spwolf

i like euro accord but:
a. way way overcomplicated interior controls (is it more luxurious if it has 80 buttons?)
b. wagon looks weird at the back
c. wagon doesnt have enough space at the back or in the trunk. I am not that big and my head was hitting headliner in the back. Boot space also seemed a lot smaller than other Euro competition.

I have group tested Euro Accord Wagon (TSX Wagon) and I was the only person who knew how to turn on the stupid navigation display... just way too many buttons inside.

mmarshall

In the version sold in America (not the American Accord, but the Americanized Euro-Accord/TSX), yes, there are a lot of buttons, but they are all well-marked.....I mentioned that in the review.

mmarshall

On paper, though, that doesn't make them true SUV's....even car-based unibody ones. Don't forget....EPA also plays vehicle-size rating-games by interior volume, not external size.....never mind how much of that interior volume is actually useful.

It's not just me......Consumer Reports has also complained about the EPA rating-game.


Make a prediction if you want, but it may be going out on a limb. IMO, it's too early to predict the wagon's success. The RL does sell in the D.C. area, but, granted, not much nationwide. I'll say myself, though (and I can probably safely make a prediction on this one), that the wagon would sell significantly more if Honda discontinued the Crosstour and they put the Crosstour's equipment on the wagon instead.

Actually, if it were my own money (and I don't part with my automotive dollars without a lot of homework) the wagon, even with the 4 and FWD only, would be very high on my shopping list if I was to consider a FWD vehicle instead of another Subaru or AWD vehicle. No matter what type of drivetrain is in it or what kind of trim it has on the dash, this is one well-built wagon, and its assembly-quality tends to seduce.

LexFather

They have been selling around 300 or so a month I believe. They actually separate the wagon sales figures if anyone wants to see exact numbers.

mmarshall

The rather sparse Acura dealer network (compared to Lexus and Infiniti) doesn't help sales much, either.

How is it doing compared to the better-equipped Crosstour? (if you have the Crosstour's latest sales-figures). That is one of the issues we've discussed at length in this thread....the Crosstour's better equipment vs. the TSX wagon's better-looks.

LexBob2

For Jan-Feb 588 TSX Wagons and 3,266 Crosstours.

mmarshall

Thanks, LexBob. I expected some lopsidedness, but not that much. The Crosstour's V6, AWD, and raised-suspension, as I suspected, seems to have more appeal, even with its somewhat goofy looks. Honda dealers, of course, are also a lot more widespread than Acura.

LexFather

Well the sales goals are different.
The Crosstour had an original target of 44k a year and sold around 30k a year. A huge miss.
The ZDX had an original target of 6k a year last year, then it was to rise to 8k and 10k. They barely sold 3k its first year.
I am unsure of the Wagon's sales goals but I honestly think Honda is happy with 300 or so a month. This car had no development, they just tacked the Acura beak on an Accord wagon. So it should be fairly profitable even if they don't sell many.

Related but the RDX also never met sales targets and they had to add a FWD model to lift sales (a good move).

mmarshall

I agree it's a big miss, but 30K a year is not bad in today's economy, especially with the Crosstour's goofy looks.


Heck, I'm surprised they sold THAT many. Even so, after what Acura invested in its design and production, they gotta be losing money on it.....for an upmarket vehicle like that, 3K a year is probably nowhere near a break-even point.


Agreed......but, as I pointed out earlier, it probably wouldn't have cost much to give it the sedan's V6 option and an Outback/Crosstour-style raised suspension, either.

As I see it, the RDX really has little value as an SUV. It has a torquey turbo-4 with a lot of kick to it (Honda/Acura's only turbo engine in the U.S.), and a rather stiff, uncomfortable suspension that pounds you over bumps......in return for sharp handling. It is also quite small by SUV standards, without much room inside. Most people don't buy SUVs for that.....I see the RDX as appealing mostly to those who like the Nissan Juke, but want something more upscale and less-polarizing in the front-end styling.

IS-SV

Raised suspension/jacked-up TSX wagons and RDX's being cross-shopped by Juke buyers, too funny to even imagine. Maybe a lift kit is a mod for TSX.

But thanks guys for the sales stats/facts here, after I went "out on a limb" and predicted the TSX wagon would outsell the RL (like that was hard to predict, so gutsy).

UDel

I don't find Acura interiors to be overly complicated. Yes they have alot of buttons and it may be daunting when you first look at the dash but they are logically laid out and it is easy to figure everything out after a little time experimenting. I never heard of Acura owners being overwhelmed by the buttons in their interiors, it is mostly car reviewers who are who have not or refuse to take a little time to try to figure anything out. I prefer cars with multiple buttons and switches for functions over some manufacturers taking the cheap way out by just using some flimsy i drive type controller in a sparse interior to navigate a video screen for different functions.

lexmenow

This is exactly what I mean, but was to lazy to type lol. Just look at the euro accord. The Acura is nothing more then a re-badged accord so why pay the name premium. Take an 06 RL and compare it to an 09 Accord. There is not much difference to me. Both have very nice materials, tech, and size. Its just that the accord looks better and is faster. In my opinion there is no reason to buy an Acura at this time.

LexBob2

Don't give anyone ideas.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

a venza may be considered an suv by the epa but that just proves they're idiots. it isn't tall enough or roomy enough to be an suv, imo.

mmarshall

Your premises are incorrect. Factory-raised-suspensions are not "jacked-up" suspensions in the aftermarket, "slammed" sense. And there's nothing funny at all about the statement I made that the RDX, though vastly more upscale, shares some traits with the Juke, such as a small size, questionable front-end styling, a turbo four, AWD, and fairly stiff suspension.