Are you into older Hondas and Acuras and feel the need to “hit VTEC” every once in a while, or perhaps, every day? Then you might be looking for a used Civic Si to fulfill your needs while sticking to your budget. We don’t blame you, as any Civic Si from the last two decades is worth a look. However, an Acura TSX Special Edition with a manual transmission could be a better option, and here is why.

Acura TSX Special Edition

The Acura TSX was in production from 2004 to 2014 and spanned two generations. Both generations used the same 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine that produced 201 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque.

The main highlight was that the engine was mated to either a five-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual.

For the 2012 model year, Acura produced a Special Edition version of the TSX to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the brand.

The Special Edition model was outfitted with more aggressive front and rear fascias, a sport front lip and side sills, dark gray 17-inch 5-spoke wheels, an all-black interior with red contrast stitching, perforated suede, and leather seats, and aluminum pedals.

It had the same engine under the hood as the standard TSX and was available with an automatic or manual transmission as well.

Better than a Civic Si

If you’re looking for a used Honda Civic Si, then chances are that you’re probably looking for something in the 2006 to 2011 vintage with the 2.0-liter VTEC engine that produced 197 horsepower and 139 lb-ft of torque.

That would be a great choice as you can find plenty of them on the used market in both coupe or sedan form. However, might we add that the car looks rather pedestrian compared to the TSX.

After all, Acura is Honda’s luxury brand and they just happened to make a sport sedan that has more torque than the Civic Si and a more premium feel.

The TSX’s look is more timeless and sophisticated as well, so it will likely age better. And as you get older, you won’t have to feel like you’re in high school anymore, driving around a high-revving Civic Si and looking like you’re trying to hit people up for races.

Still better than the newer Civic Si, too

However, we know that you might be looking for a 2012 to 2015 Civic Si instead, as those came with the same 2.4-liter VTEC engine with a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential.

That’s definitely true, but we would still argue that the TSX has a much nicer interior and you can easily add a limited-slip differential with the money that you saved buying the car.

You’ll get the same power as agility as the 2012-2015 Civic Si, and the same aftermarket support, but again, you’ll feel much more classy in an Acura TSX than the boy-racer Civic Si.

Pricing

In case you were wondering, most 2012 Acura TSX Special Edition models that are currently in the used market are selling for anywhere between $9000 and $13,000 depending on the location and mileage.

The 2006 to 2011 Civic Si models can be found anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 depending on the condition and location. And lastly, the newer 2012 to 2015 Civic Si models can be found selling anywhere between $7,500 and $18,000 depending on condition and location as well.

Case in point, by going with an Acura TSX Special Edition instead of a Civic Si, you’ll have the same engine power, a nicer-looking car with a more sophisticated interior, all for a much more reasonable price. That’s what we call “value.”