I owned an Acura RSX for 5 years. It was recently destroyed in an accident. Unfortunately Acura is no longer making the RSX, but if you are in the market for a used car, the RSX is one to consider. I owned the base model, automatic. I didn't add any features to it. Didn't need to.

When I was ready to purchase a new car back in 2002 I did a lot of online research. I then proceeded to test drive exactly one car, the RSX. I immediately fell in love with it and for the next 5 years it was a purchase I never regretted.

Looks- Let's face it, the RSX is a nice looking car. When I first got it people constantly stopped me and asked me about it. What was it? Where did I get it? How much did it cost (people are nosy aren't they?) There were no Acura dealers near where I lived at the time, so Acuras weren't that common and the RSX was pretty much nonexistent. Eventually a dealer came to the area and people stopped asking quite as many questions, but this was definitely a car that caused some envy.

Interior - This car is small inside and it lacks storage space in the front. The stereo system in the base model is just ok, but it does the job. Plenty of space in the back once you fold down the seats. Not a car that comfortably seats people in the back seats. It is hard to get into the seats and once you are in them there isn't much space. It definitely isn't a family car.

Price/Cost of Ownership - This is a reasonably priced car that holds its value. I purchased mine for about 20k (+tax and tags.) When it was destroyed my insurance company gave me around 13.5k for it. That was a loss in value of just about 6.5k in 5 years. Maintenance was pretty cheap, just the usual, every 5k miles. Tires are expensive (around 400-600 to replace all four.) If something goes wrong, parts are expensive, so get an extended warranty. Gas is expensive because you need to use 89 and the mileage is just ok. I normally got about 23/26 on it. Insurance is on the high side for this car. My insurance rates dropped about 300-400 dollars a year when I recently purchased something less sporty. Dents and dings are expensive to repair. I didn't get the protective strips on the doors. This was a mistake. This car seems to attract dents and dings.

Safety - My number one consideration in purchasing any car is safety. Despite, or perhaps because of its sporty nature, the RSX is a very safe car. Unfortunately, the model I purchased lacked side curtain airbags, because they weren't available back in 2002. I have no idea if they are available in later models, you would need to check. As it turned out, in a slow speed collision with an SUV, the RSX did as advertised. The driver wasn't injured, just some aches mainly, the interior cage itself was not damaged. The front end was destroyed. But that is to be expected when a small car and an SUV meet. Airbags didn't deploy, but I think it is best that they didn't. One problem with this car is that with its low profile SUVs and minivans cannot see it. I frequently got cut off. The other problem is that it has some major blind spots. You have to use the side mirrors. I also suggest taking off the trunk cover and leaving the back seats down. This improves visibility.

Driving - This is a car you purchase because you like to drive. You like curvy roads that you take way too fast. It's a blast to drive this car. It can also be dangerous and it is not a car I suggest for a young person or an inexperienced driver. As quickly as this car accelerates you can end up giving it too much power around a turn and find yourself wrestling with the steering wheel. In addition, as I mentioned above, you need to be prepared to be cut off. A lot. I really do not recommend this car for your teenager. The RSX has a tight suspension and as a result a bumpy ride. This is to be expected in a car like this.

Problems - It is important to find a shop that can properly service this car. I went through about a year and a half time period when the dealership I was using must not have been servicing the car properly. I found it began to be sluggish, it ate fuel and it wasn't fun to drive. I argued with the dealership constantly and, finally, ended up taking the car to a non-dealer repair shop. I am not sure what the difference was in how they dealt with the car because they didn't do anything more than routine maintenance, but it was as if I had the original RSX back. I have seen this sluggish complaint elsewhere and it is something you will need to consider. Test drive the car you plan to purchase carefully, make sure it has the get up and go it should have, and make sure you have a shop that can service it properly. It definitely can be a fussy car. The only time it ever broke down on me was when a rock slammed into the radiator and caused a hole. I had to replace it and it wasn't cheap. Other than that the only issue I had was the sluggish driving problem that was a direct result of the dealership I had servicing the car. There were no recalls during the time I owned it.

Conclusion - I loved owning an RSX and I miss it. If Acura still made the RSX I probably wouldn't buy it now, but only because my needs have changed as I have gotten older. If you don't yet have children (or have another car to use with them) the RSX is fine. It isn't a family car, but it is a lot of fun to drive.
Amount Paid (US$): 20000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: Base - Automatic