2012 Acura TSX Special Edition: Slightly Sportier

The changes are subtle, but they do add a more sporting character to a car that is half buck-tooth chrome chipmunk, half middle-aged middleweight jock who thinks he's still 16. While I won't waver in my opinion that this car belongs more on a computer screen or a dealer lot and less in peoples' driveways, I can't argue that the changes, however minimal, improve this car's appearance. I give the TSX Special Edition a 4 out of 10, to its non-Special-Edition brethren's 3 out of 10.

As a huge Angels fan... I abolutely love the jab about the LA Auto Show of Anaheim. Well done.

Agreed, cjasis. Mike's jab was good for a chuckle!

Quite frankly I think it's insulting to the buying public when car companies put out nonsense like this. Why should some lame cosmetic enhancements be considered "special"?

I'm renaming it the "nothing special about this" TSX.
At least do something to the suspension or exhaust... something!

@b-boy
I've been begging for them to do anything. Japanese seem to just add plastic to make "sporty" cars.

I thought that was the Camry's "new" body until I read the title.

this does remind you of the changes to the camry to make it a "sporty" SE model.

Correction to the story, should be September 22, 2011, not 2012...

Once again, Honda disappoints me. I suppose with today's vehicles having so much more standard equipment, its getting harder to make a "special edition". If I were Honda, I would have added:

1. Upgrade to 18" wheels and slightly wider wheels/tires.
2. Limited slip with perhaps a lower gear ratio for added punch off the line.
3. Lower the suspension (at least 1") with stiffer bushings and increase in anti-roll bar size.
4. Also needs some type of subtle trunk-lid spoiler.

As for its appearance, the front fascia is not bad but I don't like the fog light assembly. It looks like a tacky aftermarket add on. I also don't care for the fully painted rear bumper (I like the two tone look with black surrounds by the exhaust and on the lower half of the bumper). And that silly cutout in the center looks out of place.

Slightly sporty, but still very ugly. The newer versions of the Camry and Optima are much better than

this. Too bad Honda but you fail!

I can't even tell the difference between this and the regular TSX without having to read the description. I wonder how much they are going to mark up the price on this "Special Edition"

All show and no go.
Meh...

Remember when "sporty" meant something other than appearance items?

Puhleeeze.

What a f--king joke and almost as bad as the Mugen Si, which charged an $8000 premium for what was mostly an appearance package. This is all appearance and no performance, but at least it's likely to be a much cheaper package. I just love the marketing wonk/talking head speak by the VP - the K24 isn't especially high-revving and Honda gutted the tunability potential. with no exhaust VTEC and the cast-in manifold.

+2 to the Angels jab.

Not much show and not much go. But I love that color on the TSX (Accord Euro here down under)

I like it but then again i drive an 06 TSX. I think the base model looks better but the unique color and the upgraded interior may just be enough for me to trade my car in for this one.

Nice seats..but that red is horrific.

I wonder how much they will charge for this package?

Have owned Honda's my entire driving life; '89 Civic Hatchback (whopping 70 HP and no passenger side mirror), '99 Civic SI and '04 RSX-S. I'm afraid my Honda days are coming to an end. My last hope is this 2012/13 entry-level model (some say they'll bring back the RSX nameplate), but the way they've been going, I'm afraid it will be the last in a long line of recent disappointments.
I completely agree w/ 'mrryte', it is very insulting to us when car companies do this. What exactly is so special about this special edition? Nothing, this is just another way for them to make money and I'm pretty sure this will add at least another 2 -3 K to the cost.

@jabele thats the million dollar question but i heard the TSX SE will cost under 31k so the package is probably only a few hundred dollars.

All these Acuras ( TL , RL, TSX, ZDX ) were killed in the water, even before they were rolling
out the factory. All terrifics cars that were thousands times better than the models they replace,
but Honda/Acura was caugth off guard and never see what was coming over there.
Insigth, Odessy, Pilot , Accord and now the new Civic all terrifics cars, and the same luck.

"Special Edition badge on the trunk, polished finish on the TSX's 17s, new front spoiler, new rear fascia, red stitching, Lux Suede seat inserts, aluminum pedal covers and a black headliner"

I think I wanna puke. You know what my biggest complaint about your new cars Honda/Acura? YOUR INTERIOR.

Sure! Cover it with Lux Suede pedal covers and aluminum seat inserts or whatever you wanna call it but please, at least do something with that big slab of plastic you call a dashboard.

And dear heavens, give it some beef if you wanna call it sporty. OH! that rear fascia adds 50hp more am I right? I get it.

Psuedo sportiness is NOT sportiness Acura. I'm not sure who's approving these mediocre products from Honda/Acura (excluding the MDX and Odyssey) but I'd like to see the return of the engineers running the show instead of the penny pinchers. Honda, get it together or die a slow painful death.

"Sure! Cover it with Lux Suede pedal covers and aluminum seat inserts or whatever you wanna call it"

lol... coddle my feet, but not my tush...

The interior is pretty sweet, but the exterior is wanting. Horribly inadequate wheels take way completely from whatever the mild cosmetic add ons gave the car. C-

TSX is a great car. Looks great. This package just adds a little more excitement for those who want a sportier looking car.

agreed that the wheels are lacking for a "sporty" car. And why must you get the V6 to get 18s? Even the new Camry will have 18s on SE V6 models- thats on a $26k car.

Special Edition??? Could use more Special...There are better cars out there for the price.

a dissapointment on the sport front, but it does at least look more 'sporty'.

the interior looks great. those inserts will do well to mask what leather in an acura looks like after a few years of use.

A few upgraded design ques to the only attractive sedan left in the Acura lineup. They should have made this a Type S and increased power and torque, tweeked the suspension and brakes, and done something to eliminate torque steer.

It's a nice daily driver, but has lost it's fun to drive appeal.

One last comment.

Makes me really think about going toward the Regal GS or even the CXL Turbo

Please wake up Honda/Accura! It is insulting for you to try and pull this on Honda fans! We know what special means because we were around when you use to build decent performance cars like the NSX, Integra Type-R, RSX and S2000. This TSX package is a joke!

@lions208487- TSX has no torque steer not even the V6.

with acura if you want a 'special edition' you go out and do it yourself....take your stock tsx, add diff wheels/tires..maybe diff exhaust....you'll do a better job than
the buck-toothed-beaver-boys could ever do.