Overview & Reviews

It takes confidence to name a car the Legend. If it had been forgettable with nothing legendary about it, Acura could have found itself derided for the irony. It would have forever become the butt of automotive jokes, or worse, part of an Alanis Morissette song. Luckily for Honda's luxury division, its bravado paid off with the Acura Legend, a car that's still held in high regard years after it bowed out in favor of an ironically forgettable replacement.

The Acura Legend was launched in 1986 alongside the Integra sport hatchback to create the Acura brand in North America. Actually co-developed with British automaker Rover (which named its version of the car the Sterling 825), the Legend -- available in sedan and coupe body styles -- was immediately a hit among consumers and reviewers alike.

Through its fledgling Acura brand, Honda successfully blended its penchant for reliability and engine expertise with luxury features previously unavailable in a car wearing the H badge. The second-generation Legend raised the bar even further and its introduction for 1991 saw the debut of Acura's own insignia -- a flipped Honda H with the top pinched to make an A -- that solidified the brand as more of a stand-alone entity.

When Acura discontinued the Legend name in favor of a new alphanumeric naming scheme for its latest luxury sedan, it unfortunately coincided with a drop in style and driving passion that had made the Legend such a success. The Legend's replacement, the RL, was certainly more luxurious and just as reliable, but hardly exciting.

As such, the Legend represents a '90s-era high point of Acura luxury sedan and coupe design. For used-vehicle shoppers, most Legends are getting up there in terms of miles but are still very viable choices.

Most Recent Acura Legend

The second-generation Acura Legend was produced from 1991-'95. The sedan was initially offered in base, L and LS trim levels, while the coupe stuck with L and LS throughout its run. The Legend's core engine was a 3.2-liter V6 making 200 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque, mated to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. In 1993, coupes jumped to 230 hp and upgraded their manual transmission to a six-speed, while all Legends gained dual airbags.

In 1994 a new top-of-the-line GS sedan debuted with the stronger engine and larger 16-inch wheels. The base sedan was dropped, and all Legends added a new grille, bumpers and a power steering wheel that could finally tilt as well as telescope. Its final year, 1995, saw the addition of a limited-production SE sedan with slight cosmetic distinctions.

As with all Acuras, options were limited. An automatic transmission, CD changer and an upgraded Bose stereo were the rare à la carte choices, with leather an option on lower trim levels. Standard equipment included dual front airbags, antilock brakes, alloy wheels, full power accessories, a power driver seat with memory, a sunroof and steering-wheel audio controls. Traction control, keyless entry, heated seats, a power passenger seat and two-tone paint were among the standard items on the upper trim levels.

The Legend was not only good-looking and well-equipped, but rewarding to drive as well. Performance was strong, particularly with the more powerful V6 found on some of the later models. The interior was well-constructed and attractive, toeing the line between luxury and sport. However, headroom was iffy for taller drivers, and the backseat was a little skimpy on legroom due to the Legend's rare longitudinal engine layout. The coupe's rear quarters were even more cramped, though that's typical for two-doors.

Although most Acura Legends on the road now have high mileage, its reputation for consistently strong reliability makes well-maintained examples an excellent choice.

Past Acura Legend models

The original, slightly smaller Acura Legend was produced from 1986-'90 and available in coupe and sedan body styles. These cars set the precedent for future Acuras with high feature content, quality engineering and impeccable reliability.

User Reviews:

Showing 11 through 20 of 273.00

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  Time to part... - 1991 Acura Legend
  By vasyliy - June 6 - 3:44 am

  This is the sturdiest car Ive ever owned. I abuse it everyday and it still runs like a monster. The transmission is jerky, but thats my fault. I accelerate by pressing the pedal to the metal. Its really expensive to repair and parts are hard to find. Gas mileage is about 12 miles per gallon ( how I drive ). Overall its really comfortable, the exterior is really nice as well.

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  Best car Ive owned yet. - 1991 Acura Legend
  By sledder - July 30 - 8:45 pm

  I bought this car a few months ago and after replacing a few parts such as the main relay (seems to be a problem on a lot of Hondas and Acuras), the speed sensor and a couple other small parts. The car is awesome. Its been my daily driver pretty much since I bought it and I love every minute of it. The handling is unbelievable, handles better than any other affordable car Ive driven. The performance is great, especially on the highway. The interior is showing some wear (dash has cracks, leather seats are cracking). It still rides great. I recommend this car to anyone that is looking at buying a cheap, reliable car. You may have to spend some $ to get it in top shape, but itll be worth it.

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  This anybodys dream car - 1995 Acura Legend
  By david286 - July 18 - 12:10 pm

  I bought this same car 4 years ago. I have not been the best owner to it because I have neglected it however, this is the best car Ive owned in my life (Ive had many). Its the mixture of luxury and reliability. My family and I love it because it has never given me a major problem. Ive changed the radiator on it but thats about it. Its a beautiful and powerful piece of machinery. Buying is one decision that I will never regret!

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  one of the best - 1991 Acura Legend
  By rochkram - January 18 - 8:17 am

  i think this legand is the greatest built smooth ride good on gas and fast i drove this acura to florida from ny a 24 hour ride according to mapquest.com did it in 16 hours thats stoping for gas and pizza hut so figure you figure out how fast we were going,as only one issue was the fuel lines rusted out i fixed myself dealer fix 1200.00 if you have problems in the snow put your car in 2nd gear at the stop lights you will be amazed how much easier it is to take off , you will stay right with the 4 wheel drive trucks 225,000mile and still looks great one small rust spot behind back tire about the size of a quarter 22 years old check you toyota for rust lol

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  What A CAR!!!!! - 1990 Acura Legend
  By jonathan11 - October 23 - 11:57 pm

  When I got this car, it was like mid-september. I really didnt know how to react with it, but the more i got to drive it, te more attached i am with it. Ive driven lots of cars in the passed, but none that can put up with the Legend. around 69000 miles, throttle response= amazing, and now just adding stuff that can repesent on who i am. a biggie it has, its that its never been under roof, so all the paint is faded, and the tod rear back seats are burned, but really dont matter. braking very smooth and right when you need it, and going up hill, you feel the power of the engine, its just amazing!

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  Just bought a low-mileage 95 LS for $1800!!! - 1995 Acura Legend
  By blackdynamite1 - October 13 - 8:45 pm

  This is a car you can take pride in! Only 105K. Dark green, looks very elegant. The seats look and feel great. Bose sound still thumps. Wasnt expecting the power tilt & telescoping wheel (Totally Pimp!). Drove with the windows down and stepped on the gas. All I heard was SMOOTH! Didnt even hear the smooth! It has an engine, right? Need 100k service at Acura, and a brake and alignment job, but after $500-600, will be like new. Dont hate me because Im a Legend (Owner)!

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  Age is only a number. - 1993 Acura Legend
  By lilmswrenchit - July 15 - 9:01 pm

  Ive had 2 Acura Legends and have absolutely loved them both. Age has not deteriorated the beauty of an incredible car and even at almost 30 years old it holds that sophisticated beauty. Sharp looking and magnificient to drive there is nothing like it. They need to make a new one that will stand the test of time like these ones have.

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  Why did Acura Stop Making This? - 1994 Acura Legend
  By alexgutfleish - May 17 - 7:42 pm

  I recently inherited my grandmothers 1994 Acura Legend, which only has 42,300 on the odometer. Overall the car is great, I love the handling, the acceleration, and the rear visibility is fantastic for a sedan of that size. The only things I dislike are the automatic transmission, which bucks when going from first to second. Also, the car does not get the best fuel economy and requires premium fuel, which isnt the best when gas is $4.20-4.50 a gallon. Finally, in terms of technology its "outdated" (It has a cassette player and no GPS). Other than that I love it. Great car!

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  The Best Used Sedan on the Market? - 1995 Acura Legend
  By ivorytickler - March 8 - 8:40 am

  We bought our 95 Legend L in 2001 with 72K on it and it now shows 126K. All service has been done by Acura, and it has proved the most reliable, durable, fun-to-drive vehicle weve ever owned. Fantastic handling, lots of room, tremendous Bose sound system, very comfortable on the road, and nowhere near the running costs of a Mercedes or BMW (which it will spank on occasion). These cars are now ridiculously inexpensive on the used car market, and many consumers as well as Acura Service Managers insist this is the best car Acura ever made. If you dont know about these cars and are looking for a great used sedan buy, you owe it to yourself to check one out. You wont be disappointed!

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  Head gasket blown twice in 4 years - 1995 Acura Legend
  By Doberman - October 24 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car in 2006 when its mileage was 136K. The car had a sensor failure right after I bought it. The dealer was willing to fix it with free labor only. The car just turned 200K. In the past 4 years of ownership, I had replaced head gaskets twice, spending $2K+ each, replaced a control circuit board that failure caused a cable connector melted down. This year the left side ball joint broke and broke the ABS sensor as well. These could have been prevented if I was cautious about the noise I heard while driving the car. Last week, the car was hit at a spot between 2 doors on driver side by a truck. It is a total loss........