An unexpected purchase: 2012 Acura TSX Sport Wagon

[PeanutGallery]

To add to the litany of "my new car" and "test drive" threads populating TCL lately, here's our tale from last weekend. My apologies for the longwindedness; brevity is not my strong suit...!!

Until Saturday I drove a 2011 Honda Civic Si sedan during the week for commuting, work-related travel, and a small measure of sanity as a car enthusiast, along with a 2008 Chevy Suburban Z71 (4wd) on the weekend for family duty and vacation travel. On a recent trip in the Suburban, its fuel thirst (12 mpg in town, 15 mpg highway), its bouncy ride, and a few other little annoyances set my wife and I to thinking about revisiting a "fruit basket turnover" scenario in our garage.

My wife was never a huge fan of the Civic - too harsh a ride, too cramped inside, too noisy - so we always took the Suburban or her CR-V for weekend errands and whatnot. We liked the space the Suburban offered while traveling but its mass, footprint, thirst, and general ownership cost were a little overkill for a couple trips per year. It couldn't be replaced in like kind for its present value, especially given its near-immaculate condition and low mileage for the year (48k), but at the end of the day other realities trumped those admittedly-compelling arguments.

Concurrent with a growing lack of love for feeding the Suburban, we've been wanting to "upgrade" the CR-V to something with a few more mommy-oriented bells and whistles (power liftgate, integrated bluetooth, back-up camera). As a footnote here, she was OK with our "third" car being a manual but not so much with only having one AT in the fleet, so if we did any trading, I needed to find an “autotragic” something-or-other I could be happy with for a while.

At the end of the day we felt it was best to swap our three cars for two different ones, shuffling equity around as needed to avoid incurring any additional debt and still end up with two nice vehicles out of the deal.

So we farmed the kids out to her parents for the day on Saturday and set out to test-drive as many cars as we could stand in this 100+ degree heat wave. We started with a CPO 2011 V6 Highlander Limited and she loved it. Went next door to CarMax and looked at (but didn't drive) an '08 BMW 550i (ridden hard and put away wet); an '09 Infiniti FX35 (she hates how they look but may have been willing to consider a test-drive of a better-equipped example); a 2011 Honda Pilot EX-L (she hated everything about the interior); and an '09 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring (turned away after we saw the damaged rear bumper cover and crappy aftermarket front grille insert).

After CarMax we went to another independent local dealership that's set up similarly and drove a 2011 Sienna (with only 25k miles, might as well have been 125k - rattled and creaked like an empty U-Haul and had horrifically warped brake rotors) and then a loaded non-Ecoboost Flex Limited. I really liked the Flex, with the assumption the sportier tuning and significantly more powerful engine of the Ecoboost model would rectify the few shortcomings I found in it.

After a late lunch we decided to swing through the Acura dealer to look at a CPO MDX, with the thought that we'd poke around a new one on the air-conditioned showroom floor instead of the blazing-hot models outside. We looked at that, then looked at the TSX wagon next to it...and really liked it. Decided to drive one, and both of us loved it. Went back to the lot, drove an MDX for comparison...which only served reinforced the opinions about the TSX and earlier opinions about the Highlander.

A few hours later, we took home a brand-new 2012 TSX Sport Wagon Tech package in Bellanova White Pearl over Taupe interior, leaving with them the old Suburban and the Si. 'Twas a bittersweet moment – I hated to leave behind the Suburban and the capability it represented, but I won’t miss the fuel bills or the cargo ship handling characteristics. I hated to leave behind the spunky Civic Si for its point-and-squirt drivability, but I won’t miss its hobby-horse interstate ride or the “teenager car” image it tended to carry.

What we loved about the TSX:
- Great features for the money
- Drives and handles much like the ’05 TL we once had, which is to say very well for a FWD sporty/near-luxury car
- More usable cargo hold relative to the sedan version
- The dealer – we’ve had very good experiences both with purchases (this is our third) and with service here, and it’s very convenient for warranty or other needs
- Good EPA fuel economy rating (25mpg combined); I’ll track it with Fuelly and see how it does in the real world….for reference, I was averaging 26 mpg with the Si and about 13.5 in the Suburban (I had larger-than-OE A/T tires on it and a heavy right foot…).

What I wish it had:
- An option for the sedan’s available V6, though the 2.4 is more than adequate for most circumstances
- Rear DVD for the kiddos (rectifiable via aftermarket if necessary, though)
- Ideally a manual trans, but not for a car my wife will drive some of the time…at least it has the “flappy paddles” for a modicum of control
- A few more cubbies and storage nooks up front like the Civic - the center armrest console is smaller and there aren’t as many other storage opportunities here
- Remote start – I’ll miss this from the Suburban. Honda has an add-on kit but it’s not very well integrated, it’s expensive, and not worth the hassle IMHO.

What I’ll probably do to it:
- Window tint – max legal (35%) or slightly darker
- OEM or corresponding Thule roof rack cross bars, bike attachments, and probably a rooftop cargo box
- Probably not much else. Maybe the DVD system, maybe a set of TSX V6 wheels or something…

What happens next: trading her CR-V for a lightly-used 2011 Highlander Limited this weekend, if all goes to plan.

And without any further ado, here are a couple pics from delivery:

[2.0T_Convert]

One of my favorite wagons we get here in the US. Will look good with darker tint

[Oliver@triplezoom]

Nice purchase!

I wonder how sales of this wagon would be if, instead of just selling an auto four cylinder model, they just gave the choice of the four with a stick or V6 with an auto.

[rice is burning]

I'll be picking up that same color and tech package to replace my wife's Accord pretty soon.

You can get into one of those with tech package for less than an optioned up Escape. There's plenty of trunk money in them right now.

Also, like other Honda wagons you can be pretty sure it will sell slowly on dealer lots but the resale value will be better than the TSX sedan.

[Impeccable]

Nice choice, I do like the add on remot starter remote
I cant resist I like gadgets

[bmxguy]

saw one for the first time yesterday. wish they chose to do this with the last gen tsx. im not too fond of the styling of the new model but the wagon is still sweet.

[someguy123]

Also, like other Honda wagons you can be pretty sure it will sell slowly on dealer lots but the resale value will be better than the TSX sedan.

Resale will be very high I'm expecting. Probably the last Honda wagon for another.....20 years.

[Impeccable]

Resale will be very high I'm expecting. Probably the last Honda wagon for another.....20 years.

Honda wagons have a special-ness to me kinda like benz wagons,old cressida wagons

[Volvo_D]

One of my favorite wagons we get here in the US. Will look good with darker tint

to be fair, the list of wagons in the US is a short one...

[dcmix5]

Where's the sport?

[2.0T_Convert]

Where's the sport?

[dcmix5]

Oh yeah, I forgot..."Acura Marketing"

[2.0T_Convert]

Oh yeah, I forgot..."Acura Marketing"

Less QQ.

It is a FWD euro Accord platform. Not all that different than another sportwagen I can think of.

[1.8tizzle]

Awesome choice. One of my favorite wagons.

[PeanutGallery]

Nice purchase!

I wonder how sales of this wagon would be if, instead of just selling an auto four cylinder model, they just gave the choice of the four with a stick or V6 with an auto.

Sadly, probably not much difference. When the rumors of the wagon body style first started circulating, my interest was extremely high...until I heard 4cyl/AT-only. Comparing it to a (nearly-impossible-to-find-in-the-southeast) E90 or E60 BMW 6MT wagon, it's nowhere near as appealing...but compared to a conventional SUV or CUV, it'll do. From what I heard - the V6 has a very low take rate in the sedan, and I'm sure a manual wagon would be a hard sell outside of TCL.

You can get into one of those with tech package for less than an optioned up Escape. There's plenty of trunk money in them right now.

yeah - I was looking at used SUV-type vehicles originally and then realized I could get this car brand-new with similar options for about the same cost. Given that I don't enjoy driving an SUV to begin with, and that my wife likes it as much as I do, it was pretty much a no-brainer...

Nice choice, I do like the add on remot starter remote
I cant resist I like gadgets.

Same here, but my understanding is that with the Honda/Acura system you have to turn it off with the remote before you can turn on the car with the key, which was not the case with GM's system - you just stuck the key in and it seamlessly transitioned from "remote" power to "keyed" power. That said, I could be mistaken about the current H-A version; I'm just thinking back to my research into a similar "dealer-installed OEM" system for the CR-V last year...

Where's the sport?

It's all relative....compare it to my old Suburban or a Pilot, Flex, or other larger, taller CUV/SUV and it's readily apparent...compare it to a RWD BMW or Infiniti and it's just marketing hooey.

[Jeff_DML]

my buddy has a TSX wagon, nice car and I might of been interested if they offered a stick in it. We have highlander for the wife and I drive a Mazda 3 skyactiv hatch. My buddy thinks my 3 it is sort of smaller version of his wagon.

[rice is burning]

yeah - I was looking at used SUV-type vehicles originally and then realized I could get this car brand-new with similar options for about the same cost. Given that I don't enjoy driving an SUV to begin with, and that my wife likes it as much as I do, it was pretty much a no-brainer...

My wife had a Volvo wagon before she bought the Accord (before I met her)- and her dad has alway had a Volvo or MBZ wagon around so she likes the wagon. I don't know if you can even get a Volvo wagon here anymore that isn't jacked up to make it look macho, and I have no idea what an E class wagon costs but my wife will not approve of spending that much money on a car.

I also suggested an RDX but she doesn't want to drive a hulk that probably gets mediocre mileage. Don't get me wrong, if we wanted an SUV the RDX would be great but- eh, meh.

Ayway, I had an '04 6MT TSX sedan from new until last fall, and I really regret selling it. I figure she can drive the wagon for 3 or 4 years and put 75k on it and then I'll take it until it's 10 or so. It'll be splitting mileage with the S2000 so it should pretty much last forever. Then she can get something nicer if she wants.

As for the V6 option- I wouldn't buy it if it were offered. She already thinks her 166 hp Accord is fine, and I've driven it on long trips and it's perfectly fine, even with the slushbox. Hell, just driving around town I rarely got my TSX past 5k rpms. If I wanna hoon I have an S2000 with a 900 watt stereo, so that's enough for an old dude like me.

[Broduski]

CTRL-F'd "Wife" and "Auto" Was not disappoint. Kidding. The new TSX is quite the looker in my opinion, Congrats.

[gonzo08452]

Great car I just picked up a graphite luster metallic Wagon 3weeks ago. I just filled it up for the first time yesterday and loving it so far. I'm taking it in on Friday to get the clearbra and rear bumper aplique installed (due bill thrown in at time of purchase) My advisor says he'll reserve an ILX loaner for me so I'm curious to see how that drives compared to the TSX. If you don't already have them, you can p'up the OEM all-weather mats from Amazon for about $100-120 for the whole set but the rear cargo tray is dealer item only.

[pknopp]

Sorry, I skipped the story and went to the pics. I love wagons. Good choice.

[J-Tim]

It is a FWD euro Accord platform.

That's not just a platform but a simple rebadge+US-spec bumpers and lights of an Accord, sold in Germany.

[nm+]

What I’ll probably do to it:
- Window tint – max legal (35%) or slightly darker
- OEM or corresponding Thule roof rack cross bars, bike attachments, and probably a rooftop cargo box
- Probably not much else. Maybe the DVD system, maybe a set of TSX V6 wheels or something…

-Remove that terrible dealer sticker.

[PeanutGallery]

Thanks for all the kind words - I'm certainly pleased thus far, though I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase where it can pretty much do no wrong...

Great car I just picked up a graphite luster metallic Wagon 3weeks ago. I just filled it up for the first time yesterday and loving it so far. I'm taking it in on Friday to get the clearbra and rear bumper aplique installed (due bill thrown in at time of purchase) My advisor says he'll reserve an ILX loaner for me so I'm curious to see how that drives compared to the TSX. If you don't already have them, you can p'up the OEM all-weather mats from Amazon for about $100-120 for the whole set but the rear cargo tray is dealer item only.

cool. I may look into the all-weather mats - never got 'em for my Civic and kind of regretted it once the front driver's mat started wearing through at the heel point after just a couple months. I have the rear cargo mat thingy, so I should be good there.

FWIW, looking at your vehicle list there - a TBSS was one of the might-look-at options on my list, though I didn't run across any last weekend and am generally not a fan of the TB interior as a whole....but that motor might just have made up for it.

Sorry, I skipped the story and went to the pics. I love wagons. Good choice.

no worries - you didn't miss much.

[PeanutGallery]

-Remove that terrible dealer sticker.

absolutely - it's on tomorrow's to-do list, along with the front tag bracket.

[thunderbird1100]

Really like almost everything about my friend's 2012 TSX sedan. The 2.4 is plenty and he returns about 25ish around town and a little over 30 on the highway. It's a great, fun handling car with pretty direct steering. Interior is very well appointed but my only major gripe is the backseat room is a bit lacking for a car of that size. I guess we notice this more-so being in college and having 3 big guys in it regularly (I'm 6'2, other guy is 6'0).

Will make you very happy though

[FujiTekniques]

Just out of curiosity, what did they give you for the Si?

[Aonarch]

Nice buy!

God if they had the V6 and a 6MT... I would absolutely buy one.

[PeanutGallery]

Really like almost everything about my friend's 2012 TSX sedan. The 2.4 is plenty and he returns about 25ish around town and a little over 30 on the highway. It's a great, fun handling car with pretty direct steering. Interior is very well appointed but my only major gripe is the backseat room is a bit lacking for a car of that size. I guess we notice this more-so being in college and having 3 big guys in it regularly (I'm 6'2, other guy is 6'0).

Will make you very happy though

thanks! Excessive height is not a problem I have to deal with, and my kids are 3 and 4 1/2...so hopefully the tighter back seat won't be an issue for us for a while.

Just out of curiosity, what did they give you for the Si?

$19k.

[randy]

Did they not have any of the new 2013 RDX's at the Acura dealer?

[DerSpiegel]

3,600lbs, 170 torks, 5AT.

I want one but I wish it came with the RDX motor. Well, then it would be too expensive. Ah well....

[kraut_pauer79]

I don't see many of these but when I do I'm always surprised, it is quite a good looking wagon, with a bit of sportiness to it. Definitely a smart choice if you want a wagon and don't need a V6.

[anthonymindel]

Great looking wagon,and the TSX is such a brilliant car,congratulations,you guys are going to LOVE it.

[Heffernan]

Love the TSX Wagon Congrats

[czykvw]

congrats!
the tsx wagon is such a sexy wagon. the design reminds me of those 2 door wagons... forgot what theyre called?
anyways you cant go wrong with this purchase. work at a acura dealership and cant help but lust over these wagons when they come in. Wish the price tag was lower
But white is one of my favorite acura colors, kinda girly since its very pearly, but its not boring for being white

[gonzo08452]

Really like almost everything about my friend's 2012 TSX sedan. The 2.4 is plenty and he returns about 25ish around town and a little over 30 on the highway. It's a great, fun handling car with pretty direct steering. Interior is very well appointed but my only major gripe is the backseat room is a bit lacking for a car of that size. I guess we notice this more-so being in college and having 3 big guys in it regularly (I'm 6'2, other guy is 6'0).

Will make you very happy though

Yeah, the EPS really shines in the TSX. I wasn't really expecting much about it but was pleasantly surprised how direct and responive it is.