a *Honda Prelude of sedans* man they must not have driven the Contour much. It understeers when you take it through the corners and you feel the bodyroll much more than the Contour. It just doesn't have the point and shoot like the Honda Prelude or the Contour even. All in all, its a nice car but kind of a pig though 3200lbs and its a 4cylinder too. The same hp and tq as the SVT and very close weight as well.

If you want a new car that rides smooth and has decent handling and definetly better customer service than most ford dealerships this is the car for you. But if you are looking for a weekend autocrosser/track car stay with the SVT it'll definetly keep you smiling.

Thanks for the review. The TSX may be on the short list in a few years as a used replacement for my CSVT. I'm not in any hurry, but its always good to have a list on potential replacements...you never know what can happen. Thanks for the info.

Nice review, I've always been curious about how those things really drove. Looks like most of the journalists raving about it must be a bunch of old wussies then.

Although I find the TSX terribly plain looking, the new TL looks a whole lot nicer. 270HP v6, 6spd, LSD, and I hear Acura will be introducing an "A-spec" model with 18's, a body kit and handling suspension. Now THAT should be a sweet ride!!!

I test drove a TSX with a six-speed manual transmission and had roughly the same reactions. It is a very, very nice car, but not as sporting as our SVTs. On paper, the acceleration numbers are just a tick or two slower than the Contour (C&D: 7.2 0-60, 15.6 1/4 mile), but the driving impression is one of a car designed for a completely different driver set. This is an entry-level luxury sedan with generally good manners. The shifer and clutch are classic Honda snick-snick, and the interior is very nicely done. But it ultimately leaves the driver feeling dissatisfied when the car is pushed.

Not dissing the car at all -- I think its accolades are deserved. The most logical heir to the Contour SVT throne at the moment seems to be the Mazda 6s, or at least it does to me. I'm looking forward to the Mazdaspeed version just announced for the 2005 model year.

As a step up in performance, but still maintaining the utility of a four door sedan, I think the WRX deserves a very hard look. Thank God they got rid of the bug-eye headlights.

Lee K