Manage updates with the Download App2006 Acura RSX Type-S
Manufacturer: Acura Part number: 100449646
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Acura RSX Type-S makes the most of its technologically advanced engine, but it lacks gadgetry in the cabin.
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CNET editors' review
2006 Acura RSX Type-S price range: $16,201.00
- Reviewed by: Markovich
- Edited by: Wayne Cunningham
- Reviewed on: 09/01/2005
The good: Efficient power production from i-VTEC engine; superior handling; decent sound system.
The bad: Occasional front-drive dartiness; lack of technology offerings; vestigial rear seats.
The bottom line: The Acura RSX Type-S makes the most of its technologically advanced engine, but it lacks gadgetry in the cabin.
User reviews
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Overall this is a good car but have some major problems
by willcp on October 26, 2005
Pros: Handling, exterior and descent power
Cons: Transmission and suspension problem
Summary: I own a 03-S. I have been having problem with the suspension and tranny problem since about 15000 miles. Dealer have not fix the problem and I'm still fighting. ...
Summary: I own a 03-S. I have been having problem with the suspension and tranny problem since about 15000 miles. Dealer have not fix the problem and I'm still fighting. Therefore, I just want everyone to be aware. There is a transmission problem (Manual, 2nd gear grind and 3rd gear pop out)with the car. The problem is intermittent. If you want to test your luck, go ahead. My advise is research online before buying it. By the way, usually dealer going to tell you they can't find anything wrong with the car. Go to google and search 2nd gear grinding RSX. Good Luck!!
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The 05 is very close to identical, and I love it
by drmeerkat on September 12, 2008
Pros: Very responsive (really, not much beating 210hp out of a 2 liter normally aspirated), can get tuning toys readily if you're so inclined. Handles very well, and far better than anything else I have experienced in this price segment.
Cons: Tire choice could be more aggressive given the performance stance of the car (and an upgrade here brings a whole new level to the car). The sound system has no capacity for aux, changer, or any of the alt ways of connecting an ipod w/o cassete deck.
Summary: For drivers in the early days of professional life, where boy racer cars are too young looking and we still want something fun pre-kids, the looks and performance satisfy on ...
Summary: For drivers in the early days of professional life, where boy racer cars are too young looking and we still want something fun pre-kids, the looks and performance satisfy on both counts. It is deceptively fast, yet can be driven much like a civic (with similar looking gas mileage if you keep the revs below 4k) for those worried about the pump. It has a comfortable ride in spite of the taut suspension, but on the same note can be tossed almost too easily (for the passenger?) through twisty roads. The only marks I could put on this car after 3 years and 46000 miles is that the head unit lacks the necessary auxillary inputs that became commonplace only 1 year later, has no way of getting an ipod connected without the cassette adapter or FM mod (so there is some hiss either way), and would literally have to be replaced in order to have these things, which is complicated by the interface with the Bose amp (more adapters, etc).
The second is the tires, which deserve more aggressive rubber. I have replaced them after 40k, and it has never driven like it does now on the Ultra Hi Perf tires I got for it (yeah, that's a ridiculous name for a class of tire, that's another story). I used to scoff at this complaint until I saw the difference myself - there is more juice here than the tires let you use.
And yes, I have experienced 3rd gear pop-out. I changed the tranny fluid to the new honda stuff and haven't had it since. Still the most crisp and easy to throw transmission I have used outside of a certain German brand that has a penchant for funny headlights.
If you can't tell I love my car and wouldn't trade it in for anything that has come out since... at least until I can afford triple this price.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Almost Perfect
by odin-1-eye on September 1, 2008
Pros: Great transmision, nimble handling (for an FF car), comfortable and supportive seats
Cons: Lack of storage, narrow power band, anemic torque
Summary: Overall this is a great car, it is spirited and fun to drive on the daily commute without being exhausting. It handles admirably while still being comfortable. It has one ...
Summary: Overall this is a great car, it is spirited and fun to drive on the daily commute without being exhausting. It handles admirably while still being comfortable. It has one of the best shifting transmissions I have ever used, although it has a tendency to be used frequently. This however isn't a problem as the clutch is light and the the throws are short and accurate. This is a drivers car with little consideration for passengers. However if you bought this car you don't care about that.
As a weekend racer, I experiance the highs and lows of the i-vtec. On road courses this car is probably the best front-drive car on the market. It loves the open road and all of its strengths can be exploited. Take it to an autocross and you will be beaten by a Mini Cooper-S every time. The main problem is that it is nearly impossible to keept the car in it's very high and narrow power band, thus elliminating any advantage the car would have.
So in conclusion for any prospective buyers. This car is an excellent commuter and generally fun to drive. If you antisipate racing it, it is a fine choice but has some short commings. Luckily there are plenty of upgrades available for the tuners that can more than likely compensate for that.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Pocket Rocket RSX Type-S
by cameron.bajt on July 18, 2007
Pros: High revving powerful motor, Leather bucket seats, BOSE system, Spoiler lip
Cons: Low tourqe, but good for city driving
Summary: This is a great car. It's 6 Speed MT is fantastically well put together, and is a great car to drive all year round. very stylish outside and modification ...
Summary: This is a great car. It's 6 Speed MT is fantastically well put together, and is a great car to drive all year round. very stylish outside and modification friendly. the cars stock exhaust is quite nice, and the iVTECH motor is outstanding. Floor the car in first, and if you have a clean shift into 2nd gear you will get a nice FUN ammount of tire spin which pulls you along very quickly. anyone who is looking for a fun, summer/winter, sporty coupe hatch this is defonetly the best bang for your buck. I get so many looks in the car because its got such a nice body styling.
cnet has this one all wrong. 9/10 for me.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Cnets Got this one ALL wrong
by canehdianJ on June 21, 2007
Pros: Lack of traction control, High reving engine
Cons: Bose sound system is severly lacknig
Summary: Cnet is more wrong about this car then any I have ever seen. If this is what they think of the RSX type S then can you imagine the Ferrari ...
Summary: Cnet is more wrong about this car then any I have ever seen. If this is what they think of the RSX type S then can you imagine the Ferrari F40. The F40 is around 300 000$. It comes with only one option, A/C and thats it. No stereo, No Compass, it doesnt even have floor mats. I wonder why a car that expensive has no gadgets? Because its designed for people who want to drive not fiddle with pointless electronic junk and this is the same with the RSX. Everything is where it should be, the short shifter makes for great throws, theres cruise to make long trips bearable. Acura covered all the basics with this car. Its purely designed for someone who loves driving. If you find the seats uncomfortable, lose some weight, this car isnt designed to be driven by a 300lb nerd interested in electronics. I Cannot think of any other seat ive been in that is more comfortable with better bolster support then this car. This car is a drivers car. PERIOD. If you enjoy driving, then this is a great reasonably priced sports car. Oh and another thing. Its a 2 door. exactly how often are you going to use the back seats. In the 2 years of ownership of my previous coupe, I used the back seats about 10 times at most.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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this car needs no gadgets
by malbeau on August 23, 2006
Pros: balance, handling, quality finish
Cons: snug interior for tall people, deserves styling update, FWD limitations
Summary: The RSX is a wonderful car. It's responsive, has a very high quality build, offers a very convenient hatchback configuration, and has an impressive reliability record.
Part of the ...Summary: The RSX is a wonderful car. It's responsive, has a very high quality build, offers a very convenient hatchback configuration, and has an impressive reliability record.
Part of the reason that the reliability is so high is that Acura (Honda) invests its technology into vehicle performance under the hood, rather than on chintzy gadgets to sedate people who don't concentrate on driving. Bravo, Acura! Now stop whining about needing more gadgets, CNET reviewers. This is a car, not an office cubicle.
OK, back to the car. There are downsides to the RSX. It's a front wheel drive, which limits its sporting abilities. The MacPherson front suspension really isn't quite as good at a fully independent setup. And taller drivers will want a touch more room in the interior. Most of us will find these minor limitations liveable!1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Awesome handling and a step up from the Integra!
by SteadyMethodz on July 16, 2006
Pros: The engine is smooth and precise and for a "sports" car the comfort isn't that bad.
Cons: Transmission can use some attention from the designers.
Summary: I've driven plenty of Acuras and similiar cars and I have to say this one is a step up for their sports line. The handling is great and the ...
Summary: I've driven plenty of Acuras and similiar cars and I have to say this one is a step up for their sports line. The handling is great and the active steering is a plus. A limited differential would be nice and the horsepower is low compared to competitors. I give it a 9 because you can't deny the quality for the money.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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First Year RSX Type S - Fast, Fun, and Reliable
by KevinK on May 26, 2006
Pros: Handles great, quick acceleration, 30MPG
Cons: Noisy, LOUSY STEREO, Chintzy Interior
Summary: I bought my RSX Type S in May of 2002, now at 100K miles I can say may car has been extremely reliable. Talking to other RSX owners seems to ...
Summary: I bought my RSX Type S in May of 2002, now at 100K miles I can say may car has been extremely reliable. Talking to other RSX owners seems to bear this out.
So far I have had no real problems at all with my car. I replaced the tires once, and did the brakes at 70K miles.
I do a lot of driving, both highway and local, and as long as you run the highest octance premium you can find, both performance and mileage are great. My average over the entire life of the car has been no less than 30mpg.
The engine revs freely and feels as zippy as when it was new. Oil consumption is low at a qt every 5K to 6K miles. I have used valvoline synthetic since new.
The shifter is precise and feels good even now, some component in the clutch pedal mechanism has worn out, and every once in while I get an annoying click when I depress or release the clutch. The clutch itself is in great shape, no sign of slippage, and engagement is consistant and predictable.
I have had just one alignment over the life of the car so far, it seems to hold it well.
Handling is still very tight, although at 100K miles the struts and dampers are perhaps not as controlled as when new, but there is not a lot of difference.
This car stiffly sprung and has a harsh ride quality, every bump and imperfection in the road is translated to your backside, but it is so much fun everyday that I don't mind it at all.
I have never encountered what I would term overt torque steer, although on very uneven road surfaces under heavy acceleration it will pull ever so slightly one way or the other. On good roads you would not know that this is car is a front wheel drive, its that good.
The unibody is stiff, and handling is very consistent under all conditions.
The car is also quite noisy, and its really only a joy when you have the throttle wide open, the revs are climbing and you get that thrilling ivtec growl going on. (Well it still thrills me.. LOL)
It's not great in the snow, but the oem Michelin tires are better than Yokohamas I replaced them with. One nice improvement would be user selectable/defeatable traction control.
The interior is chintzy. I have the optional trim package and a lot of has fallen off, and I finally discovered that the best way to stick it back on is ge rtv adhesive.
The seats are not as comfortable as they appear, and actually in insane antics do not provide enough support - pull a G in a corner at high speed (and you will) and you'll know EXACTLY what I am talking about.
The AC sucks (sorry) and here's why: The temperature is remotely sensed in the cabin which means on cold days you get an intolerable blast of heat out of the vents initially and then its lukewarm the rest of the time. I am constantly fiddling with the climate controls to maximize comfort. The AC has the reverse issue, but is more than powerful enough for even the hottest days here (100+) I wish they sensed the temperature in the ducts so you can set the air temp blowing on you directly as in all older cars.
There is another problem with the AC in this clime (Boston area) and that is mildew odors since the car was 2yrs old, and the drains are NOT clogged. I have repeatedly used the Acura cleaner as directed and relief is partial and temporary at best. Hopefully this issue has been fixed. It's gross - it's like living in a swamp. If you have asthma, allergies or a cold it is very irritating.
I now make my own mix as the Acura stuff is $13 a can.
Oh, and the stereo. Just rip it out.. It's awful. FM performance is mediocre, the cd changer works fine, the cassette player is even lamer than CNET claims, and the sound quality is mediocre for anything other than light classical music and jazz - not exactly the kind of music the typical demographic will be listening to. No kicking bass, I doubt there is anything below 80Hz in this system.
The fold down rear seats, and the hatch make this car practical for normally daily shopping missions as well. It won't swallow what an SUV would, but the amount of usable cargo space is surprising for such a small car.
That's it in a nutshell. I'm a noted whiner, and despite the above comments I would probably nominate this car as the best I've ever owned. If you are into performance driving I recommend it heartily. If you need a practical, economical, highly reliable, and not overly expensive vehicle I recommend it.
I am sure the 2006 can only be even better than mine, and I am pleased with my 2002. I would expect your experience to be fairly similar.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Sporty fast and excellent gas mileage.....
by roanokebarry11 on April 16, 2011
Pros: Excellent handling...plenty of power...excellent gas mileage....sharp looks...This is my second RSX type S my 2002 performed flawlessly for 120k and my now 2006 has been trouble free for 50k...I read where one owner had a problem with his 2003 shifting
Cons: The only problem I have encountered ........I really havent had a problem so I can't list any.....
Summary: This RSX by Acura is the perfect package...combining power and handling it has great looks and easy to maintain.....
Summary: This RSX by Acura is the perfect package...combining power and handling it has great looks and easy to maintain.....
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love it!!!!!!
by nataliexoxoxox on January 25, 2009
Pros: everything
Cons: nothing, its perfect
Summary: love love love love this car!!! will never trade it in for anything, who cares if it doesn't have GPS and other gadgets, thats not why people buy this ...
Summary: love love love love this car!!! will never trade it in for anything, who cares if it doesn't have GPS and other gadgets, thats not why people buy this car.
I always look twice at my fellow RSX owners driving on the road. High fives all arouns =]
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Acura
- Part number: 100449646
- Bottom Line: The Acura RSX Type-S makes the most of its technologically advanced engine, but it lacks gadgetry in the cabin.
Basic car properties
- Body style hatchback
- Trim levels Base
- Available Engine Gas
Safety Features
- Smart airbags Standard
- Antilock brakes Standard
- Traction control Not available
- Stability control Not available
- Back-up cameras Not available
- Heads-up display Not available
- Collision avoidance Not available
- Steerable headlights Not available
- Roadside assistance Standard
- Adaptive cruise control Standard
- Rain-sensitive wipers Not available
- Lane departure warning Not available
Entertainment
- 5 channel audio Not available
- HD radio Not available
- Satellite radio Not available
- Satellite video Not available
- Video entertainment system Not available
- Multizone entertainment Not available
- Connection for portable MP3 sound system Not available
- MP3 CD-enabled sound system Not available
- Media hard-disk MP3 sound system Not available
- Active noise cancelling Not available
- DIN-compatible bays Not available
- Memory card slot Not available
- USB connection Not available
Climate/convenience
- Multizone climate control Not available
- Smart (set-and-forget) climate control Standard
- Heated/cooled seats Not available
- Integrated interface (iDrive, for example) Not available
- Keyless entry Standard
- Keyless start Not available
- Remote start Not available
- Two-way security system Standard
- 120V power outlet Not available
- 12V power outlet Standard
Drivetrain Technology
- Drivetrain available front-drive
- All-wheel steering Not available
- Steer by wire Not available
- Brake by wire Standard
- Drive by wire Standard
- Active suspension Not available
- Electronically controlled suspension Not available
Navigation
- GPS Navigation system - DVD data Not available
- Trip computer Not available
- Live traffic data Not available
- Touchscreen navigation Not available
- Voice activated navigation Not available
- DVD navigation system (non-GPS) Not available
Communication
- Bluetooth phone interface Not available
- Wi-Fi Not available
- Internet access - cellular Not available
- Internet access - satellite Not available
- OnStar or other roadside assistance system Standard
- Vehicle Web support Not available
- Home automation integration Not available
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Acura products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Acura
- Address:
Acura Client Services, Torrance, CA 90501-2746 - Phone: (800) 382-2238
- Fax: (310) 783-3535
