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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  future lemon??? - 2003 Acura MDX
  By KBarker - July 30 - 10:00 am

  smooth engine and drive train. for the money it should have power lumbar seats. fuel economy on the sticker is a wishful dream!! taken back to dealer twice the first two weeks!! had to replace parts on the a/c due to loosing all the freon. they say thats a first for them. hope this is not a trend!! easy to drive and great turning radius. regret spending so much for an suv though. at least with a tahoe you know the milage is bad and more power!!

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  Acura 2004 - 2004 Acura TL
  By Joe218 - July 24 - 2:00 am

  Never one for non-stylish design,the acura tl drew my undivided attention for exterior beauty. A 4 door sedan in the past would never fly,the new tl style sold me .Options galore, power,handling,comfort,looks,surround sound,its all there -you cant go wrong,an investment for now or years away.

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  Great lease deal - 2016 Acura TLX
  By Yoav Cohen - July 21 - 5:39 am

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  More good than bad - 2003 Acura RSX
  By Scottiedsl - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Though at first I was doubtful of the 200 horsepower with only 140 torque, this car really moves fast and has ridiculously amazing steering. The styling is so-so, the seats are great for going fast but harshly solid when relaxing, the shifter is stiff from 1st to 2nd and has some problems in 3rd but is otherwise fantastic, and the main problem is the ride quality (unbelievably noisy on highway, harsh on bumps, engine always whines). It doesnt touch the smoothness of the Eclipse in terms of power or ride, but handles much better and, when punched, absolutely flies.

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  Commute in comfort and have some fun! - 2012 Acura TL
  By Peter - June 26 - 1:39 pm

  Upgraded from a 3rd gen TL, what a huge huge difference. The car has minimal body roll, strong brakes, brisk acceleration. Passing cars is a breeze. You go from 65-85 in less than 2.5 seconds. Wheel has torque steer, be prepared for it, even when accelerating at highway speeds. Interior could be quieter. Wind and road noise is noticeable. Brake feel is great, doesnt dive when braking and the transmission shifts smoothly at all speeds making it a very comfortable commuter car on the jam packed 805 and 5. I wish the car had direct injection and valve shut off. Commute is 17 miles. 5 miles of which are torture, 12 of which are open, averaging only 21.3 mpg. Wish the car had 20-30 more hp. Paddle shifters work extremely well allowing you to downshift to slow down like a manual transmission increasing longevity of brakes.

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  Very competent, lacks zip - 2003 Acura RSX
  By Heliotar - June 23 - 10:00 am

  The Acura RSX is a well-built and well- designed car, yet it lacks the frisky spirit of the Integra. The engine has more torque and is easier to manage than the old Integra, but is not as fun to dip into high-rev territory, despite the higher horsepower. I cannot put my finger on why, but the sheeps clothing ultimately dominates the wolf within. Maybe it is because the steering is a little remote and the brakes feel a bit spongy. This is a fast and capable car, that manages to be one of the greenest pure gasoline engine vehicles on the road.

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  It is OK - 2004 Acura MDX
  By Joanne Melanson - June 12 - 2:00 am

  Design flaw in retractable front seat belts causes the belts to snap back too quickly and hit the door jamb. The result is small nicks on the door casing that will only get worse as the car ages. Tape over the area helps diminish this problem. Fuel economy is not good on local travel but ok on highway. Third seat is useless.

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  Excellent Geekmobile! - 2005 Acura RL
  By James Robinson - June 10 - 7:13 pm

  This car is an absolute joy! However, I will admit that the RL is not for everyone. It has more features for the price than any other car in its class. In some parts of the USA, you can get this car for close to invoice, which makes the price/features ratio even better. If youre a driving enthusiast, then the 5 series or Infiniti M might be your cup of tea. However, it you are a technophile who also like to drive, then the RL is for you! The audio system is phenomenal for standard equipment and the nav system is the most advanced Ive experienced. "Super-Handling" All Wheel Drive might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it does work well. The RL is definitely worth it!

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  Fun to Drive - 2005 Acura TSX
  By Data - June 5 - 11:40 am

  My TSX is 6 months old and the Mike has quit working. Part has been out of stock for 3 weeks. Other than that I love my car. Great acceleration, smooth transmission. I also like the firm steering. I took a friend for a ride and she said it feels like the seats "hug" you. The Navigation is awesome! If you have ever been to a City or State and you dont know where to eat or need a gas station, no problem.

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  Quality SUV - 2004 Acura MDX
  By acuraguy - June 5 - 2:00 am

  Solid performance and handling.Superb fit and finish with good attention to detail. Fake Interior woodgrain on the doors detracts from an attracitve package. Much more room than the Lexus 330, Caddy SRX and BMW. Better value than anything in the class.