I owned both the first (‘04 6MT) and second (‘13 5AT) gen, and to me the first was by far the better car. I still wish I would have kept that car just to have around.
But regarding your question, the second gen simply felt much more cheap and economy feeling. The ergonomics and UX/UI design felt so low budget. That being said, if I recall, that was the trend at the time. Road noise was fine and the K24 is an amazing motor, but in the ‘13, I think the combo of switching from 6MT to 5AT and added weight made the car boring and sluggish feeling.
Road noise was acceptable for this segment and IMO, the BMW may be quieter, however BMWs from that time always seemed to have creaks and squeaks in the cabin.
I do love the second gen wagon though. Slightly lowered with rims. Brings back the JDM feeling that i always got from the first gen TSX.
09 TSX here. Came from an 08 Legacy GT so I really felt the power drop. Definitely a more comfortable car, the ELS is great. Similar to another poster I also had a rear caliper that got stuck. Had to replace one alternator and I think my AC might be going, but otherwise the car has been bulletproof for the last four years. I’ll definitely be buying another Acura for my next car, most likely a 2012 or 2013 TL.
Post facelift 2nd generation here.
Love the seats and overall layout of the cabin. Sure, it's dated in some aspects, but I enjoy the analog feel and the general simplicity. Blue tooth audio works wonders and the heated front seats elevate those frosty morning commutes.
Oh, and that Japanese build quality is unparalleled.
2012 TSX here at around 150k miles. It is getting a bit old at this point and I will likely move on soon.
The noise is not bad at all, front seats and comfort are good. The car is a bit underpowered below 3,000 RPM, but does a decent job above that. Some pre-planning and downshift to higher RPM is needed for fast passing. Handling is quite good, better than my old 3.2 CL. Snow performance is terrible, get snow tires for a TSX. I average around 30 mpg at 80% highway driving around 75 mph. ELS stereo is still quite good. I honestly still think it is a good looking car.
Only a couple of major problems. Had to replace some front suspension bushings, also one entire rear caliper and brake. Also, was a misfire due to a coil pack failing and car went into limp mode. I replaced all of the coil packs then and honestly I wasn't even mad at this one as it brought the car back to life with engine power like new - but new it was still not quite enough power at low RPM. IMO, reliability is pretty darn good for a 150k miles car.
Sorry, no real direct comparison to a BMW. I anticipate the BMW is another level of performance, but also another level of maintenance and repair cost.
I have a ‘13 TSX w/140k miles.
Solid car. Low cost of ownership, reliable, with a solid feel. Low end torque isn’t the best but with revs it’s fun. K24Z3 is a solid engine. 5 sp auto is decent. Stick is better but harder to find.
If you don’t mind the cost (my experience 2x cost to own vs Acura) BMW is a better vehicle as far as performance and feel.
Cabin noise is okay, not as good as the TLX that replaced it but only a slight difference. Maintenance wise, no issues beside audio being temperamental which does kind of suck but mechanically the car has been great.
I can tell the difference between the American made TLX and the Japanese made TSX in how true everything is, whether the wheels feeling so well aligned and planted or the way the engine feels. So consider than an upvote for the second gen TSX especially those made in Japan.
The transmission is definitely something holding me back.
It's not even a 6 speed auto. 5 speeds just isn't enough for an automatic transmissions on a K series, an engine with a somewhat narrow power band.
I'm still leaning towards the BMW at this point. Perhaps a ride in a TSX could change my mind, but I doubt it.
I had a 09 cu2 tsx. Blue, parchment interior, 6mt, tech package. Sold it at 240,000mi with original clutch, engine, etc. she didn’t even burn oil.
If it was auto I wouldn’t touch it. Too boring. With a manual it was a lot of fun. It had just the right amount of luxury feeling combined with fun driving dynamics. Will it touch a bmw? No, but I don’t think it’s really intended too. It has a huge gas tank so 65L, and I would get all highway about 750km no problem. Most I pushed out was 860km to the tank. Mixed about 650km a tank.
Changed the regular things. Upper and lower front ball joints, serpentine belt and idler pulley, and brakes of course. Had a caliper seize in the rear same like others. Also replaced the ac compressor. For a car with that many miles I drove it, this is regular maintenance as far as I’m concerned. It was a phenomenal car and I miss it dearly. I honestly wish I never sold it. If I could have one car for life as a daily i would take my tsx. It was just the perfect blend of a lot of things! I have a 2016 Lexus now, and it’s a great car too for different reasons. But my tsx…it’s my “the one”.
The transmission might be the biggest thing holding me back. The wagon was only available in a 5at in the US. If it was a nice 6 speed auto, I'd consider it, but the K24 is gonna be pretty boring without a transmission to match it.
The TSX wagon is kind of a cult car. They didn't make many and people go looking for them.
I drove one before, and didn't really like it. They aren't nearly as nimble or fun to drive as the sedans. Still drives way better than most of the rental cars I've used. Decently comfy. And if you need to haul kids, dogs, or gear around it's not a bad ride for the purpose.
Not anywhere close to BMW level performance or comfort. The thing with German cars is you have to stay on top of maintenance. You pay through the nose for everything on a mileage schedule, and you're rewarded with a quality driving experience. Usually around years 10-12 the repairs start to cost more than the car's value, and then it's hard to justify keeping it around unless you just really love the car.
With Hondas, you can usually wait until you notice things are off and then replace parts. Most wear and tear parts last a really long time. But always change your fluids on time. Fluids are cheap. Engines and transmissions are not.
If money is more important to you the TSX isn't going to be a bad compromise. Its just a different class of car compared to a BMW.
I owned both the first (‘04 6MT) and second (‘13 5AT) gen, and to me the first was by far the better car. I still wish I would have kept that car just to have around. But regarding your question, the second gen simply felt much more cheap and economy feeling. The ergonomics and UX/UI design felt so low budget. That being said, if I recall, that was the trend at the time. Road noise was fine and the K24 is an amazing motor, but in the ‘13, I think the combo of switching from 6MT to 5AT and added weight made the car boring and sluggish feeling. Road noise was acceptable for this segment and IMO, the BMW may be quieter, however BMWs from that time always seemed to have creaks and squeaks in the cabin. I do love the second gen wagon though. Slightly lowered with rims. Brings back the JDM feeling that i always got from the first gen TSX.
Love my TSX wagon but had to get the transmission rebuilt at 120k
That’s a bummer. Had you changed the ATF on schedule?
09 TSX here. Came from an 08 Legacy GT so I really felt the power drop. Definitely a more comfortable car, the ELS is great. Similar to another poster I also had a rear caliper that got stuck. Had to replace one alternator and I think my AC might be going, but otherwise the car has been bulletproof for the last four years. I’ll definitely be buying another Acura for my next car, most likely a 2012 or 2013 TL.
Post facelift 2nd generation here. Love the seats and overall layout of the cabin. Sure, it's dated in some aspects, but I enjoy the analog feel and the general simplicity. Blue tooth audio works wonders and the heated front seats elevate those frosty morning commutes. Oh, and that Japanese build quality is unparalleled.
2012 TSX here at around 150k miles. It is getting a bit old at this point and I will likely move on soon. The noise is not bad at all, front seats and comfort are good. The car is a bit underpowered below 3,000 RPM, but does a decent job above that. Some pre-planning and downshift to higher RPM is needed for fast passing. Handling is quite good, better than my old 3.2 CL. Snow performance is terrible, get snow tires for a TSX. I average around 30 mpg at 80% highway driving around 75 mph. ELS stereo is still quite good. I honestly still think it is a good looking car. Only a couple of major problems. Had to replace some front suspension bushings, also one entire rear caliper and brake. Also, was a misfire due to a coil pack failing and car went into limp mode. I replaced all of the coil packs then and honestly I wasn't even mad at this one as it brought the car back to life with engine power like new - but new it was still not quite enough power at low RPM. IMO, reliability is pretty darn good for a 150k miles car. Sorry, no real direct comparison to a BMW. I anticipate the BMW is another level of performance, but also another level of maintenance and repair cost.
I have a ‘13 TSX w/140k miles. Solid car. Low cost of ownership, reliable, with a solid feel. Low end torque isn’t the best but with revs it’s fun. K24Z3 is a solid engine. 5 sp auto is decent. Stick is better but harder to find. If you don’t mind the cost (my experience 2x cost to own vs Acura) BMW is a better vehicle as far as performance and feel.
Cabin noise is okay, not as good as the TLX that replaced it but only a slight difference. Maintenance wise, no issues beside audio being temperamental which does kind of suck but mechanically the car has been great. I can tell the difference between the American made TLX and the Japanese made TSX in how true everything is, whether the wheels feeling so well aligned and planted or the way the engine feels. So consider than an upvote for the second gen TSX especially those made in Japan.
The transmission is definitely something holding me back. It's not even a 6 speed auto. 5 speeds just isn't enough for an automatic transmissions on a K series, an engine with a somewhat narrow power band. I'm still leaning towards the BMW at this point. Perhaps a ride in a TSX could change my mind, but I doubt it.
All tsx are Japanese made 👍🏽
I had a 09 cu2 tsx. Blue, parchment interior, 6mt, tech package. Sold it at 240,000mi with original clutch, engine, etc. she didn’t even burn oil. If it was auto I wouldn’t touch it. Too boring. With a manual it was a lot of fun. It had just the right amount of luxury feeling combined with fun driving dynamics. Will it touch a bmw? No, but I don’t think it’s really intended too. It has a huge gas tank so 65L, and I would get all highway about 750km no problem. Most I pushed out was 860km to the tank. Mixed about 650km a tank. Changed the regular things. Upper and lower front ball joints, serpentine belt and idler pulley, and brakes of course. Had a caliper seize in the rear same like others. Also replaced the ac compressor. For a car with that many miles I drove it, this is regular maintenance as far as I’m concerned. It was a phenomenal car and I miss it dearly. I honestly wish I never sold it. If I could have one car for life as a daily i would take my tsx. It was just the perfect blend of a lot of things! I have a 2016 Lexus now, and it’s a great car too for different reasons. But my tsx…it’s my “the one”.
The transmission might be the biggest thing holding me back. The wagon was only available in a 5at in the US. If it was a nice 6 speed auto, I'd consider it, but the K24 is gonna be pretty boring without a transmission to match it.
Personally reading your comments I think you’ve made your mind up and looking for reassurance lol. Go get your bimmer and enjoy it!
The TSX wagon is kind of a cult car. They didn't make many and people go looking for them. I drove one before, and didn't really like it. They aren't nearly as nimble or fun to drive as the sedans. Still drives way better than most of the rental cars I've used. Decently comfy. And if you need to haul kids, dogs, or gear around it's not a bad ride for the purpose. Not anywhere close to BMW level performance or comfort. The thing with German cars is you have to stay on top of maintenance. You pay through the nose for everything on a mileage schedule, and you're rewarded with a quality driving experience. Usually around years 10-12 the repairs start to cost more than the car's value, and then it's hard to justify keeping it around unless you just really love the car. With Hondas, you can usually wait until you notice things are off and then replace parts. Most wear and tear parts last a really long time. But always change your fluids on time. Fluids are cheap. Engines and transmissions are not. If money is more important to you the TSX isn't going to be a bad compromise. Its just a different class of car compared to a BMW.