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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  Reliable and Comfortable - 2004 Acura MDX
  By Jon R - July 19 - 3:07 pm

  I bought this car used with 19K mi in 10/2005. I now have 56K mi. The car is extremely reliable and very comfortable. It handles nicely and it is no surprise that you still see so many late MDXs still on the road and still in great shape. For all of the features that you get on this car, it really is a great value. The cars are not cheap, but you get a lot of standard options in these cars that would drive the price up on other comparable models from other brands. Also, the car doesnt seem very big, but my wife and I are amazed at how much room you have inside. They did a great job using the space. It is a great family car and would consider getting a new one.

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  Nice TL - 2008 Acura TL
  By jdr475 - July 18 - 7:33 pm

  Bought this car for my wife at the end of 2007 from a Minivan. Change was well worth it. She loves the TL and it is extremly comfortable and easy to drive. Navigation and Bluetooth are great.

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  A 2009 acura or not? - 2004 Acura TL
  By herbh20 - July 17 - 12:18 pm

  Had a meltdown of ignition wires at 56,000 miles. Dealer repaired car at no charge since I had purchased car and did all scheduled maintenance at dealership. Dealer also said that meltdown was premature. Also supplied free loaner and did additional repairs caused by meltdown. Had two transmissions replaced at no charge on 2002 acura. I also had tires, batteries and mirror replaced. The dealership has been great, but I am getting leery of acura quality.

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  Loving my new TL!!! - 2009 Acura TL
  By NicoleinFL - July 17 - 9:25 am

  Okay...At first I didnt like the styling of the new TL. But I have to admit it has grown on me. I love the sexy shape, the way it handles, and the well designed interior. Before purchasing the TL, I test drove the Lexus IS 250 and the BMW 325I. The IS was too slow (4cyl engine in a 35K dollar vehicle??) and the BMW didnt offer much in terms of standard equipment. I basically chose the TL as I felt I got more bang for my buck. And we all know Acura makes quality vehicles.

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  Love It! - 2008 Acura TSX
  By gc - July 17 - 8:56 am

  Ive had this car for 2yrs now and overall I truly love it. I have it in pearl white w/ black leather interior and it looks great. The HIDs are awesome and the handling is top notch. The lights in the dashboard look nice (blue white and red) & are bright. The leather bucket seats are comfortable for me (Im 54)and there is plenty of room inside. Driving feels extremely smooth and breaking is great. This is my first car and Im scared to try a new one b/c I might be disappointed. I prefer the 08 model over the 09 simply b/c the exterior look cant be beat. I love this car & I dont want to give it up next yr when my lease is over. I recommend it to all who love a fun, safe, & reliable car!

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  The Great Surprise - 2005 Acura TL
  By bblack - July 17 - 5:00 am

  For the price I paid for this car with automatic transmission and navigation package, its been a perfect combination of sporty performance, comfort and reliability. The sound system is absolutely first rate and the vehicle multi-information display is superb. So far this has been a GEM of a car.

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  Great Vehicle - 2004 Acura TL
  By Acura Guy - July 16 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned this for just a few weeks, but I am very pleased. It has great acceleration and is very smooth to drive. Great audio system and control layout. Blue lighting on dash is great, and car looks great on the outside. Big improvement over previous TL which looked like a Honda. Very quiet inside even while driving at high speeds. Wonderful car.

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  Awesome Car - 2004 Acura TL
  By peterp - July 16 - 2:00 am

  Best bang for the buck!!!

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  Great Car! - 2009 Acura TSX
  By Poncho - July 14 - 10:22 pm

  This is my first Acura, and I am quite pleased with the car overall. I havent had any problems with the car in the seven months that I have owned it. The new design is striking, and the feel of luxury is evident inside and out. I recommend this car as an entry level luxury sedan.

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  The Best Choice - TL Tech - 2009 Acura TL
  By alabausas - July 14 - 3:59 pm

  My TL handles so well and is one of the most comfortable rides Ive had, especially upgrading from a Honda Prelude. The voice recognition for the Navi, Climate Control, and radio is awesome. Its still a bit of a learning curve though, but one of the best features. The TL has provided me with the best driving experience thus far.