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:

• 

  Great car, great value - 2006 Acura RSX
  By Albee - July 20 - 8:47 pm

  Just bought a new Type S and couldnt be happier. If youre looking for top performance (i.e. extremely fun to drive) at a very reasonable cost, get this car. It has great acceleration and handling, and working the clutch is extremely easy. The 6 spd is great for the hwy mpg (city mpg is not 23 btw unless you drive real slow. figure about 18-20). Couple issues with the car is it can be a bumpy ride on non-smooth roads due to tight suspension. Also, engine gets loud at high rpms (redline starts at like 7500). In terms of construction, the car is a rock. The Type-S is 100% made in Japan (most Acuras are made in the USA now).

• 

  Reliable engine, the rest-lacking - 1993 Acura Legend
  By Paul - July 19 - 6:16 pm

  With about 126,000 miles currently the car doesnt have a great deal of wear on the engine. I have never had a problem with the engine. However I have had problems with various other non-mechancial parts on the vehicle. Replacements include: drivers side door handle with electronics, master cylinder and ignition switch. All of those with installation totalled $1000 plus. The engine is fairly powerful for the time period, however the gas mileage is decent at best. I average 16-18 mpg in a suburban area and on the highway 25-30. The ride is smooth but somewhat unresponsive. Turns are clumsy and makes the car feel heavy. Interior is rather plush for the base model.

• 

  Few Problems - 2004 Acura RSX
  By Lisa - July 19 - 8:49 am

  I have had this car a year tomorrow and have had nothing but problems and Acura cannot figure out what is going on with the car. When taking off from a stop it sometimes does not go and act as though it is going to stall out. The car also races RPMs for no reason. I have had the radio replaced in the car 4 times since I have had it as well. I loved my 92 Integra and decided to upgrade but after this 04 purchase I may have to stick with the 92 or change the make of what I purchase. If Acura could fix the problem instead of throwing their hands up, I may consider buying another Acura in the future. Until then I will stick with the 92.

• 

  Great responsive auto with lots of toys - 2005 Acura TL
  By Lois Feinberg - July 18 - 9:50 am

  This is a responsive, powerful, and fun car to drive. I especially like the improved turn ratio. With all the entertainment and communication features, once you get in you dont event mind getting stuck in traffic.

• 

  LOVE IT, BUT... - 2017 Acura RDX
  By Mia - July 16 - 4:48 pm

  Love my 2017 RDX , only has 1,200 miles, but Ive had to bring it in to dealership for repairs already! First incident: Navigation screen kept freezing up and or did not work properly. At one point, I was in Drive but the screen showed the rear view camera on. Very unnerving! I had to pull off the road on several occasions, turn off engine and then restart the car. When I brought car to dealer, they claimed that they did not see the problem. However, after I picked up the car, the problem seems to have disappeared. Hmmm..... Second incident: The brakes started squeaking. Thought it would go away but, no. Brought it back in and was told that something was defective in the installation. They had to put in brand new brake pads. Really??? A brand new car???? So, Im keeping my fingers crossed that nothing else will go wrong. Love the comfort and safety of the car. Fun driving!

• 

  Good First Car - 1991 Acura Integra
  By LDub - July 15 - 9:26 pm

  Trouble free car, only having to perform regular maintenance. 183,000 miles and still running strong. Love the moonroof, and aftermarket parts are cheap and plentiful customization of this car is limitless. The car is quick for a 4 banger, and handling is top notch. Top this off with Honda reliability and youve got a great car. My only complaints are back seat room is limited, there are no cupholders (which have led to more than a few messes), and the gas mileage could be a little better (i get between 24 and 26 MPG with a mix of city and highway driving). Motor still runs like it is new and there is absolutely no slippage of the tranny. Give this car regular maintenence and it should give you 200,000+ trouble-free miles!! Overall, a good car, highly recommended.

• 

  Nice Car - 2005 Acura TL
  By TLdriver - July 15 - 10:30 am

  Great daily driver. Plenty of power off the line and in traffic. Lots of room in all seats. Love the technology in the car- bluetooth, nav the whole thing and they all work together. Overall fun to drive car thats dependable too.

• 

  2002 Acura MDX Love Affair - 2002 Acura MDX
  By bccarguy90 - July 14 - 2:14 pm

  My 2002 Acura MDX has been a flawless partner in all that I have asked of it. Aside from damage caused by accidents, there have been no problems and power has proved more than adequate. It is extremely comfortable particularly on long hauls and can carry anything from garbage to people easily. This is my top pick in the lux SUV category.

• 

  Pauls Acura MDX Driving impressions - 2004 Acura MDX
  By Paul - July 8 - 6:23 pm

  The 2004 Acura MDX Touring with Entertainment system has been one of the best vehicles Ive owned in any class and absolutely the best SUV to date. Comfort, reliability, ergonomics and a lot better than average SUV handling hi-light its many features.

• 

  Solid Commuting Car - 2016 Acura ILX
  By barry - July 4 - 10:12 am

  I use this car almost exclusively for commuting, about 20 miles each way. Its a good solid car with great value. Acceleration is more than adequate and the extra tech you get with the tech plus package is great. I did have a problem with my car upon delivery. About a week after I got the car I noticed a vibration, especially in reverse. I brought it in to the dealer and they found that the engine mounts werent aligned. They fixed it and I was on my way. About a month later the vibrations came back. I brought it back to the dealer and they replaced the engine mounts (covered under warranty). I havent had a problem since. Pros: Great value for what you spend. Braking is excellent, gives a real secure feeling. I know a lot of pundits complain about the dual screen system but once you get used to it theres no issue. Cons: Transmission at highway speed is very smooth. At low speeds, particularly stop and go traffic, the transmission can be very choppy and downright uncomfortable. After about a month of driving I became more attuned to this and am able to avoid a lot of the choppiness. It can still be a minor annoyance. My other complaint would be a lack of lumbar support. Any car that claims to be luxury must have it.