2004 ACURA TSX 6sp man w/navi

Author's Rating:

Pros: The car has an original/uncopied look.As with all ACURA's. The drive is solid, yet smooth.

Cons:  I bought the full nosemask and it is EXTREMELY unattractive. Not good fit.

The Bottom Line: 
LOVE IT. A lot of LUXURY car for buck. No thinking required. Just driver her. The test drive and employees impress.

Author's Review
I am a 23 year-old med-school student in Buffalo, NY. I currently own a 6 speed manual ACURA TSX with Navigation. Before this car, I have owned an '86 accord, '88 crx, '97 integra. When it came time for a new car, I almost bought the RSX...But my girlfriend was sick of the whole 2-door gig. So I test-drove the Audi A4, BMW328i, TSX. I love Japanese cars, but now I have a bit of a bank account and wanted to try something new. WELLLLLL...The Audi and BMW are great solid cars. I grew up in Europe and I have a lot of respect for German engineering. Cars have to be able to own the Autobahn out there; their cars reflect that. The only problem is that the owners of these cars were constantly at the dealership with maintenance problems. As I would walk around the showroom, I couldn't help but notice the disgruntled owners of the German beasts. They sound great...but you WILL use your warranty. They also come with NO tech. I was sitting in a $40,000 BMW and A4 and I didn't even have auto-seats! Just imagine how corny the dash looked! Although...the cars are very powerful, attractive and solid.
I needed a headlight for my integra so I ventured over to ACURA. I was impressed by their showroom and the crip-ness of the employees. (no polos with the ACURA logo/ only business attire) The cars out on the lot looked so different from anything else on the road. They convinced me to drop the RSX from my dreams and drive the TSX. I was instantly in love.
At the press of a button, I get my voice-activation feature. I was amazed at how much you can do with this feature. The navigation is free. All you have to do is buy the updated versions (on CD) when is suits you. The visibility is outstanding. I don't have any children so the size is reasonable.
I LOVE tennis. My girlfriend and I drove from Buffalo to NY City to watch the US Open. It's an 8 hour drive. I had no idea where I was going, but my navi took me straight to my hotel in downtown Manhattan. I made NY traffic look like a joke. I am a town boy in the big city...but the TSX is such a quick, easy-driving car with such great visibility...it was effortless. My car is Silver Metallic, so it is also a head-turner at sunset with the xenon lights. I love the intermittent wipers that adjust with your speed. The auto air in the car filters and adjusts depending on sunlight and the interior quality of the air (I am an asthmatic...so this is important). If there is too much moisture, it makes the necessary adjustments so windows don't fog. I cannot express the load this car takes off of me. I just start the engine and enjoy. The audio is nice. I love classical and jazz. I used to hate that my Integra was too loud to enjoy my favorite music. The TSX is such pleasant/quiet ride and is mindful of imperfect roads (CD's won't skip). I did not experience any limitations of the car. When I returned I had my car serviced. It is always quick and extra professional. I don't even look at German.....anything anymore. I respect my Japanese buddies in white lab-coats.
I cannot tell you how much tech is at your fingertips in this classy/sporty vehicle. I felt like a real MAN in this car. I know that sounds corny...but it's true.
ACURA = I HAVE ARRIVED.