2010 Acura TSX

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Photos & Videos

Interior - What the Auto Press Says

The interior of the 2010 Acura TSX is a favorite among reviewers since it is overflowing with standard features and high quality materials. Test drivers particularly like the supportive and comfortable front-row seats and the 10-speaker ELS Surround Sound System.  If you want a high quality interior and can live without a world-class sound system, you could save a few bucks by considering the Volvo C30.

• "Although it's generally attractive, the TSX's interior doesn't seem distinguished or upscale enough to warrant the premium badging. The faux titanium accents around the dash and console struck us as a bit hokey and downmarket -- substituting a smattering of real aluminum trim would go a long way here. Overall build and materials quality, however, are excellent." -- Edmunds
• "Is it well equipped? Like a Chippendales show." -- Los Angeles Times
• "Inside, the cabin is comfortable and inviting, with leather all around." -- AutoWeek
• "The TSX eschews traditional luxury cues for a more technological type of richness, although wood-look trim is available." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "The comfortable, spacious, and exceedingly well-equipped interior is one of the TSX's stronger suits," -- Car and Driver

Front Seats

Car reviewers love the front seats in the TSX which offer excellent width, support and bolstering. 

• "Legroom is good, but headroom for taller occupants gets tight beneath the sunroof housing. The seats are nicely bolstered if a bit too firm for ideal comfort." -- Consumer Guide
• "The front seats are supportive, with enough side bolstering for reasonably rambunctious motoring on twisty roads. The bottom cushion could be deeper, but this is a common shortcoming in today's cars." -- New Car Test Drive
• "Immediately noticeable are the very supportive front seats, whose full and high-reaching side bolsters conjure up visions of the NSX's buckets." -- Road and Track 
• "The front seats, for one thing, are superbly shaped for maximum comfort." -- Popular Mechanics
• "The seats remain wide and comfy. Strikingly, compared to the skinny seatbacks becoming au courant among smaller luxury cars, the side of the seat is thicker than a brick wall. Rear legroom doesn't appear to be compromised since it's only the bolsters that create the bulk, but it did come as a surprise." - Autoblog

Rear Seats

Reviewers have mixed feelings about the TSX's second row. While some consider it sufficiently comfortable even for those on the taller side, others complain about being cramped. Regardless, it would probably be wise to reserve the back seat for shorter people or small children. You should know that cramped rear quarters are common for the class so if rear leg room is important to you, you should consider taking the Lexus ES, which is in the Upscale Midsize Car class, for a test drive. It's considerably more expensive but has a roomy rear cabin. 

• "It's small like a 3-Series' backseat, with limited legroom -- my knees were pressed up against the back of the front seat -- and I only had about an inch of headroom to spare. I am 6-foot-1, though, so small children should find it just fine." -- Cars.com
• "The rear seat is more like a bench than twin buckets, and space for the lower extremities is snug." -- New Car Test Drive
• "Somewhat disappointing. Legroom is cramped even if the front seats are not set far back. ... As in front, taller passengers will find head clearance lacking. Foot space is tight unless the front seats are raised high." --Consumer Guide
• "The rear seat's generous thigh support, relaxing seatback angle and wide pull-down center armrest give comfort to those in back." - Edmunds
• "The second row sufficiently passes the six-footer test." - Kelley Blue Book

Interior Features

While some autos reviewers say the TSX's instrument panel is too busy, there is a general consensus that once you learn to use the system, it is fairly straightforward. Everyone seems to agree that the car is well-equipped with high-quality materials and features. Standard features include a multi-information display located in the speedometer which includes an odometer, ambient temperature, oil-life percentage, and several possible alerts among other things; a seven-speaker, 360-watt audio system; a USB audio interface with iPod integration; and Bluetooth capability.

• "The 2010 Acura TSX offers a sophisticated navigation system with a big, eight-inch screen, voice input of city and street names, Zagat restaurant information, weather conditions and real-time traffic information and rerouting. A rear-view camera is also part of the package." - Kelley Blue Book
• "Despite being loaded with a nav system, high-end ELS sound system (which delivers superb sound via its tight, thumping bass, crisp highs and realistic separation) and most every other automotive luxury and convenience, the TSX's controls are as intuitive as those of its popular Honda Accord cousin." - Edmunds
• "The center stack is dominated by the same array of knobs and buttons found in the MDX and the RDX for the climate control, entertainment and navigation options. That means more than 25 knobs or buttons, a dizzying array at first glance." -- AutoWeek
• "The dash feels awash in buttons. The steering wheel has 11 buttons on it, seven of them multi-function. The center stack is a button convention with two multi-function knobs as special guests. We're sure it wouldn't take much to adapt and find our go-to buttons, but the initial cockpit survey leads us to think Airbus, not Acura." - Autoblog

Stereo

The TSX's Technology Package, which includes an ELS Surround Sound System with 10 speakers, has left many reviewers in awe. Other components of the package include dual-climate control, a navigation system and rearview camera, but above all reviewers are most excited about the audio system's crisp surround sound. The package is an additional expense of $3,100 but most reviewers say it's well worth the extra cost. 

• "The base sound system is good, but the comprehensive premium sound system included in the Technology Package is downright amazing. You might think about dropping by the dealer just to experience the crystal-clear, 5.1 DVD-Audio Surround Sound." - Kelley Blue Book
• "ELS founder Elliot Scheiner, a multi-Grammy-award-winning producer, has said that this application in the TSX is the best yet, and our ears couldn't agree more." - AutoWeek
• "With the push of a button, the note function captures 10 seconds of up to 30 songs and saves the text indicating song title, artist name, and XM channel. Sure beats scribbling song titles down when you're hustling along at 80 mph." - Car and Driver
• "The smartest standard system on the TSX V6 is the new Active Sound Control, which decreases engine boom noise below 2000 rpm as well as high frequency noise during engine cruising. The system uses mics strategically placed in the cabin to determine the sound level and then decides when and how much noise-cancelling sound (inaudible to the driver) it should pump through the sound system to mute the bad stuff." -- Popular Mechanics

Cargo

Although the trunk of the 2010 Acura TSX is slightly smaller than what is typical for the class, reviewers still say there's adequate cargo space.  If cargo space is really important to you, the Audi A3 is worth a look.  With 19.5 cubic feet of trunk space, it's a class leader. Auto experts are particularly pleased with the car's cabin stowage options like the center-covered storage bin, which contains a USB port, auxiliary audio input and 12-volt power source. 

• "A wide aperture and low deck are thoughtful, but the trunk narrows quite a bit between the rear tires, limiting its usefulness for hauling bulky items. Oddly, TSX's trunk has traditional lid hinges rather than compact strut-type ones. They steal little cargo space, though. Storage pockets in all four doors help compensate for the somewhat small glovebox and center console bins." -- Consumer Guide
• "Em and I both liked the secret compartment in the center stack, next to the driver's right knee. It's a great place to stash toll paces, tissues and secret candy bars." -- Mother Proof
• "Though its 12.6-cubic-feet capacity (about 3 or 4 cubes smaller than that of a typical midsize family car) may seem on the small side, the trunk has a wide opening and a deep, boxy shape. It was capacious enough to swallow three golf bags dropped in crosswise." - Edmunds 
  
• "Wide trunk opening helps with loading large or awkward objects" - Cars.com