Acura TSX Sport Wagon

Key specifications of the TSX Sport Wagon

Cargo volumes follow the American EPA method, which measures to the roof, so they are not comparable with European figures.

How the Accord Tourer became an Acura

The second-generation TSX saloon (2008, a 2009 model) was based on the eighth-generation Accord for Japan and Europe, not on the larger American Accord. Europe also got an estate, the Accord Tourer (CW series), which sold well there.

Acura decided to bring the estate to America under the TSX name. The Sport Wagon was unveiled at the New York show in 2010, and the first cars reached dealers on 21 December 2010 as 2011 models. Acura Canada announced it would also sell the car, but it never did. Every TSX, saloon or wagon, was built at Honda's Sayama plant in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.

At that time the BMW 3 Series Touring was the only other estate in the American entry-level luxury class. The Acura TSX saloon page covers both TSX generations; this page concentrates on the estate.

One engine, one gearbox: the drivetrain

The wagon was sold with one drivetrain only. The 2.4-litre K24 four-cylinder engine with i-VTEC valve timing produces 150 kW (201 hp) at 7,000 rpm and 230 Nm at 4,300 rpm. Power goes to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic gearbox with Sequential SportShift and paddles on the steering wheel.

The estate never got the saloon's 3.5-litre V6 (280 hp, from the 2010 model year) or its six-speed manual gearbox.

For 2011, Honda cut internal friction in the engine and added a fluid warmer to the automatic for better shifts in cold weather. A 2.2-litre diesel was planned for the American TSX in 2010 but was cancelled when Honda gave up diesels for the US.

The wagon is not fast. Press tests recorded 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 7.5 seconds (The Truth About Cars, 2012) and 8.5 seconds (Automotive Addicts, 2011). By our calculation the car carries about 10.9 kg for every kilowatt, close to a contemporary 2.0-litre family estate rather than a sporting one.

Cargo bay: 60.5 cubic feet with the seats folded

Practicality is the main reason to choose this car. With the rear seats up, the luggage area holds 25.8 cu ft (731 l). Fold the 60/40 split rear seat and the space grows to 60.5 cu ft (1,713 l). Acura's own comparison at launch gave 54.7 cu ft for the BMW 3 Series wagon and 56.5 cu ft for the Audi A4 Avant, so by our calculation the TSX offered 7 % more folded space than the Audi and 11 % more than the BMW.

Other details from the launch documents:

• the load floor is almost 70 inches (about 1.78 m) long with the rear seats down;
• the tailgate opening is about 28 inches (710 mm) high, and the lift-over height is about 24 inches (610 mm);
• a 2.4 cu ft (68 l) compartment hides under the load floor;
• a retractable cargo cover and tie-down hooks are standard.

The old 1cars text quoted a boot of 396 litres. We could not confirm that number, which probably used a different measuring method; the EPA figures above come from Acura.

TSX wagon cabin, trims and 2011 prices

The cabin is the same as in the TSX saloon: a three-spoke steering wheel, two main dials, a screen high on the dashboard and climate control. Front seat space is generous; rear legroom is adequate rather than large, a point the old text also made.

There were two versions. The base car came with leather upholstery, heated front seats, a sunroof, roof rails, Bluetooth, a USB port, iPod integration and satellite radio. The Technology Package added satellite navigation with voice control and real-time traffic, a rear camera, music storage on a hard drive, a 10-speaker surround audio system and the power tailgate.

Prices exclude the destination charge. The euro values use the December 2010 exchange rate. The wagon cost 1,350 dollars more than the TSX saloon, a premium The Truth About Cars called a "wagon tax".

EPA fuel economy and real-world consumption

The EPA rated the 2011 TSX Sport Wagon at 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Converted, that is about 10.7 and 7.8 l/100 km. In a 1,207-mile (1,942 km) test, The Truth About Cars averaged 26.8 mpg, or about 8.8 l/100 km.

On a 15,000 km year at 8.8 l/100 km, the wagon would use about 1,320 litres of petrol by our calculation. To estimate the cost at your local fuel price, use the 1cars fuel cost calculator, or convert other mpg figures with the fuel economy converter.

IIHS crash ratings and safety equipment

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tested the second-generation TSX. It earned Good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side impact and roof strength tests (roof tested on 2012–2014 cars). In the later small overlap test, added in 2012, it scored only Marginal. The IIHS gave the TSX its top safety award of the time, with Good marks in all 14 measured categories of the front and side tests.

For 2009–2011 models, the IIHS reported a driver death rate of 7 per million registered vehicle years, the second-lowest among midsize four-door cars. These figures were measured on the saloon; the wagon shares its structure, but it was not tested separately.

Road manners: how the press judged it

The Truth About Cars praised the quick steering and tight body control, but found the engine short of torque, the automatic slow and some cabin plastics hard.

TSX Sport Wagon sales in the US

Wagons sold slowly in America, and the TSX was no exception. Annual US sales, from published registration-year sales data:

By our count, 10,188 wagons were sold in the US in total, so the estate made up about one TSX in ten in 2011 and 2012. In late 2013 Honda announced that the Acura TLX would replace both the TSX and the TL, and no wagon followed.

The TSX Sport Wagon against its rivals

The Acura offered the most space and, according to The Truth About Cars, undercut the BMW 328i wagon by more than 6,000 US dollars. Compared with the 328i's 172 kW, the Acura gave away 22 kW; the German cars were faster and offered all-wheel drive, which the TSX never had. To compare sizes with a modern car, use the 1cars size comparison tool.

Should you buy a used TSX Sport Wagon?

The TSX Sport Wagon suits a driver who wants a compact premium estate with a big load bay and simple engineering, and who needs neither all-wheel drive nor strong acceleration. In North America it is the only way to own an Accord Tourer.

The Technology Package is worth having for the camera and power tailgate. Before buying, check that the automatic gearbox has had fluid changes on schedule, that the tailgate motor works, and that the car has full service records. Because so few were sold, body parts and trim specific to the estate can be harder to find than saloon parts. Other models are listed on the Acura brand page.