As an owner of a TSX, I'd say it's an above average car. Depending on what you're looking for, it may or may not fit your needs. When I purchased, I was looking for an entry luxury vehicle with FWD and got good gas mileage. RWD would have been okay, but I literally live on the side of a mountain and the road up to it is about a 5% to 6% grade and FWD does still give better traction than RWD. My price range was about $25k to $32k, with my preference leaning towards the bottom end of that scale. Sportiness was a consideration although not my determining factor. Practicality was also high on my list, meaning 4 doors is a must. Reliability is a MUST for me. I can't stand buying a car only to have it go in to the shop 3 or 4 times a year for a major issue (ahem...my Ford Explorer). I test drove the following cars: IS 300, BMW 330, G35, previous generation (not 04) TL, the TSX, and even a VW Passat.
As far as bang for the buck goes, Acura's always win. Both the TL and the TSX are loaded for the price. IMO, the IS300 was a little too expensive for what you got, and I can't stand the ricer looks of it. Reliability was a huge plus for the Lexus.
BMW handles like a dream, but my friend has a 328 (before they upgraded the engine to a 3.0L) and he's had nothing but problems with it. In addition, CR has rated the reliablity low and has moved the BMW from their recommended list because of the reliability issues. Also, the price is a little high.
G35, nice car. 4 door is too expensive for me though. Interior didn't feel as nice, believe it or not, even though the TSX uses leather on the centers of the seat.
TL just looked old. The Type-S was fun to test drive, but I knew they'd be coming out with a new body style when I drove it and wanted something that looked fresher.
Passat. Reliability is okay. Interior felt crappy. In addition, the dealer was a jerk, so that was an easy elimination.
I've put about 10k miles on mine (purchased last Sept.) and here are my pros/cons for the car.
Pro's:
Loaded for the price
Handles very well - the only car I felt that handled better than it that I test drove was the BMW.
Very fuel efficient, especially when premium (which it requires) is about $2/gallon - I'm averaging about 29mpg but I'm not a huge leadfoot
Still pretty unique on the road - not too many that you see everyday. I think I've seen about 4 or 5 since I bought mine. Not a huge pro, but one nonetheless.
Sporty enough for me. High revving if you really want it to go though.
After 10k miles, everything still seems mechanically sound, although 10k is still early in a car's life so I'll wait and see. Although, honestly, if I have a major problem (transmission, engine, electrical, etc) before 100k miles I'd consider it a dissapointment towards Honda's reputation of quality.
Cons:
Systemic creak in the windshield that it seems almost every TSX has and the dealers can't seem to fix
Systemic creak in the driver side door panel that almost every TSX has and the dealers can't seem to fix
For a luxury brand, Acura is nothing more than a hopped up Honda. The buying experience may vary, but mine was no more spectacular than going to Ford or Honda. My sister, buying a Lexus was treated like a queen.
Overall, I'm pretty happy, although those creaks are driving me (and it seems like a lot of other TSX owners) crazy. Hopefully Acura will put out a TSB for it, as I've already taken it in to 2 different Acura dealers 3 times to try and get the pops and creaking fixed.