A buddy of mine who lives in my dorm building just got one of these over the summer. Last weekend I had the opportunity to check it out, so I thought I would share my thoughts and opinions.

My first impression: The car is VERY similar to my friends 2001 Honda Civic. The way it rides, the way is looks/feels inside is remarkably the same. Yes, I know the RSX is based on the Civic, but it surprised me how similar they are. Overall the Acura is obviously nicer, but still very much the same.

The car drives very well. It is stable and lets you forget it is FWD for the most part. The ride is a little to firm and jarring for my taste, but it is a small lightweight car so that is to be expected.

The interior of the car seems very cheap. Everything is just plain old plastic. Everything is nice and simple and works well but it really seems like an economy car, I can't say it is any better than the aforementioned Civic. The one thing I feel compelled to say is that the seats are excellent. Very supportive and comfortable.

The car is not blindingly fast, I think my 325i could hang with it pretty well, especially at highway speeds. I also have to say the noises that the car makes are not especially pleasant. When revving above 5k, the engine sounds like it is going to come apart.

Overall I liked the car. My review may have had a negative tone to it, but I was mostly just pointing out the small things I didn't like. I know it is a relatively inexpensive car and I think it is a fairly good deal.

Ive been in a type S too and it seemed light years nicer from any 36, m3 included. the leather nicer, the layout nicer. not better put together or as ergonoimicly inclined, but i wouldnt say drab or civic like either.

When revving above 5k, the engine sounds like it is going to come apart.



i-VTEC :D

Ive been in a type S too and it seemed light years nicer from any 36, m3 included. the leather nicer, the layout nicer. not better put together or as ergonoimicly inclined, but i wouldnt say drab or civic like either.

Right, as I said, the seats are one of the best features in the car - I really liked them. But I also stand by what I said about the interiour being much like a Civic. The dash and console and everything was just one big piece of Rubbermaid, this isn't the point of the car though, it's still a fun little sporty two seater.

ha ha can't say you can expect a lot from the inside of a 20k car. I will say however even if it looks rubermaid, whatever it is, it sticks together. There are 20k cars that use fancier matterials, like vw for example, but many of them seem to end up having issues, because the auto maker has a certain budget to keep.

-Spargo

I agree... for the money it's a great car however the interior design didn't quite do it for me. The engine is powerful and potent considering it's about the size of a gallon of milk. It's a great pocket rocket, but interior seemed to bring it down for me. I prefered the interior of the old Integra better.

I had a RSX-S for a few years as a commuter car and I must agree the dash was not easy on the eyes.

However can we talk about the engine and balance of the car. For a FWD, it is one of the better balanced cars out there. A couple of mods, quality suspension parts, hondata and the typical bolt ons and you have a great car to bring to DE's. The I-Vtec is pretty kick ass and 8000 redline helps, IMHO.

Great fun to drive. Would be a helluva lot better with a LSD.

NVH levels are high enough to get me to look elsewhere for a bit more refined daily driver.

06 rsx is a nice car, i raced my friends in my 325is and got smokeddd when he hit vtec in 3rd. 06 has 210hp with type r cams and exhaust

the interior of the Type S is one of the nicest features. I dont know where you guys are comming form. The leather wrapped wheel, the leather interior and a very nice dash. Very cockpit like and ergonomic driver oriented. It will also smoke a 325 without even trying. The engine is one of the best 4 Cyl in the world next to the S2000. The sound past 6500 RPM is amazing. It's the type of sound every highly tuned engine makes. From 4 cyl honda to 6 cyl BWM to v8 ferrari to v12 Lambo. To you it's loud, to me it's music. Maybe try a Buick?

all rsx's with some sticky tires bone out in the canyons nevertheless
and they are soooooo easy to drive

A buddy of mine who lives in my dorm building just got one of these over the summer. Last weekend I had the opportunity to check it out, so I thought I would share my thoughts and opinions.

My first impression: The car is VERY similar to my friends 2001 Honda Civic. The way it rides, the way is looks/feels inside is remarkably the same. Yes, I know the RSX is based on the Civic, but it surprised me how similar they are. Overall the Acura is obviously nicer, but still very much the same.

The car drives very well. It is stable and lets you forget it is FWD for the most part. The ride is a little to firm and jarring for my taste, but it is a small lightweight car so that is to be expected.

The interior of the car seems very cheap. Everything is just plain old plastic. Everything is nice and simple and works well but it really seems like an economy car, I can't say it is any better than the aforementioned Civic. The one thing I feel compelled to say is that the seats are excellent. Very supportive and comfortable.

The car is not blindingly fast, I think my 325i could hang with it pretty well, especially at highway speeds. I also have to say the noises that the car makes are not especially pleasant. When revving above 5k, the engine sounds like it is going to come apart.

Overall I liked the car. My review may have had a negative tone to it, but I was mostly just pointing out the small things I didn't like. I know it is a relatively inexpensive car and I think it is a fairly good deal.
My girlfriend has an '04 RSX-S, which I drive nearly every day. A bit different from the '06, but i'll throw my opinion in. ;)

Spend more than a few minutes in an RSX, and your opinion about the seats will change real fast. They're like cement park benches. My girlfriend and I both hate the seats in the car so much, we dread taking it anywhere longer than an hour's ride. I have an Integra GSR, and the seats are FAR better than the ones in her RSX.

The interior is hit or miss with people. I, for one, don't really dig it that much. It's a little too modern and cold looking to me. The perforated plastic on the dash is also real hard to keep clean. It traps dust, and lint from any cloth you wipe it off with. ;) But the ergonomics, like all Hondas, are nearly flawless. And the car is very easy to live with.

But the car is so effortless to drive. Everything is so easy to do. The pedals, steering, shifter, ect. They're all very low effort, yet provide enough feedback to make the car feel reasonably solid. The shifter has nice quick, VERY precise throws. Steering wheel is a tad on the small side, and you can find yourself tripping up if you have to go arm over arm for some quick directional changes. But overall, it's weighted real nice and has great road feel.

Like someone sad above, the car is very well balanced. It's not an understeering pig like some FF cars. The ride is on the harsh side. You feel bumps shudder through the chassis, as opposed to getting soaked up by a well damped suspension system. Hers is now lowered 2" and rides VERY hard.

Power down low is impressive for a 2.0L I-4. It's got a lot of top end scream as well, but is pretty lethargic as far as midrange goes. The car actually has LESS power at 4K than at 3K, for instance. There are software solutions for this, but that's how it is in stock form. At highway cruising speeds at the same RPM, my Integra GSR has better passing power in top gear.


One thing I *hate* about the RSX is that the AC automatically turns on when you switch the climate control vents to defog. And you *can't* disable it. As long as the defog vents are open, AC is on. Terrible idea in a 4 banger. It also doesn't disable itself when you switch to a different setting. You find yourself constantly messing with the vent selector, fan speed, and AC button in humid weather...to fight the huge loss of power that comes with AC on a 4 cylinder. It feels like someone turned off a spark plug or 2.

But that being said, like my Integra, the car is rock solid reliable, has a TON of cargo room, gets 31+ MPG, is very practical, fun, and is a blast to drive. I was real close to picking up an RSX instead of my M3. But I wanted to keep my Integra, so it didn't make sense to have 2 of the same thing.

Not bad cars at all though.

-Nick

i have an 04 as well. thing is fun. not a fan of the interior design, but whatever. it saves gas. still running original tires, which suck ass. this is probably whats killing the car.

I liked the Integra's interior much better than the RSX. And yeah, that dashboard is pretty wack and the rear seat is like this giant, flat slab of leather. The TSX is much nicer, but way more expensive. I wonder if they're going to replace the RSX now that the new gen Civics are out?

I liked the Integra's interior much better than the RSX. And yeah, that dashboard is pretty wack and the rear seat is like this giant, flat slab of leather. The TSX is much nicer, but way more expensive. I wonder if they're going to replace the RSX now that the new gen Civics are out?

The new generation of Civics were built to a slightly higher price point to take the place of the Integra (RSX). The Honda Fit now fills in the entry-level position vacated by the Civic.

the interior of the Type S is one of the nicest features. I dont know where you guys are comming form. The leather wrapped wheel, the leather interior and a very nice dash. Very cockpit like and ergonomic driver oriented. It will also smoke a 325 without even trying. The engine is one of the best 4 Cyl in the world next to the S2000. The sound past 6500 RPM is amazing. It's the type of sound every highly tuned engine makes. From 4 cyl honda to 6 cyl BWM to v8 ferrari to v12 Lambo. To you it's loud, to me it's music. Maybe try a Buick?

:confused

I wouldn't go that far, faster yes, "smoke without even trying" no

My friend had one, and the seats were actually my least favorite part...they look like race seats, but they're flat, wide, and hard. this was an 03, I dunno if they changed for the newer styles.

:confused

I wouldn't go that far, faster yes, "smoke without even trying" no

My friend had one, and the seats were actually my least favorite part...they look like race seats, but they're flat, wide, and hard. this was an 03, I dunno if they changed for the newer styles.

I know what you're talking about. They're like Vaders in e36 M3s. They just don't hold me in place. The seats in the new Civic Si's are amazing by comparison.

[QUOTE=stowe9man;7741638]The car is not blindingly fast, I think my 325i could hang with it pretty well, especially at highway speeds. QUOTE]

unless you got some upgrades.....no stock 325 could stick with a RSX-S even with a half bad driver.

328i vs RSX-S is a good race. RSX up high and 328 at a stop.

My friend's '06 RSX S just dropped three valves, in stock form....


I hated the interior, I don't like the looks, but it is comfortable, however the dual stage VTEC just doesn't kick like it should.

ive been driving a type S for a few months now

and every girl likes the car for some odd reason. they like the inside and outside and think its a really nice car.

none of them ever liked my 1991 M5... :(

I had a '04 RSX Type-S and to tell you the truth I miss it. It was nice, comfortable, fairly quick, and really didn't cost that much. The problem is it just felt like that car aged quickly. I had it for 2 years and traded it for a 330. I have had the 330 for about a year and a half and I can't see myself trading it in any time soon. I think I would own another one as a commuter though.

The seats in the 05-06 are different than the earlier models. I had a 00 gsr and an 02 Type-s and I think the type-s had more power in all situations.

Engine sounds bad above 5K? I dont even know where to begin with that one. I guess thats an opinion. Maybe you are not used to Hondas. The M3's engine note scared the hell outta me above 5K when I test drove it.

still driving it...
seats are uncomfortable on long trips
stuff keeps going wrong
window regulator, tranny grinded in 2nd and popped out 3rd
door lock switch stopped working

all fixed on warranty, but now the starter is slow.
rolling over to 31k miles now on an 04 type S

I owned a 2006 RSX-S for 2 years. It's a nice car for what it's worth - it can look/handle pretty good when modified.

The only real issue I had personally was the 2nd/3rd gear grind. And the suspension was pretty rough, but that's because it was lowered on springs.

One more thing.. they're cop magnets, specially when in v-tec = it sounds fast, but it isn't!

As an update, my friend is now looking to get rid of the RSX I wrote the review about. He is just tired of it I guess. Said he hates that it is so boring and slow. He is looking at much higher end cars now, such as an RS4. I have also taken some longer trips in the car now, and I am rethinking what I said about the seats. They are wayyy too hard and slippery and you end up with a sore ass after along trip. I was very impressed with how stable the car was on the highway. Unlike Civics that I have driven, including an '07, the RSX feels way more stable and feels like a much heavier car than it is.

My biggest gripe with the car is that it is very utilitarian, with no character. I can't really explain what I mean by this, it's just an impression I get from driving the car. It does everything well, but it just feels like a utensil, not rewarding at all. I still think it is a great car for somebody who wants a cheap and sporty commuter.

A buddy of mine who lives in my dorm building just got one of these over the summer. Last weekend I had the opportunity to check it out, so I thought I would share my thoughts and opinions.

My first impression: The car is VERY similar to my friends 2001 Honda Civic. The way it rides, the way is looks/feels inside is remarkably the same. Yes, I know the RSX is based on the Civic, but it surprised me how similar they are. Overall the Acura is obviously nicer, but still very much the same.

The car drives very well. It is stable and lets you forget it is FWD for the most part. The ride is a little to firm and jarring for my taste, but it is a small lightweight car so that is to be expected.

The interior of the car seems very cheap. Everything is just plain old plastic. Everything is nice and simple and works well but it really seems like an economy car, I can't say it is any better than the aforementioned Civic. The one thing I feel compelled to say is that the seats are excellent. Very supportive and comfortable.

The car is not blindingly fast, I think my 325i could hang with it pretty well, especially at highway speeds. I also have to say the noises that the car makes are not especially pleasant. When revving above 5k, the engine sounds like it is going to come apart.

Overall I liked the car. My review may have had a negative tone to it, but I was mostly just pointing out the small things I didn't like. I know it is a relatively inexpensive car and I think it is a fairly good deal.

The RSX interior just plain fits me better than pretty much everything I've been in. The seats in my R are nicer, but other than that the only better-fitting car I've driven is the new TT. Especially for the price, the RSX is a gem of a car.

Also, a properly-driven RSX is much quicker/faster than your 325.

Ive been in a type S too and it seemed light years nicer from any 36, m3 included. the leather nicer, the layout nicer. not better put together or as ergonoimicly inclined, but i wouldnt say drab or civic like either.

trust me, the leather is not nicer, i worked for acura this summer and would see these with worn leather seats looking like they must've been around for 150,000 miles after only 40,000

they are fun to drive, and they do look nice on the outside. The controls are a little eh and cheap looking to me for an acura, but thats what you get i guess

I've owned 2 rsx type s they were an awesome car for $24K new. Plus they are cheap to own and easy to mod however the front wheel drive can only do so much. They are missing some nice goodies like power seats heated seats no nav options. Otherwise it's a cheap very economical car that's a good daily driver and it's transmission kicks the e46 330ci i bought