Acura TSX
Encyclopedia
Overview
Named as Touring Sportscar eXperimental. The 2004 model yearModel year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
TSX's powertrain consisted of a 2.4-litre
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
inline four-cylinder engine, a six-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
(which featured a special casing, to reduce weight), and a front wheel drive layout. A five-speed automatic transmission was a no-cost option in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
based on MSRP
Suggested retail price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
; however such was not the case in Canada.
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
, heated door mirrors, a four-way power passenger seat and illuminated the steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls. In 2006, the TSX was updated with slight tweaks to the engine (adding 5 hp); a sportier exterior styling featuring a slightly new front and rear treatment, standard side skirts, and standard, integral fog lights; and restyled wheels. Interior tech features were added, including a Multi-information Display (MID) in the instrument panel, and luxury features such as a two-position memory for the driver's seat adjustments, auxiliary MP3 player input and Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
-compatible HandsFreeLink (for cellular phones). In 2007, Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Tire pressure monitoring system
-General:A Tire Pressure Monitoring System is a system designed to monitor the air pressure inside the pneumatic tires on various types of vehicles...
and an improved electronic rear view mirror were added, and the 2008 model year brought a new color option.
In testing conducted by the United States based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
(IIHS), the Acura TSX received an overall rating of "Good" for frontal offset testing, an overall rating of "Poor" rear crash protection, and an overall rating of "Acceptable" for side impact testing.
Engine
The K24A2 engine used in the TSX was related to the engine in the Honda Accord (7th generation)Honda Accord (North America seventh generation)
In the U.S., the seventh generation North American Honda Accord was a mid-size car available from 2002 to 2007 in both coupe and sedan styles. The sedan was also marketed as the Accord in parts of Latin America, Asia, Middle East, Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand markets. It was related to the...
, the Honda CR-V
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is a compact suv, now called crossover, manufactured since 1995 by Honda. It was loosely derived from the Honda Civic to satisfy a public demand for a sport-utility vehicle from Honda. There are discrepancies as to what "CR-V" stands for, with Honda sources in different markets...
, the Honda Element
Honda Element
The Honda Element is a compact crossover SUV based on a modified CR-V platform, manufactured in East Liberty, Ohio and marketed in the United States and Canada from December 2002.-Overview:...
, and to a smaller version in the Acura RSX
Acura RSX
The Honda Integra DC5 is a Japanese performance sports car, which was also known as the Acura RSX in North America . It is available in base and "Type-S" models in North America, and a "Integra iS / Integra Type S" and "Type R" version sold in Japan and Oceania...
and RSX Type-S. The K24A2 featured intelligent variable valve timing (i-VTEC) and produced 200 horsepower (150 kW) in this iteration. Also significant of the i-VTEC system on the TSX and RSX
Acura RSX
The Honda Integra DC5 is a Japanese performance sports car, which was also known as the Acura RSX in North America . It is available in base and "Type-S" models in North America, and a "Integra iS / Integra Type S" and "Type R" version sold in Japan and Oceania...
-s was that, unlike other Honda K-series motors, variable timing was used on both the intake and exhaust cams in its three rocker design.
For the 2006 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
, the K24A2 was updated to produce 205 hp (153 kW). The diameter of the throttle body and intake valves were slightly increased, along with the cam duration and valve lift.
Overview
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New York International Auto Show
The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in New York City in late March or early April. It is usually held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Sunday after Easter...
on April 11, 2008. In terms of size, the 2009 TSX is larger than its predecessor. The new TSX has a 3 inches (76.2 mm) greater width, a 2.6 inches (66 mm) wider track and a 1.3 inches (33 mm) longer wheelbase than the previous TSX; additionally, the length grew by 2.4 inches (61 mm). Curb weight also increased by approximately 100 to 150 lb (45.4 to 68 kg).
Acura also added a "Sport Wagon" version of the TSX in Fall 2010 as a 2011 model The wagon is only available with the I4 engine and 5 speed automatic.
The 2009 TSX was released on July 16, 2008. Making its debut on the new TSX is Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering
Advanced Compatibility Engineering
Advanced Compatibility Engineering is the marketing name given to an automobile body structure design from Honda. It claims to distribute collision energy evenly and redirect it away from the passenger compartment, while at the same time, minimizing damage to other impacted vehicles...
body structure, which is designed to reduce accident impact on passengers. In the United States, the TSX comes standard with luxury features like leather seat upholstery, dual-zone climate control, power driver's seat with memory, sunroof, Xenon
Xenon
Xenon is a chemical element with the symbol Xe and atomic number 54. The element name is pronounced or . A colorless, heavy, odorless noble gas, xenon occurs in the Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts...
headlights, and adds a USB port music interface; in Canada this configuration is known as the "Premium Package" as there is a base trim available with the four-cylinder TSX that has cloth seats and halogen headlights, and deletes the USB connector, memory seat function, and fog lamps. The TSX has an optional technology package, which includes a navigation system real-time traffic and weather, and a 10-speaker premium sound system with DVD-audio
DVD-Audio
DVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering high-fidelity audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio is not intended to be a video delivery format and is not the same as video DVDs containing concert films or music videos....
capabilities.
The 2010 model year TSX added an optional 3.5L 280 hp V6 engine, shared with the Acura TL
Acura TL
The TL "Touring Luxury" debuted as 1996 model, first with the 1996 2.5 TL available with the 2.5 L 176 hp SOHC 20-valve 5-cylinder engine from the Vigor. The 3.2 TL used the 3.2 L 200 hp SOHC 24v V6 from the second generation Acura Legend. The 2.5 TL was positioned as the...
. It comes standard with the five-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and 18-inch alloy wheels, and is available in either Premium or Technology trims.
Engine
The new TSX uses a base engine similar to that of the 2008 TSX. The engine is a 2.4-litreLitre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
in-line 4 cylinder engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
reaching 201 hp (150 kW) and 172 lbft torque. While the rated power of the new TSX engine is 4 hp lower than that of the 2008 model, Acura says the new engine distributes power across a much wider rpm range, which along with the increased torque, provides an increased feeling of power for the driver. The transmission choices remain 5-speed automatic
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
and 6-speed manual, though the automatic version now comes with steering-wheel paddle shifters for optional manual shifting.
The TSX was slated to receive a high performance 2.2-litre i-DTEC clean turbodiesel
Turbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...
engine in the 2010 model year; however, it was later announced that Honda had abandoned its plans to bring diesel engines to the U.S. and Japan in favor of hybrid
Hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...
gasoline-electric powertrains. Instead, a 280 hp 3.5-litre V6
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
became available in the 2010 Acura TSX. The TSX V6 is only available with the 5-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
.
The Acura TSX has a narrow price elasticity
Price elasticity of demand
Price elasticity of demand is a measure used in economics to show the responsiveness, or elasticity, of the quantity demanded of a good or service to a change in its price. More precisely, it gives the percentage change in quantity demanded in response to a one percent change in price...
, as the base model 4-cylinder TSX is considered a good deal for a luxury car, however higher trims (particularly the V6 powered models) are considered too expensive as they compete directly with sport luxury cars
Compact executive car
Compact executive car is a car classification term applied to premium cars smaller than executive cars. In European classification, compact executive cars are part of the D-segment. In North American terms, close equivalents are compact premium car, compact luxury car, entry-level luxury car and...
such as the Audi A4
Audi A4
The first generation Audi A4 debuted in 1994, with production starting November 1994. It was built on the Volkswagen Group B5 platform, which it shared with the fourth generation Volkswagen Passat . It had a front-mounted longitudinal engine and front-wheel drive...
and Infiniti G
Infiniti G
The Infiniti G is a compact executive/entry-level luxury car produced by Nissan's luxury brand Infiniti. The first two generations of the Infiniti G were sedans based on the Nissan Primera. Beginning with its third generation , the Infiniti G have been rebadged versions of the Nissan Skyline line...
and Acura's own TL.
Acura TSX Sportwagon
The 2011 TSX Sportwagon was introduced at the 2010 New York Auto Show. The Acura TSX Sportwagon is touted as "the smart solution to an entry luxury buyer's need for everyday utility and practicality". It is powered by the same 201-horsepower Honda K engineHonda K engine
The Honda K series engine is a four-cylinder four-stroke engine introduced in 2001. The K series engines are equipped with DOHC valvetrains and use roller rockers to reduce friction. The engines use a coil-on-plug, distributorless ignition system with a coil for each spark plug...
2.4L DOHC inline four cylinder engine and suspended on the same four wheel independent sports suspension as the sedan. In Europe the vehicle is sold as the Honda Accord Tourer.
The Sportwagon will cost slightly more than the base TSX ($30,960 USD vs. $29,610 USD, respectively,) and will come standard with a five-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
. Acura Canada has decided not to sell the TSX Sport Wagon until an unspecified later date, citing market conditions as the reason for the delay.
Awards and recognition
- 2008 Wheels Car of the Year award winner.
- 2009 Car of the Year Finalist, Motor TrendMotor TrendMotor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
. - Ranked best resale value in the Sedan category in CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's "Best Resale Value Cars" article on November 29, 2006. - The Acura TSX was on Car and DriverCar and DriverCar and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
s Ten Best listCar and Driver Ten BestCar and Driver magazine annually nominates a list of what it considers the Ten Best cars and Five Best trucks.All production vehicles for sale in that calendar year are considered with these restrictions:# The vehicle must be on sale by January...
in its first three years of production (2004–2006). - Top-Value Car of 2004 in the Category: Sedan under $35,000 from SmartMoneySmartMoneySmartMoney The Wall Street Journal Magazine of Personal Business was launched in 1992 by Hearst Corporation and Dow Jones & Company. In 2010, Hearst sold its stake to Dow Jones. Its first editor was Norman Pearlstine....
.com. - It has received the "Frontal Five Star Rating" from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNational Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
's frontal crash tests. - "Best Pick" in a Frontal Impact from the Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyInsurance Institute for Highway SafetyThe Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
. - In November, 2004, the TSX earned Consumer Reports'Consumer ReportsConsumer Reports is an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union since 1936. It publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. It also publishes cleaning and general buying guides...
"Recommended" mark; in addition they named the car "Best Overall" in tests of four sporty sedans. In April 2007, the magazine rated the used TSX a "Good Bet." - In the IIHSInsurance Institute for Highway SafetyThe Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
crash tests, the 2nd generation TSX received Good overall marks in both front and side impact crash tests and the Good score in all 14 measured categories. The IIHS gave the TSX its "Best Pick" accolade. - Car of the year in South Africa, 2009
- Best upscale small car for families 2011,US news and world report.
Racing
Realtime RacingRealtime Racing
Realtime Racing is a racing team in the SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge. They have a long history with Acura. Their team includes Peter Cunningham, the winningest driver in series history.-Vehicles:*Acura TSX*Acura NSX*Acura RSX*Acura Integra...
prepares a factory TSX to compete in the SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge GTS class. The factory TSX is refashioned to be stiffer and lighter, and includes motor work with raised compression, and a custom built sequential transmission.
Acura won the Manufacturer's Championship for the Touring class in 2005 with the RTR TSX, as well as the Driver's Championship for Peter Cunningham. Acura returned in 2006 and won the Manufacturers' Championship of the Speed World Challenge
SPEED World Challenge
The Pirelli World Challenge is a North American auto racing series that is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America . Founded in 1985, it consists of four classes: grand touring, touring car, a "GTS" class since 2010, and a "touring car B-spec" since 2012...
Touring Car class for the second year in a row, running both RSXs
Acura RSX
The Honda Integra DC5 is a Japanese performance sports car, which was also known as the Acura RSX in North America . It is available in base and "Type-S" models in North America, and a "Integra iS / Integra Type S" and "Type R" version sold in Japan and Oceania...
and TSXs. TSX drivers finished in 3rd and 4th in the Drivers' Championship.
More success followed as Pierre Kleinubing won the Championship in 2007, and Peter Cunningham took it in 2008.
Driving for RTR in 2009 is Peter Cunningham, Pierre Kleinubing, Toby Grahovic, Kuno Wittmer, and Jeff Courtney.
Sales
| Calendar year | US sales |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 18,932 |
| 2004 | 30,365 |
| 2005 | 34,856 |
| 2006 | 38,035 |
| 2007 | 33,037 |
| 2008 | 31,998 |
| 2009 | 28,650 |
| 2010 | 32,076 (incl 126 wagon) |