In 2003 Acura introduced the TSX, a mid-sized luxury sports sedan designed to replace the four door Acura Integra and appeal to those who desired a more luxurious interior in their sports sedan. Available with either a six speed manual or five speed automatic transmission, the Acura TSX filled the gap between the TL, designed to appeal to the younger drivers, and the RSX, designed to appeal to slightly more affluent young families, by seamlessly blending reliable functionality and high performance with sleek styling.
Although the ride is smooth and reliable, yet just a bit stiff as compared to other luxury sedans, it is the interior features that helped make the vehicle a true competitor to the likes of the more costly BMW or Audis. For a reasonable price, TSX comes fully loaded with heated front leather seats, dual zone climate control, 17 inch wheels and a 360 watt stereo system with six-CD changer. Every inch of the interior, from the beautiful leather to the flawlessly smooth operational controls, boasts expert craftsmanship and high quality materials. The only feature available as an option is an advanced navigation system with voice recognition. The features that are standard on the vehicle are optional on the Acura’s European competitors and significantly increase their prices far beyond that of the TSX.
The five passenger 2004 model shared the same precision based front wheel drive, 4 cylinder, 2.4 liter engine as the 2003 model. In fact, the Acura TSX has had few noteworthy changes mechanically or in body style between the 2003 and 2007 model years, and still has managed to score highly with both consumers and automotive industry experts as a fuel efficient combination of performance and luxury.
