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Legacy GT Limited vs. Acura TSX and TL

498 messages,  Last post on Jan 18, 2007 at 2:52 PM

You are in the Acura TSX Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Legacy, Acura TSX, Acura TL, Sedan

Messages Page 48 of 51

#465 of 498 Re: Legacy GT vs TSX vs Mazda 6 [janrx7] by autokrat

Dec 30, 2005 (1:26 am)

Replying to: janrx7 (Dec 24, 2005 3:27 pm)
I was waiting for the Legacy GT for about 2 years. I windsurf, and I needed a fold-down rear seat (preferably 60-40 split) for my gear, so I wanted the wagon. Drove it as soon as local dealer got one. Loved the power, ride, handling and interior look/feel. Then, I turned on the stereo. Uh-oh... Piece of ...., and no optional premium system available... Then, I had my 14 year-old, 5 foot 8 inch tall son sit in back. Uh-oh... no leg room in back if my wife is in front passenger's seat, hardly any toe room under front seat... (behind driver's side even worse, because I'm taller than my wife and because sub-woofer for stereo takes ALL the toe room away). Then I read about mileage. Uh-oh, sub-20 mpg...
 
I looked at lots of other cars, including 2006 Acura TL -- no fold-down rear seat. But then, the Acura guy showed me the brochure on 2006 TSX (which does have the split, fold-down rear seat) before the actual car was available. When actual car came out, I found it had the same great handling as the 2004-05 TSX, but with improved power, better looks, better steering wheel and gauges, iPod interface, Bluetooth, neat, easy nav that doesn't screw up the excellent audio system or the climate control, enough room for my son, and excellent mileage for a quick (although slower, of course, than the Legacy GT) car!
 
Bottom line: I bought an '06 TSX last week, and I love it!

#466 of 498 Mileage by ateixeira

Dec 30, 2005 (7:53 am)

Sub-20 city, I think it's 19/25. Are you a pessimist, or what?
 
Go to the 2005 Legacy threads and ask, most people average 22-23 mpg or so, not sub-20.
 
You're stuck with the stereo, sadly. The HVAC controls are integrated so you can't swap out the head unit. You can on the base Legacy 2.5i or SE, but not any Limiteds or GTs. Subaru fell behing in this area, there's also nowhere to plug in an iPod, so people have crafted clever solutions to get around this.
 
Congrats on the TSX, sounds like you picked the right car for your needs.
 
-juice

#467 of 498 Re: Mileage [ateixeira] by pacman2004

Jan 11, 2006 (9:11 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Dec 30, 2005 7:53 am)
The radio will be able to be swapped out soon just wait it has not been out long enough. My 2005 GT didn't come with NAV so I put my sat radio in the spot above where the nav is suppose to be and it looks sweet. But you have to be handy to do this. Another 6 months and you will see aftermarket kits to put a aftermarket deck in. Mileage wise I am getting 9.8liters/100km on the Highway and 10.7liters/100km in the city. I got 40k on mine now and had the rotors replaced under warranty.

#468 of 498 NAV by ateixeira

Jan 11, 2006 (9:25 am)

Nowadays, with remote antennaes you can make an aftermarket NAV unit look and work like a built-in. A guy in the CR-V threads took a Garmin c330 and did that, mounted it in the center storage bin and the antennae remotely, it even powers on with the ignition.
 
For the Legacy, I know at least one dealer in NY that sold a kit and offered the option on new cars. Of course now it's also a factory option.
 
-juice

#469 of 498 TL and Legacy Test Drive by dsmcarfan

Jan 15, 2006 (10:54 am)

Took a spin in both the TL and the Legacy yesterday, and these are completely different cars in terms of overall experience. I had my list narrowed down to both the TL and the Legacy, but was a little concerned about the FWD on the TL. I shouldn't have been.
 
My impressions on the TL: Very smooth ride, good materials, sound system was above average. Quick vehicle, though it tried to hide that fact through the soft suspension which gave it a floating feel on the road. I set mt drivers seat to a good driving position, and sat behind it to get a sense of room. I'm 6 foot, and had plenty of space, and felt very comfortable. Highway driving was brisk and pleasant, but the stiffness of the pedals annoyed me in town. I took it to an empty parking lot to try some of its driving dynamics. I was able to spin the front tires with hard acceleration, and felt a tiny bit of torque steer, but nothing serious, and nothing that would be noticeable under normal driving conditions. The pedals felt a bit stiff, and gave me the sensation of a momentary bit of lag before the car rocketed from a standing position.
 
Impressions of the Legacy GT: In a word, FUN! Not as smooth as the TL, bumps on the road were more noticeable. Not as quiet as the TL, outside noises were audible, but not too intrusive. This car is a rocket on wheels, 65 MPH, and 90 MPH feel the same, and completely under control. More sporty feeling to the car, acceleration was instantaneous even though it is a turbo 4. Had that push you into the back of the seat feeling on take-off. This car felt more like a performance enthusiasts vehicle. Not as refined or smooth on the road, but definitely a rocket on wheels. I tried the same test with adjusting the front seat to a driving position and sat in the back seat on the drivers side. Definitely less room than the TL, but much better the the G35x I tried earlier that day. So a compromise would definitely be made in terms of space.
 
Conclusion: I like the refinement and space of the TL, but that sticking pedal almost drove me nuts. I don't know if all of them are like this, or if I just got a bad test car. In some ways I wasn't sure what the TL was trying to be, a sporty car, or a luxury car. As it was, it just wasn't working for me. The legacy, while not as refined, felt sporty, and under control at all times. Maybe this has something to do with the AWD? I prefer the connected to the road feeling that I received from the Legacy, and the raw power under the hood that just begged for more the harder I pushed it. For me, the Legacy was the right mix of power, and just enough luxury to win me over.

#470 of 498 Re: TL and Legacy Test Drive [dsmcarfan] by rsholland

Jan 15, 2006 (11:11 am)

Replying to: dsmcarfan (Jan 15, 2006 10:54 am)
The TL is really a class above the Legacy GT. The L-GT is really much more a TSX competitor. They even share the exact same wheelbase (105.1").
 
Bob

#471 of 498 Re: TL and Legacy Test Drive [rsholland] by dsmcarfan

Jan 15, 2006 (11:22 am)

Replying to: rsholland (Jan 15, 2006 11:11 am)
I heard that the TSX was kind of a dog in terms of performance, so I skipped that one since the engine numbers on the TL were closer to the L-GT. You are right though, the TL and L-GT really are not playing the same game, and are probably not going after the same audience. I'm not really sure what else fits into the same class as the GT.
 
I've also considered looking at a BMW 3 series, but I'm not sure the nameplate is worth the extra costs. I just don't care about car status, and I'm not willing to pay extra for it.

#472 of 498 Re: TL and Legacy Test Drive [dsmcarfan] by bodble2

Jan 15, 2006 (10:31 pm)

Replying to: dsmcarfan (Jan 15, 2006 10:54 am)
The stiff pedal is actually by design. I noticed it when I went from a CL-S to the TL. Supposedly Acura was after a more "German" feel. You get used to it though. Now, it feels perfect.

#473 of 498 Re: TL and Legacy Test Drive [bodble2] by dsmcarfan

Jan 16, 2006 (2:02 pm)

Replying to: bodble2 (Jan 15, 2006 10:31 pm)
It's funny you say that about the pedal. I took the plunge and test drove a BMW 325i and 330i today. I didn't notice the pedal beeing as stiff as it was on that TL.
 
I know this isn't a BMW comparison board, but I have to say that I've always thought that all the talk about BMW was just hype. I found out today that it is not. The 325i had a good feel to it, but the Legacy GT would blow its doors off. (Yes, I'm a bit of a speed junky.) Then I got behind the wheel of the 330i, and now I have a problem. The feel of the car was almost a perfect blend of luxury and performance. Now I have to decide if it is approx. $10k better than the GT.

#474 of 498 Re: TL and Legacy Test Drive [dsmcarfan] by bodble2

Jan 16, 2006 (2:38 pm)

Replying to: dsmcarfan (Jan 16, 2006 2:02 pm)
"I didn't notice the pedal beeing as stiff as it was on that TL."
 
Hmm...maybe the Japanese have out-Germaned the Germans.

Messages Page 48 of 51

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