VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Acura RSX2002–2006
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Acura RSX
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Acura RSX Years to Avoid
2 recalls · 53 complaints
5 reported injuries
Top issue: POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2 recalls · 17 complaints
Top issue: POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2 recalls · 9 complaints
4 reported injuries
Top issue: TIRES
Acura RSX — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 | 13 | — | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 2005 | 0 | 21 | — | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 2004 | 2 | 9 | 4 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 2003 | 2 | 17 | — | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 2002 | 2 | 53 | 5 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Avoid |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Acura RSX Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the RSX compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year RSX to buy?+
The 2005 Acura RSX scores highest on our Buyer Score (51/100) — combining a reliability score of 57/100 with a value score of 39/100. It has 0 recalls and 21 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which RSX years have the most problems?+
The 2002, 2003, 2004 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2002 RSX leads with 2 recalls and 53 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common RSX problems?+
The most frequently reported Acura RSX issues involve: POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION, AIR BAGS, SUSPENSION:FRONT, TIRES. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.