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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  RSX type s - 2004 Acura RSX
  By Jeremy T. - June 16 - 2:00 am

  well so far, as this car being my first manual car to drive(and the first car ive ever owned), It has been good to me so far(1500 mi). If you have experience in shifting, the transmission is smooth(except 2nd gear, see below). it also has impressive handling as well. The reliability is, obviously, well-known to be the best out there. the engine was built strong and tough.

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  Best SUV for the $ - 2004 Acura MDX
  By dlewin - June 16 - 2:00 am

  Our 04 has about 1000 miles on it now and its been great. The ride is as quiet and smooth as most luxury sedans and the handling is better than most SUVs Ive driven. Build quality is very high as well. The DVD is great for the kids - we can go for hours without a single tantrum! And the Nav has proven more useful than we expected as we have used it to quickly find restaurants and tourist attractions. I really wouldnt change much anout this SUV!

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  6th Acura...best one yet - 2004 Acura TL
  By Noonrrr - June 16 - 2:00 am

  I traded in my 01 Mercedes E430 which I absolutely loved...had one day of withdrawal and have never looked back. Lets see...old Mercedes worth half the $60K I paid for it after three years & a new one at close to $70K vs a new TL at half the price which, in three years will still be worth $20 to 25K. Ill take the TL and put the money Ill save to much better use. Besides its the smartest car on the planet. It still doesnt quite drive & handle like a Benz...but who cares, its way more fun to drive and the electronics package blows everything else away. Test drive one...you wont be dissapointed.

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  Review - 2005 Acura TL
  By George Merton - June 15 - 5:33 pm

  This car is a fun sports car to drive, it is much better than the previous TL models!

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  This is An Awesome Car!!! - 2005 Acura TL
  By Reni - June 15 - 4:49 pm

  My TL is fun to drive. I only buy cars made by Honda. The TL is very good on gas (26 mpg). I like the sporty style of the car. I get a lot of compliments on my TL. It drives perfect. I would not trade my TL for another car. I love it!!

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  31 months- 62000 miles - 2016 Acura ILX
  By Jim - June 15 - 12:44 pm

  Like other Hondas I have owned in the past, this 2016 ILX has been flawless. It doesnt drive like a BMW or Audi, but it handles very well and the ride is good, except on rough pavement. I love all of the tech gadgets and the sound system is good. I live in the city, but most of my work commute is on the highway. I am a stickler for gas mileage and this car does not disappoint. It routinely gets over 40 mpg on the highway, averages 36 in mixed driving, and has never clocked less than 31 mpg (winter) on a tank of gas. I run it with regular gas and have seen no difference in performance compared to premium.

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  Great total package - 2008 Acura MDX
  By Jason - June 15 - 12:43 pm

  My wife and I wanted a vehicle that could fit a growing family, carry a lot of stuff, and have AWD. We looked at the MDX, Highlander, Acadia, 08/09 Pilots, and CX-9. Final decision came down to MDX, CX-9, and Highlander. Ive always liked the MDX since 2001, and with the dealer incentive, it made it easier to justify the price jump. The MDX drives very smoothly with ample power. Handling and comfort is very nice for a vehicle this size. The interior is nicer than the competitors although the GT CX-9 is pretty good, too. The exterior looks rugged yet has enough curves to avoid being boxy. Have not owned it long, but I expect typical Honda/Acura reliability.

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  Best mid-size suv on the market period!! - 2002 Acura MDX
  By Mickey - June 15 - 11:41 am

  I love my MDX and would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone. The styling, features, performance capabilities on this vehicle was everything I could have hoped for. Driving the MDX you feel like your in control of the road. It hugs the turns like a race car. The MDX is sporty, safe, and very roomy inside. I love my MDX!!

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  Fun to drive - 2008 Acura TL
  By Andy - June 15 - 12:40 am

  I bought this car back in December. I love to drive it and I try to drive it whenever I can, but with gas today it is hard. I have no choice but to let it sit in the garage and drive my siss camry instead. Premium does take a lot more out of your pocket. Although, using sportshift mode and going light on the acceleration will save you some money. Some people say the style is out dated, but I personally still love it.

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  SUV version of the TL - 2008 Acura MDX
  By Bham Alabama - June 14 - 8:24 pm

  Ive owned two Acura TLs previous to purchasing the 2008 MDX. The MDX feels like and handles like the TL. Im very pleased so far. The MDX doesnt have the spunk that the TL did, but I appreciate the compromise because it gets fair gas mileage for a mid-sized SUV. My wife and kids love the MDX.