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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  Cant really go wrong with this car... - 2007 Acura TL
  By mike - May 7 - 3:55 pm

  I recently purchased this as Certified Pre-owned. When compared to its Infiniti G, BMW 3 Series, Lexus IS and Audi A4 counterparts, using such factors as build quality, performance, comfort/convenience and manufacturers overall attention to detail - all weighed against price - the TL is far and away the best value. It may not be the quickest, most nimble or even the most fun, but it is far above average. The TL is meant for a more utilitarian consumer: high-end without the flash (although still somewhat of a head-turner). Overall a very easy car to drive and the best front-drive you can buy. The 2007-08 TL compares closely to the 2010 TSX V6.

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  Very impressed with 2010 - 2010 Acura MDX
  By charlie - May 7 - 12:48 pm

  The new 2010 MDX provides a smooth and quiet ride, with excellent body control in the corners (even w/o the Advance pkg). The restyled front/rear- ends lend a more aggressive look, and together actually makes the car appear bigger than before. The voice commands are intuitive and easy to operate, and the premium Milano leather seats are incredibly comfortable. As with the previous gen, the fuel economy is only average for a V6. With an MPG in the teens, I wouldve liked to have a bit more low-end torque, although its a decent performer for that kind of size and heft. The throttle is responsive and the new 6-speed auto is silky smooth. Its a very well-rounded SUV and a great value.

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  Not bad. - 2008 Acura TSX
  By Toeser - May 7 - 9:18 am

  Being retired, I now put far more miles on my bicycle and motorcycle than my car, so it made no sense for me to buy new. After a lot of reading and looking, I narrowed my choices down to about 5 brands/models, and then just searched for the best one available. I like the style, the gizmos, and the comfort. However, the TSX is not nearly as quiet as an Accord I owned in the early 1990Â’s. I agree with others that the paint is cheap, and the radio just O.K. I love the Nav system, but it does have some voice command brain farts. Mileage isnÂ’t awesome (compared with newer cars), but decent - 26/30 for me. It is one of the more comfortable cars I have owned. Great seats.

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  Not typical reliability - 2004 Acura TSX
  By sledin_biker - May 5 - 12:17 pm

  Although this is my 4th Honda product, this one does not match the reliability of the others. Overall this is a great car to drive but the list of serious problems with this car is very un-Honda like. I have replaced my entire A/C system ($2,200), radio unit (warranty), stains from the inside out on the seats, tail light recall, but most concerning is the oil consumption. My car consumes (not leaks) 1 L (~1qt) of oil every 1000 km (600 miles), and I have found similar stories on forums. I dont drive it hard, in fact I baby the car and rarely engage VTEC, it would be easier to understand if I abused the vehicle. This is my first vehicle to actually consume oil.

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  2010 MDX even better than the 2007. - 2010 Acura MDX
  By Dr. T. - May 3 - 9:44 pm

  This is my third MDX. It is even better than my beloved 2007 MDX. Much better sound system and much better backup camera. This is the SUV for those of us who love the performance of a sports car.

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  Poor Acura Quality - 2008 Acura MDX
  By babake - May 3 - 7:53 pm

  Been having problems with our MDX since the day we bought it. After 5 attempts, the windows still squeak, the wheels vibrate, the radio loses its memory, the seats power setting has problems. Amazing that consumer report keeps on reporting Acura MDX as a top SUV pick. We moved to the Acura from a lexus RX to get a little more sporty feel and have been regretting our decision since. The dealer service people are also very confrontational - do not recommend Hopkins Acura of Redwood City CA. We are going to go trade our MDX for a Lexus.

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  Best Performance car for the Money - 2010 Acura TL
  By Rich Balliet - May 3 - 1:46 pm

  This is the best performance car & most beautiful of the all Honda Products made. My Black on Black TL is so pretty and unique. The engine is more powerful, freer and higher revving than any Acura/Honda I have driven. The brakes are neither too heavy nor too light, I have never felt fade (Seldom hear ABS!) and have a very smooth feel. The car corners absolutely flat (on rails)& the steering is perfectly weighted at any speed. The TL 6MT also has equal or better performance than cars costing thousands more (e.g. Lexus E350, Inf G37x and M-Class, Audi A4, BMW Series 3 and 5, MB C300 and similar 4Matics, Ford Taurus SHO. This is also the quietest “Honda Product” I have owned (MDX, Pilot).

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  2010 TSx/w technology package. - 2010 Acura TSX
  By Craig - May 3 - 1:44 pm

  The 2010 TSX/technology package is a great car to drive. The interior design is excellent as well as the exterior.There is a lot of room in the front. The navigation system is very easy to use use as well as the bluetooth. I tried other cars with the same package but they are more complicated to use. When I drive my car heads turn. Without even looking at the inside I get compliments on the look of the car. This car feels good on the highway plus it has a lot of power for a 4 cylinder. I can just imagine the 6 cylinder. There is a 3 month trial period for the XM radio and that is a must to have. Great Job Acura.

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  My New TL - 2010 Acura TL
  By Deputydog35 - May 3 - 12:38 pm

  First impression... Wow! This car is much nicer then my 03 TL Types S. The only thing I miss is the quickness of my Types S. This car is quick dont get me wrong but its not a Type S. Wish they kept the option!!! This car has tons of gadgets! I purchased the TL w/Tech in Mayan Bronze with only 2 miles on it! Love the color. I called 6 dealerships before I found this color! Acura is right, this car is fun to drive and very luxurys with a lot of room. My 2 yr old and 4 yr old have lots of room in the back! Just wish they could watch DVDs off the front monitor!

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  Still a Great Car - 2004 Acura TSX
  By Mike - May 2 - 9:37 pm

  I wrote a review 2 years ago. I still have my TSX. I bought it in May of 2004 brand new. Besides normal maintenance its still going strong. Ive got 102,000 miles on it now. At this point Im considering keeping this thing till the wheels fall off. Ive hit 100k, lets go for 200k now!