2012 Acura TSX Sport Wagon – Review

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As you all may remember I went on a recent trip back to California and while I was there I got the opportunity to test out the 2012 Acura sport wagon. I was very impressed with the car and if I could convince my husband to buy me one I would have one parked out front!

I drive around a lot. Whether it’s play dates, shopping, errands, or whatever else I happen to be doing, I am always out and about. With a growing family I want a car that is safe, reliable, roomy, and good on gas. The TSX is perfect for the family that has outgrown a car, but doesn’t want an SUV. I was anxious to test it out because while I love my SUV, I would love to have something smaller, but that still has the space that an SUV can provide.

To say that I fell in love with the TSX would be an understatement. It was everything I needed it to be, but the gas mileage and space is what sold me. The car was very spacious. I didn’t feel cramped or uncomfortable once while driving it and the cargo area was like heaven in a trunk! I was able to do costco and target shopping and everything fit in the truck. When I wasn’t shopping our stroller fit in the trunk perfectly. There was even room in front of and behind the stroller so that if I did happen to pick up groceries while I was out there was enough room for everything. I also liked that the cargo area has a storage compartment that I could put smaller items in so they wouldn’t get crushed while driving around or I could store items in there while I wasn’t in the car so that no one would see them.

(Storage compartment is under the stroller, in the floor of the car.)

Some specs on storage:

• With the rear seats up, there’s 31.5 cubic feet of cargo space as measured below the window line.
• The 60 / 40 rear seatbacks fold flat with the head restraints in place, doubling the main cargo space to 66.2 cubic feet.
• One large, hidden compartment flanked by two separate smaller ones lies beneath access doors in the cargo area floor.
• An additional compartment inside the left wall is designed to hold emergency items such as road flares and a first aid kit that’s available as an accessory.
• Flat sidewalls and a carpeted floor ease loading and unloading.
• Cargo hooks in the floor make it easy to secure items in place

To help keep the cabin uncluttered, the TSX Sport Wagon is fitted with 13 storage spaces, in addition to several beverage holders. At least six storage spaces are within easy reach of the driver, including:

• A center-covered storage bin, which contains a USB⁷ port, auxiliary audio input and 12-volt power source.
• A driver’s door bin
• An enclosed change tray
• A covered center console compartment
• An overhead sunglasses case
• A cubbyhole on the side of the front center console

Rear passengers enjoy:

• Dual beverage holders
• Bottle holders in the door panels
• Deep front seatback pockets

The space in the front and back seats were spacious as well. I was able to get my daughters car seat in the car with no issues and there was plenty of room for her and my son in the back. I did try to squeeze two adults in the back seat with the car seat in and they were a little cramped, but I know if the car seat had been removed they would have been comfortable back there as well.

Some Specs on Seating:

Every TSX Sport Wagon comes equipped with sumptuous, soft, perforated-leather front seats that provide the ideal balance of indulgence and support.

• Dual-level heated seats enhance the dual-zone, dual-mode automatic climate control system for added comfort on cold days.
• The driver will find just the right seating position with an 8-way power seat with adjustable lumbar support, and the front passenger has a 4-way power adjustment.
• Perforated seating surfaces breathe to provide long-term comfort in hot weather.
• Deep side bolsters secure you on curves, while the seatbacks support the contours of your back for long-term comfort.

With its luxurious rear seats and generous rear passenger room, the TSX Sport Wagon is the epitome of comfort.

• Rear seats have the same soft, perforated leather as the front seats.
• Rear seat room is outstanding for its class, with impressive leg and headroom for passengers over six feet tall.
• Adjustable vents behind the front center console allow rear passengers to direct airflow.
• The Acura/ELS Surround^®32 Sound System on the Technology Package has strategically placed speakers to give rear passengers the surround sound audio effect enjoyed by front passengers.

The gas mileage was  also great! When I drive my SUV I am always worried about using too much gas and always watching the needle because after a day of running around, I have always used a lot of gas. With the TSX Wagon I was watching the needle thinking I would have to fill up and to my surprise it would barely move. I drove around A LOT while I had the car and after a week I still had plenty of gas left. I was shocked… It was a nice relief being able to go everywhere I needed to go and not having the car guzzle the gas away.

• EPA Fuel Economy Estimates: 22 city MPG & 30 Highway MPG.

While I fell in love with the space and gas mileage the car also had a lot of nice features which I loved, like the Technology Package. The Technology package includes parking aides, navigation, bluetooth, climate control, power tailgate, and an upgraded sound system. I would recommend spending the extra money and getting the technology package. The features are well worth it!!

If I had to pick my favorite feature from the technology package it would be the backup camera. I am not the best parallel parker, but with the backup camera I was able to get into spots I would normally pass on. For the most part the picture was very clear and easy to see, but when it was raining the picture did become a little blurred since water was dripping over the camera. Even with the water creating little blurr spots the camera was still a great feature and a life saver!

(That’s what I would see when backing up.)

Another top pick from the technology package would be the navigation system. I generally use the navigation system on my phone and it gets the job done, but I am always left with a drained battery and it can be distracting while driving. The TSX navigation system is on the center dashboard. It was easy to use, got me where I needed to go, and I loved being able to hear the navigation talk through the car speakers. The navigation system also offered real time traffic and weather, voice recognition, destination database, and zagat reviews. I love that I could tell the system that I needed an ATM or gas station and it would tell me the closest one or If I wanted to find somewhere for dinner I could use zagat to find a good restaurant. Anything I needed it was able to find and point me in the right direction.

Some Specs on the Navigation System:

The Acura Navigation System, the centerpiece of the TSX Sport Wagon Technology Package, is operated by a hard drive and viewed through a full VGA, 8-inch screen, making it faster, easier to read and more useful than ever before.

• The high-resolution, 8-inch screen is mounted high in the center control panel to minimize eye diversion from the road.
• You can enter an address or dial a location from its vast destination database, using the interface dial or the Voice Recognition system.
• The system will plot your path on the map and show special displays to guide you through freeway ramps, interchanges and forks in the road and even provide voiced guidance, if desired.
• Additional features include Zagat Survey^® restaurant reviews, available AcuraLink Real-Time Traffic™ with Traffic Rerouting™ information and AcuraLink^® Real-Time Weather™¹³ that can help you get around delays while traveling to your desired destination.
• Following the 90-day free trial period, the AcuraLink Real-Time Traffic and Weather data services are available on a subscription basis for a fee, which can be combined or separate from other XM^® subscriptions.

• Interstates and expressways are color-coded to indicate traffic flow levels.
• Icons indicate the location of incidents and traffic conditions affected by construction and weather.

• Current weather is shown on the TSX Sport Wagon map display in the form of icons, which can be clicked on to receive details.
• Weather forecasts for the next three hours, six hours, and across the next three days in a given area are available any time.

• For instance, you can ask the system to show you the nearby ATMs, and if you don’t want to pay a service charge, just tell it to show your bank’s machines.
• You can also find the exact type of restaurant you’re in the mood for, as well as locate schools, parks, hospitals, drugstores, museums, and more.
• The system’s Zagat Survey^® restaurant reviews provide detailed information from a database that you can read on-screen, or if you’re driving, they can be spoken over the audio system.

The last feature which I loved was the power tail gate. My SUV has this and I love it. You press a button and the trunk opens or closes automatically, so if your hands are full you don’t have to try and struggle to open it up. My favorite part about this feature is that if you open the trunk automatically you can close it manually. With my SUV I can only use the manual system to open and close my trunk. If I try to open or close it myself I can end up blowing the motor and breaking the system, but not with the TSX. With the TSX I can close the trunk door on my own and I won’t break it. I love that they made it so versatile!!

Some Specs on the Power Tail Gate:

Press a button on the key fob, and the tailgate will automatically open for you. And when you’re finished loading or unloading, just press the button again and it powers down and latches.

• The tailgate will also activate from a button on the driver’s door, as well as by a button on the tailgate itself.
• In the event of a power failure, the tailgate can be raised and lowered manually.
• When opening or closing, the tailgate will automatically reverse itself if it encounters a sufficient obstruction.

All in All I loved driving around the Acura TSX Sport wagon. The gas mileage was great, it was spacious, and the added features were a nice bonus. I was surprised to see it only has a 4 cylinder engine because it handled all of the San Francisco hills with ease and was pretty powerful. It was fun to drive around and I am so grateful that Acura gave me the opportunity to test out their wonderful car.

If your a family that doesn’t want to make the switch to an SUV, but wants the space of one then I recommend getting the TSX Sport Wagon! It’s the perfect care for a busy family on the go…

*Starting suggested retail price for the Acura TSX Sport Wagon is $31,360 or $35,010 with technology package.

*Acura loaned me a TSX Sport Wagon to test drive. I was not compensated for this review.