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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  They Keep Getting Better - 2005 Acura RL
  By Gordon - April 11 - 4:48 pm

  This 2005 model replaced an earlier RL 3.5. It is roomier, faster, adds all wheel drive, adds all the electronics and voice commands you can imagine, the Bose 5 channel surround sound is the worlds best. Nice car!

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  BEST car ever owned - 1996 Acura TL
  By Ed - April 11 - 11:58 am

  I bought my 2.5TL used in 2000 with 26k miles on it. It now has 228k miles and it still going strong. My teen son drove it for 2 years, my teen daughter drove it for 1 year, now I am driving it again, and it takes me everywhere without problems. I commute 4 hours round trip (combo of highway and city) daily!

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  Great alternative to Volvo - 2006 Acura TL
  By RGH - April 10 - 11:23 am

  Traded an 02 S60 T5. Turbo lag and no back seat was main reason. TL seems to be a great car for the money. Exceeded my expectations. Handling is great, firm suspension, flat cornering, good acceleration although low end needs more torque. I would recommend the TL over the other cars in this price range. Great value.

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  Acura TL - 2005 Acura TL
  By James S. West - April 10 - 4:40 am

  Having owned a Lexus for 6 years, I wanted the same type of build and performance quality I was used to. This model Acura had several features I liked better than the competition. After 10,000 miles, I know I made the right decision. I cant wait to get in it every morning! The quality impresses everyone that rides in it.

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  I dont miss my SUV - 2004 Acura TL
  By sheltiepup - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I down sized from a SUV to a car. This is the best car on the market for the price.Its so sleek, comfortable and so much to love about it, I dont miss my gas hog SUV. The heated seats, blue display, steering wheel controls are lit and easy to use, bluetooth phone is next for me, Its so FAST and i love the shifting option.

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  Great Car - 1994 Acura Integra
  By Blackura - April 9 - 3:34 pm

  I have owned a black Acura Integra LS for 13 years. This is a great car. It handles really well. Make sure you get some decent tires like Michelin Energy+ or Kumho Solus. You will notice the performance different. Repairs so far: master brake cylinder, starter, radiator, resister fan, and b- pipe. Not bad for 13 years. Brake pads last forever on this car as I have only replaced each set once! Mileage is good for a 1994 model. While living in the rural country I was getting 35 mpg! Since 94 other cars have caught up with the Integra in terms of acceleration and gas mileage but it is still impressive. Driving this car down winding country roads is a lot of fun due to the amazing handling!

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  The 2009 Acura TL is world-class - 2009 Acura TL
  By Sean - April 9 - 12:58 am

  I love the Acura TL. The first thing everyone notices is the distinctive styling. Trust me, when you see this car in person, it looks great. Its very bold, distinctive and really stands out. Beautiful lines everywhere. The interior is also beautifully designed. You can see the beautiful lines and really see and feel the high level of craftsmanship. As well done and even more so compared to Audi interiors. Everything feels great. It has a powerful and smooth engine that can satisfy all but the most discriminating owners. The ride and handling is a perfect balance between sport and comfort. Drive the TL and youll see how special this is. Its style, technology and luxury at its best.

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  Best Vehicle Buy EVER ! - 2009 Acura TL
  By Bakers07 - April 8 - 8:01 pm

  We just bought our new TL and absolutely LOVE IT!!! We traded in a Cadillac STS and would never ever go back to a Cadillac. Everything about this car is great including the salesperson that sold it to us. It is just as roomy as the STS but way more roomy. The great thing about these cars are they are quiet. We love both the interior and exterior look of the car !! If you are thinking about buying this car... DO IT !!

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  A Dream Car - 2009 Acura TL
  By ozzy - April 7 - 10:13 pm

  This is my third Acura. First one was 03, then 05 and now 09. The changes from the previous models are drastic. Every detail was thought of, even windshield wipers that no longer leave a streak of water on the windshield in front of drivers eyes. The interior is very high tech, functional and not boring. The suspension is now softer and the bumps are forgiving. Its wider and longer, so it gives you a lot more space. The tech package makes this car even better. For $35K, youll never find a better car with features such as color backup camera, Ipod integrations, Navi w/weather/traffic updates, push button, etc.

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  Holy Cow!!! - 2009 Acura TL
  By autofanatic - April 7 - 5:15 pm

  This is the first car Ive ever driven that really handles like its on rails!! The SH-AWD system is amazing, and after driving it back to back against the 335i and G37, theres simply no comparison. While the other two might be a little quicker in a straight line, they cant match the handling of this car. Plus, their interiors looked really cheap compared to how luxurious the TL is, and both felt really cramped. Concerning all the comments about the exterior, I have to admit I wasnt sure about it at first. But the more I look at the car the more I love it. Ive never had a vehicle that turns so many heads. I had two guys in their 20s compliment the car saying it was "tight"!