Audi A3 or Acura TSX?

F

Florida-LS

New member
Well my 2001 Lincoln LS is starting to get up there in miles and I am going to replace it in the fall. I would buy another LS V8 but 2006 is the last year for the LS (shame) so I won't be buying one (I am waiting for the 2007s).



I have narrowed my choices down to the Audi A3 and the Acura TSX. Both cars have I4 engines (which will take some getting used to I suppose coming from a V8). Both engines make 200HP but the Audi needs a turbo to do it, the Acura is N/A. Both can be had with a 6-spd.



I would like to hear some opinions from owners of these cars so if you have a few minutes to yack please let me know what you think of them. Thanks.
 
Style, fit, finish, comfort, I would have to veer towards Acura.





I've been up close to both and I am just not fond of the A3 styling...The "big-hatchback" design screams younger crowd. The TSX, on the other hand, is far more sophisticated and refined. The gaps are nearly invisible and all around the car is stunning. If the car had more power, I'd probably own one.
 
If you drive the A3 3.2 AWD....your mind will be made up...



Seriously, my boss has one, the car is solid, and handles sweet. Only bad thing is that there is no manual transmission yet.
 
Drive both. I have yet to drive the A3 but I've driven the new A4 and the A3 will only be lighter. I really wasn't fond of the TSX I thought it was sluggish.
 
The TSX is very sluggish due to its lack of tourqe. If you like the A3, why not go for the 5 door GTI that will be out in the fall and save yourself 10grand. I sell VW so I may be biased :woot: , but the GIT/A3 (same car) are safer, faster, more fun to drive and have more interior space than the TSX.
 
You may want to try the DSG on the A3. I've heard so many good things about it. But if you must go for manual, TSX is the way to go. I think there will be a new model next year.
 
I am on my 2nd Audi. I looked at Acura, it just didn't have the "feel" of the European brands. Additionally, while Acura has outstanding quality, I have several co-workers that have 2 year old TLs, and the interior really looks worn after just a couple of years. These guys are not Autopians, but they do take good care of their cars. Look at a few high mileage pre-owned cars, both Audi and Acura, and you will get a good idea of how each will hold up.
 
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vs.





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Have you thought about an A4? I just don't see a linear comparison between the TSX and A3? I drove an A4 2.0t with leather. It was not optioned out at all and still provided an excellent bang for the buck, plus the lease rates are great. Here is the one I have worked on...



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My wife has a 2004 TSX that we've been very, very happy with. It's true that it could use a little more power, but whether that is a problem depends on your preferences, and how you drive. Take one for a spin and see what you think. We've had the car for 3 years now, and the interior is holding up great, I wouldn't worry about that, personally. The one thing you'll notice is the TSX has noticeably more room for people (man that backseat in the A3 is tight), while the A3 has better cargo carrying ability, due to the hatchback. I think both are very good looking cars, but I definitely have to give the TSX interior the nod. I think the TSX has one of the best interiors in this price range. If I had to do it again, I would consider the A3, but I'm not convinced that Audi has solved their reliability problems. I guess this only matters if you plan to keep the car for a while (past warranty), but is something to consider.



Either one, you'll probably be happy with, but we definitely love the TSX.
 
Noting that I'm an Audi guy...



The Acura is almost certainly gonna be a more hassle-free ownership experience, for whatever that's worth.



IMO the two cars are so completely different that you'll love one more than the other once you spend some time with them. At the risk of over-generalizing, there are Acura guys and there are Audi guys. Just gotta figure out which one you are. I know people in both camps and they'd never be happy with the other car.



But then I prefer to keep the cars that I like regardess of their mileage....and you're talking about some very different driving dynamics compared to the LS.
 
2 cents from another Audi guy:



Owning 2 Audis (2002 TT Roadster/2002 A4) has lead me to believe Acura's overall intial quality is probably better when compared to our 1997 Honda Prelude. The wife's TT had ~ 8 niggling issues from the day we brought it home. Everything from loose turn signal marker lights, eletrical locking gremlins, covertible top folding issues, etc. Nothing that ever left her stranded, but more annoyances that did make us question how things might hold up later on in the owner experience. To the dealerships credit, they did eventually fix all the TT's problems and nothing has reoccured to date. My A4 had a much better intial quality impression, but I still had two issues (windshield wiper washer problem and the dreaded ignition coil recall) that were all fixed under warranty. I'm still trying to track down a rattle in the overhead light cluster that the dealership could never resolve.



Be sure to consider your choices based on the dealership's service reputation, too. Audi's warranty is 4 yrs./50,000 mi. with included maintenance (filters, wipers, etc.) while I believe Acura's is the same except no maintenance items.
 
Another Audi Guy here (S4 & A6)(hating the clearcoat!)



It is kind of strange but it seems that people generally like japanese styling or european styling. I rarely see people who mix their cars.



The 2.0T engine has received many rave reviews. The A3 is a great car in either 2.0T or 3.2 V6. I have driven both. Unfortunately to get quattro in the A3 you need the 3.2 V6 and optioned out that puppy is mid-upper $30s. That is where the A4 fills in the spot- you can get the 2.0T with quattro and cloth seats if you want. I'm actually anxious to see what the 5 door GTI brings to the table albeit no quattro/4 motion.



A good friend of mine has a TSX and another friend has the TL. They are Honda/Acura guys. They couldn't wait for the day they could buy those cars and have nothing bad to say about the cars at all. I've driven both and they are both nice cars. I do have to say that fit and finish are below that of Audi.



Both are capable cars and it really depends on what you are looking for. Drive them and then decide.



I hate to throw this out there but the Saab (I can hear the protests now -"Did he actually say Saab?") 9-3 SportCombi is a surprisingly nice little ride as well in the same horsepower/price range as the base A3 and the TSX. The 9-3 Aero with the turbo V6 isn't too bad either.
 
I'm going to skip the this is better than that part.:D Used pricing (~2 years old) for TSX's around me are pretty close to what the car costs new. That's keeping some pretty good value.
 
chml17l said:
2 cents from another Audi guy:



Owning 2 Audis (2002 TT Roadster/2002 A4) has lead me to believe Acura's overall intial quality is probably better when compared to our 1997 Honda Prelude. The wife's TT had ~ 8 niggling issues from the day we brought it home. Everything from loose turn signal marker lights, eletrical locking gremlins, covertible top folding issues, etc. Nothing that ever left her stranded, but more annoyances that did make us question how things might hold up later on in the owner experience. To the dealerships credit, they did eventually fix all the TT's problems and nothing has reoccured to date. My A4 had a much better intial quality impression, but I still had two issues (windshield wiper washer problem and the dreaded ignition coil recoil) that were all fixed under warranty. I'm still trying to track down a rattle in the overhead light cluster that the dealership could never resolve.
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Audi's are notorious for odd problems like these, right off the lot. My S.O. used to work at an Audi dealership, and it was amazing to hear what goes wrong with those cars. Additionally, the parts are very expensive - wouldn't want to own an out-of-warranty Audi.
 
When I was shopping last year I drove both. I didnt like the TSX, it felt sluggish and drove like an Accord (not sporty). Im sure the car will be dead reliable for years and the styling is pretty nice but it wasnt my cup of tea. I drove an A3 2.0t with manual and I was impressed! It was much spunkier, handled better and just felt better driving it. Im 33, but I like the Audi's styling much better. I would go for the A3.
 
I love both cars.

The Audi is AWD which I can't ever see me driving a two wheel drive car again after owning AWD.

BUT the Audi is turbo which means it will require premium gas all of the time.

In reports Acura/Honda always comes above the Euro cars. I have owned a few Hondas and fit and finish is awesome on them. As much of a Honda guy as I have been in the past I would probably take the Audi just for AWD.
 
tanha said:
Additionally, the parts are very expensive - wouldn't want to own an out-of-warranty Audi.
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Ditto. I considered the gambit of Audis, BMWs and MBs but chose the TSX mainly for this reason. I tend to keep cars for 7-8 years and wanted the reliability as well as the lower overall cost of ownership. If I was a person who leased, or traded on a three year cycle, I would definitely be more open to the Europeans.



The TSX has been a very nice car. I will admit to a lack of pep when left in automatic, but the manual and even the autostick can remedy that quite gratifyingly. The engine loves the high revs, and performance is brisk if you know how to use it.



Quality-wise, it's also been very good, with excellent dealership experiences. I'm partial to its clean lines, both inside and out. It rarely turns heads, but I hope to think that in 6 years there will still be an understated elegance to it. ( new model is due in 2008 by the way)



Also, I didn't buy the A3 because it was a first year at that point, ( just don't trust 'em ) and the reliability of other Audi models had fallen short of exceptional.



Have you considered the G35? If lack of horses or looks keeps you away from the TSX, the G35 and TL are two very worthy options.
 
Hm

Go with Audi3 it would be too much to switch from V8 to 4 as it is. I switched from V8 to V6 Accord and it has no torque whatsoever at low rpm. Turbo will help there. Honda made name over the years - so it will keep good re-sell value, (personally don’t think Audi would be far away) as far as quality it is not much different than any other car brand (I know I will get for that). Do some reading on dedicated forums to find out what problems are common for both cars. :)
 
I wouldn't rule out an A4. The 2.0T A3 will be a smidge quicker than a 2.0T A4 simply because of weight, but the A4 would be a better direct comparison. Don't worry about reliability. Audi has made great strides in the last 3 years. Audi is one of the top in rankings, well above Mercedes and if I remember, just slightly above BMW. I have had outstanding service from the Audi dealers. My suggestion would be to drive both back to back, if possible. There will be major differences between both. Audi has the typical German feel, while the Acura has the typical Japanese feel. Remember, the TSX is a rebadged Japanese version Accord. The Accord in the USA is larger, not the typical Accord in Japan, hence the TSX.



Cheers!!
 
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