Overview & Reviews

Acura is an upscale automaker known for offering cars with impressive levels of luxury, features and performance. It's come a long way in a short time, however, as the history of Acura is relatively brief. Parent company Honda introduced the Acura brand to the U.S. market in 1986 in an effort to create a separate luxury division for its products. At first, it was just a two-car show: the Legend sedan, which was the first true Japanese luxury car sold in America, and the Integra sport coupe and sedan.

Though essentially a marketing creation for the North American market, the Acura brand was immediately successful. Consumers liked the features, performance and upscale image of Acura cars, along with the fact that Acuras were backed by Honda's reputation for reliability and low ownership costs. In 1991, Acura introduced its crown jewel: the all-aluminum NSX sports car, which offered performance close to that of other exotic cars while undercutting them in price.

As Acura's product line grew in the 1990s, however, the company struggled a bit. Some of its products were duds, and it risked alienating loyal customers when it replaced the Legend and Integra names with alphanumeric designations. The company jumped on the hot luxury SUV bandwagon in the mid-'90s with the SLX. Unfortunately, the SLX was just a rebadged version of an Isuzu SUV, and its quality did not match customers' expectations.

For the new millennium, Acura revamped its product range. An all-new SUV called the MDX debuted, sporting numerous family-friendly features, including a third-row seat. The Integra was replaced with the RSX sport coupe, and an all-new entry-level sport sedan called the TSX was introduced after that. A complete redesign of its most popular model, the midsize TL sedan, followed, as did a redesign of its flagship RL luxury sedan.

By mid-decade the NSX was gone, but Acura filled out its model lineup with the street-performance-oriented RDX compact crossover, the TSX wagon and the ZDX, a fastback-styled crossover that placed unique styling over practicality. Today Acura is still trying to find its ideal niche but there's no denying the quality of Acura's vehicles, nor their appealing mix of performance, technology and value.

User Reviews:

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  Great, affordable, fun coupe - 1997 Acura Integra
  By T Jeffries - September 10 - 12:07 pm

  This is the second Integra Ive owned. With its well- thought-out suspension its fun to pitch into corners. (Ive owned 60s British roadsters, contemporary Japanese sports cars and campaigned a number of sports racing vehicles--from an original Shelby GT- 350 to Formula Fords--and this is still a sweet little car.) Its also a capable cruiser for long trips and terrific on gas: it turned almost 37 mpg on our last trip. Quality-built, it should last another 1/4 of a million miles.

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  Acura... Any questions? - 2000 Acura Integra
  By dirtrider86 - September 9 - 9:07 pm

  I bought this car with 93,000 miles on it, and it runs like a charm. The three best things about this car are of course the looks, the performance, and the reliability. I put an aftermarket intake in my integra and it makes the thing scream, while it also improved the gas mileage. I love how I can drop the kids and wife off at church and go out street racing!

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  Excellent overall change - 2003 Acura TL
  By dealerbasher - September 9 - 10:00 am

  I looked at the previews for 2004 TL and disliked its overwrought styling. The present model is elegant and classy. The TL is well-designed for long trips, the interior is superb, the handling is precise. Love the step- tronic tranny, TL accelerates quickly with a base engine; I found no need for type-S. A bargain compared to tiny BMW- 3, or 530, Benz C320, or Inf. I35. Lexus ES300 looks too much like a Camry and costs 36K+ with leather. TL is ultimately the best all-around choice. I prefer its FWD configuration because it does much better in CO winters than RWD found in 2 competing sedans.

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  OK car for the bucks - 2003 Acura TL
  By tph - September 9 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Acura but it wont be my last. The car is well built. The engine is outstanding. The handling (high speed cornering) is not shabby either. The car just feels solid! nit-picks...(1) the leather could be of higher quality. (2) The glove box is a joke. (3) the stereo is over rated. The sound is not as deep as my previous car. (4) The Engine is quiet, that cannot be said for wind noise. That said, this car is still a great buy!!!!

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  The right decision on a 2017 Acura RDX Advance - 2017 Acura RDX
  By drjcool1 - September 8 - 2:33 pm

  I have been researching and shopping for a new vehicle for several months. I had narrowed it down to the Acura RDX awd and Lexus NX and briefly thought about waiting until the new Honda CRV makes its debut next month. Well, I just pulled the trigger on the RDX with all the bells and whistles, and I couldnt be happier. It drives beautifully. It is quiet, responsive, and displays impressive handling. Although the tech is probably of 2015 vintage (no apple car play or android auto), with ACC, LKAS, blind spot monitoring, collision mitigation, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, and stability control, I reallyb dont feel that I am sacrificing anything. I have no problem with the double screen setup, and although there is a bit of a learning curve, I enjoy having the big map always being displayed on the upper screen. The "cherry" on top was a killer deal I secured after visiting/communicating with multiple Acura dealers in the NY area. I strongly suggest that you do your due diligence.

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  Very nice. Fits like a glove! - 2009 Acura TSX
  By BOZZ - September 8 - 8:33 am

  IÂ’ve had my 09 TSX 5A for 2 weeks. The car does NOT feel as underpowered as some reviews suggest (an extra 20HP wouldnÂ’t hurt). Steering is not bad (could use more feel). The car likes to be driven fast (unlike my old 06 TL 6M which suffered from serious torque steer and an unhappiness when driven fast). It is also very comfortable and fits like a glove, everything feels right. Love the features: seats, steering wheel, FI paddle shifters, Bluetooth, USB audio (all cars should have this). HOWEVER, there is excessive dashboard glare that washes out the central display in a lot of driving conditions!! Why on earth would Acura use shiny/tacky material on the dash?

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  Just an AWESOME vehicle - 2009 Acura TL
  By Tyger06 - September 7 - 11:28 pm

  We purchased our TL with Technology Package 1 week ago. We continue to be amazed at the performance and the amount of features per dollar. We have received many compliments on the vehicles looks both inside and out. It is roomy enough for the two of us and our 2yr old. She has more leg room in the back then she did in our old vehicle-a Saab 9-7x SUV.

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  Love this car! - 2004 Acura TSX
  By JuliaV - September 6 - 1:16 am

  I traded in my 2000 Accord sedan. I agonized over the TSX or a new Accord. In the end I chose the TSX because of the following: better warranty/reputation, classier looks, TSX is FUN to drive (handles curves better than my old accord ever dared, brakes much better...TSX feels peppy), feels more luxurious, and I dont see zillions of TSXs on the road. I havent regretted my decision for one second (and I am bad to second guess everything!)

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  A Great Performance Sedan for the Money - 2009 Acura TL
  By New To Acura - September 4 - 2:27 pm

  Had a 2005 Mercedes E500 4Matic and was looking for a car that had the same size engine and same size interior. Have had the TL SH AWD HPT for over a month and this car does not disappoint. The handling is unbelievable and the power/acceleration is very good. Drove the G37x and the CTS 4 and the TL was just a better car for the money. The ride can be a little stiff and you can feel the bumps on a rough road which is why I gave a rating of 8 for comfort. Overall, though, the ride is good and the cabin is very quiet. Also, the tech package is a must. Easy to use and I use the real time weather a lot more than I thought I would. And I like the front/back design. It is edgy/different.

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  Mr - 2003 Acura MDX
  By Edward Bianchina - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Great Vehicle. Fun to drive and comfortable. Interior very functional.