Originally posted by dankatzzz
Ok, major pet peeve is using the 4 cylinder engine which here in the US is a big minus. People like liters and cylinders here. If the car was $23-24k it would be in a class of its own essentiall (WRX only competitor, but not direct). For $26k you can get a base A4 or 325i euro delivery. Sure, the Acura will out accelerate the BMW if you rev it to 4000rpm, drop the clutch, and hold the wheel well so you get no torque steer. This is what car and driver essentiall does. In real world driving the smoothness of an I-6 and the higher torque at lower rpm is more useful. While Honda's 4cyl is a great engine when it comes to smoothness, it is not a 6cyl and is not as good as the best 6 cyl out there (read BMW, Maxima's, and even Honda's own 3L). Sure, handling is top notch, but at what price? ride. BMW is still the only manufacturer in my opinion who has mastered the art of combining great handling with terrific ride. The sports package is barely preceptable yet handles amazingly.
OK, as for equipment, if the high equipment level is what matters for the comsumer than go for the Acura. You definitely will get a better deal. To me, even a base 325i with leatherette has most of what I want in a car. No CD changer, but a CD player, DSC, 6 airbags, and a drivetrain to die for.
These are my $0.02....
Dani
The Audi A4 1.8T has four cylinders and the 325i only has 184 horsepower. I agree with you on BMW being tops with their suspension tuning...how they do it is amazing. But it's unfair to discount the TSX before you've driven it. Acura would never sarifice ride for handling, and the reviews I've read have said that it does both very, very well.
I think you're discounting the TSX before even driving it. If you noticed with the Accord 4 banger, the engine has so much low end torque and smoothness that it feels very much like a six cylinder. I can't imagine how much an extra 40 horsepower and another lb-ft of torque help to motivate it. Basically, all I ask is that you drive it before you say that the 325i is so much better...if it's anything like the reviews say it is, you should be very surprised.
Hope you enjoy your Accord
BTW - The TSX will outaccelerate the BMW 325i from a street start as well, or 5-60MPH. It has almost as much torque than the BMW, more horsepower, and better gearing. 100 cubic centimeters of displacement don't give a car much of an advantage when you're up against superior engine technology. And you won't get very much torque steer with only 166 lb-ft of torque