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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  ArcticBluePearl - 2003 Acura RSX
  By USMGRAD - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I just bought my RSX Type-S about a week ago and I love it. The style, the performance, the color, the acceleration, the drive are all awesome. Im excited about driving it each time I get in it. Those of you purchasing one or have purchased one, ENJOY!!

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  Every time - 2003 Acura RSX
  By dan man - February 8 - 10:00 am

  Have you every owned something that was an absolute joy every single time you used it? For most of us, without a fat bankroll, this is not usually the case. For me this was true until I had this car. The RSX is a dream come true and whenever I drive another car its a bummer.

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  Best car I have ever had!! - 2003 Acura TL
  By Carol1995 - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I have only good things to say about my new 2003 Acura 3.2TL type S. I love driving it. My car is stylish yet luxurious. I love the Acura 3.2 TL so much I traded my 2001TL for a 2003 3.2TL type-S.

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  The Best TL Ever! - 2009 Acura TL
  By BO - February 7 - 4:28 pm

  After having the 2005 TL AND the 2007 TL both with the navigation system, I figured I would give this car a shot since I LOVED my previous TLs. Not to my surprise, this car was the best car that I have driven. Not only is the drive comfortable and quiet, but the technology n the car itself is phenomenal. You will not find these features in ANY other car in its class or price point and you will definitely get noticed on the road. Money well spent! You will NOT be disappointed! Nothing compares to this NEW TL!

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  A Whole Lot Of FUN!!! - 2002 Acura RSX
  By fiberguy - February 7 - 8:40 am

  This car is amazing for less than 25K. It beats anything at its price point! It so much fun to drive I cant leave it alone. The engine and transmission are the ultimate match. The engine is SO SMOOTH and CREAMY!

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  Acura - 2003 Acura MDX
  By josali131 - February 7 - 2:00 am

  Good car, very good performance,

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  Drives as well as my E320 - 2003 Acura MDX
  By rhprice - February 7 - 2:00 am

  Got the MDX two weeks ago. Drives as well as any car I have owned. My Mercedes corners better, but that is all. Lots of power, luxurious interior (I just got out of a Lexus GX 470 and I thought I was in a truck). Gas milage in the city as been 18-19 mpg (first two tanks). Recommend it highly

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  Best Bang for your Buck! - 2003 Acura TL
  By silvertltypes - February 7 - 2:00 am

  I went from a Honda Accord EX to the TL Type S. All I can say is wow. It is definately the best bang for your buck in this price range. We considered a BMW 3 Series but when you put all of the options that are standard on the Type S, its just not worth it.

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  Resilient Coupe - 2005 Acura RSX
  By TypeS4real - February 6 - 12:11 pm

  This is my 2nd Type S & still impressed. With the hp bumped up to 210, it performs very well. Turn-ratio & handling are great. For a high torque coupe, it still gets good mpg, but it does require premium unleaded. Like other owners say, the ride can be extremely stiff so watch bumps in the road very carefully, seriously. I like how Acura upgraded the wheels to 17s, but wish they kept the original headlights, since thats what initially caught my eye. Interior hasnt changed, still sleek. The fold-over rear seats are a huge plus, but rear seating is narrow. As long as required maintenance is done (which is HIGHLY recommended), itll be faithful. Definitely reliable, fun, & a great value.

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  2009 TSX - 2009 Acura TSX
  By lennyt - February 5 - 6:31 pm

  Just purchased it. Best value in the entry luxury category. Still babying the car, but absolutely love the ride. Picked it over the IS 250 because of the price and space. If you think this is just a high-end Accord, you really need to test drive it. It outperforms and outclasses Accord V6 by a long stretch. Not to mention a look easier on the eyes.