[larchmont]

It's out! -- the Consumer Reports annual car issue.

The TSX gets the usual little write-up that all the cars get, although it's somewhat limited because Consumer Reports hasn't done its full review of the car yet. It's good but not that good. I would expect the full review to be more favorable than seems to be suggested by this limited write-up.

Here's the full text:


"The TSX is a successor to the Integra sedan, which left the Acura lineup with the introduction of the RSX in 2001. Based on the smaller Accord sold in Japan and Europe, the TSX is positioned below the TL and fills a void in Acura's entry-level sedan lineup. It features a smooth-revving engine and a slick manual or automatic transmission. Handling is more agile than the Accord's, but the ride is a bit stiff. The optional navigation system is easy to use. The TSX is a pleasant car with a sporty pretense that avoids being branded a family sedan."


The TSX doesn't get ratings for reliability (or anything else) because it's a new model.
Also the car isn't "Recommended," which isn't surprising because of it being a new model.
I'm not totally sure but I think CR never gives the "Recommended" label to a new model.


The TL gets a spectacular write-up, in line with the great full review it got recently. Also it does get a reliability rating which evidently involves the car being given "credit" for the track record of the old TL -- which IMO is a huge error or oversight because it's almost totally a different car.
BTW the TL's indicated "Reliability" is only "above average" (i.e. a red half-circle), not "highest" (red full-circle) as in the past. I can't say I understand that.
The TL doesn't get the "Recommended" label either, but it does get labeled as a "Top Pick," which I'm pretty sure is a brand new thing for Consumer Reports.

Here's the text of the TL write-up:

"The TL is the highest-scoring car we've tested in the upscale sedan category. It's based on the current Honda Accord V6 and is a significant improvement over the previous version. The TL is among the few models that provide a near-ideal blend of comfort, convenience, and sportiness--all at a reasonable price. It delivers taut, agile handling, though ultimately is not as nimble as a BMW 3 Series. The engine delivers very quick acceleration and commendable fuel economy. It rides comfortably and quietly, though a wide turning circle is one of the few negatives. Interior quality is impressive."

 

[kiteboy]

Do you know what the 03 TL ratings were? The engine is mostly carry-over from the TL-S, so maybe CR gave some consideration for a "partial" rating.

 

[larchmont]

Do you know what the 03 TL ratings were?.....

Hey, is the pope Italian? Is A-Rod a shortstop? Is the TSX a Honda?

Of course I know! (Heck, I bought one......)

Here we go, from last year's car issue:

The '03 TL was "Recommended," Reliability was "highest," Satisfaction and Depreciation were both "above average."
The overall write-up was good but not great -- they had a couple of complaints about the car.

But I don't think that the new TL's engine being a carry-over had much to do with them giving the car "credit" for the old TL's track record. I think it's just something they do automatically when the name stays the same, no matter now different the car is.

 

[Whatchamacallit]

The CR Annual Car Issue itself is a terrific magazine. It caters to broad range of readers and addresses key issues that people focus on before researching a car. For those of you who haven't subscribed to CR, I highly recommend it. (And no, I don't work for Consumers Union, the publisher of CR).

It doesn't go down into the nitty gritty details (although the monthly auto reports do a better job at this) but if you are in the market for a new/used car and trying to narrow down the possible candidates, it comes in very handy.

 

[larchmont]

The CR Annual Car Issue itself is a terrific magazine. It caters to broad range of readers and addresses key issues that people focus on before researching a car. For those of you who haven't subscribed to CR, I highly recommend it. (And no, I don't work for Consumers Union, the publisher of CR).

It doesn't go down into the nitty gritty details (although the monthly auto reports do a better job at this) but if you are in the market for a new/used car and trying to narrow down the possible candidates, it comes in very handy.

I agree completely.

My two main references for narrowing down car choices are (1) Consumer Reports (especially the annual car issue) and (2) Consumer Guide.

CR gives a very good overview, with a lot of emphasis of reliability -- which, from all that I've ever seen, you don't find anywhere else, AT ALL.
In case you want to say "JD Power," IMO their "dependability" stuff has very little relation to what most of us consider to be "reliability."

Consumer Guide goes into more detail, and in a more systematic way. They have those 10-point scales on just about everything, together with a few sentences on each thing. Their ratings are a little hard to understand if you're not really familiar with their system (mainly that the scores always look worse than what they mean), but if you take the trouble to get the hang of it, the guide is extremely useful.

 

[GRAYTSX]

I consider Consumer Reports the most reliable source for purchasing just about anything.
Mostly due to the fact that they don't take on any advertising and their ratings are based on not only their own testing but reader response also.

 

[TSXtc]

Thank you for the article. I had been wondering how TSX did in the Consumer Reports car write-up.