Although the official debut of the 2009 Acura TSX will happen at the 2008 New York Auto Show in a couple weeks, the European Honda Accord unveiled today in Geneva is a pretty good sneak peek. Its exterior is virtually identical as it uses the same shield grille up front and a sharply creased rear end. Inside, itâs all Accord though as the cabin looks identical to our larger U.S.-market version.
Like our TSX, the European Accord will offer a 197-hp 2.4-liter engine, but it also marks the introduction of Hondaâs latest i-DTEC diesel engine...
A diesel option is an absolute must for a mainstream family sedan in Europe, but whether Acura will use it in the upscale TSX is still being debated. We drove an early prototype and the performance is solid, but we donât see many U.S. buyers opting for the more expensive diesel given the fuel-efficiency of the standard four-cylinder gas engine. -- Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor,
Inside Line
blueguydotcom says:
07:19 AM, 03/ 4/08
The standard 4, according to a co-worker with a 2007 isn't efficient at all. He gets around 24 mpg in mixed driving (that's pretty wretched considering what a dog the TSX is in the power arena). With gas heading toward 4 dollars a gallon in socal, the jump to 30+ mpg in mixed will make up the price difference fast.
bepperb says:
07:41 AM, 03/ 4/08
I still don't understand why this product isn't branded as a Honda and slotted between the Civic and Accord. Besides the Acura badge, there isn't much on the TSX that isn't better on the IS250/G35/A4. Also, depite sharing the K24 engine with the Accord (which makes great mileage figures), the tsx's aren't great (at least the last gen's) probably because it was geared much shorter.
ateixeira says:
07:57 AM, 03/ 4/08
The Acura also requires premium fuel, so really you're spending no less on gas than some competing V6s.
Bring over the diesel. Mercedes and BMW will be offering them.
blueguydotcom says:
10:59 AM, 03/ 4/08
Premium gas v. regular cost is irrelevant with gas costing 3.29 and 3.49 a gallon in so cal.
moparbad says:
11:22 AM, 03/ 4/08
So Cal is irrelevant.
Acura TSX diesel or bust.
No diesel, no Acura.
bepperb says:
12:37 PM, 03/ 4/08
Wait, why is the twenty cent difference irrelevant in socal? Are those numbers getting too big... is the math too hard? Why don't you figure out how much you paid for gas in 2007, multiply it by .06, and mail me a check for that amount!
The only thing getting me into a next gen TSX is a diesel, or the turbo 2.3 from the RDX. The Accord V6 is too much more car, for the same money, to justify the K24.
firstwagon says:
12:55 PM, 03/ 4/08
In Canada, premium is 12 cent/litre or about 48 cents /gallon more then regular.
That's very relevant.
Diesel on the other hand is 8 to 10 cents a litre less then regular.
Bring the Diesel!!!
blueguydotcom says:
03:05 PM, 03/ 4/08
bepperb, sorry but a 6-7% increase isn't that big of a deal. When I'm spending $1750 a year on gas for my Cooper S, $1650 a year using regular doesn't seem like such a hot deal. Wow, a whopping $2 a week.
Using regular v. super as a rationale for buying a car is a little dated. Back in 1990 when gas was 80 cents reg/1.00 super, then I could see getting ruffled. By the time gas hits $4 a gallon - probably this summer - the gap will have dropped to 5%.
Honestly, when I have to fill up I don't even bother looking for a 'deal' on gas as a 10 cent per gallon difference a mile or two away isn't worth the time. At 12 cents per mile (for just gas), if I drive 2 miles out of my way I'm barely even saving anything on a 13 gallon fill up.
firstwagon says:
04:43 PM, 03/ 4/08
That's the great thing about a Mini, it uses so little gas that you don't need to pinch pennies.
SubyTrojan says:
06:07 PM, 03/ 4/08
moparbad, SoCal is not irrelevant. It represents what is probably the largest automotive market in the world (per capita).
I wonder if future U.S. TSX owners are already thinking about retrofitting the front grille with the European Honda Accord one.