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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  Acuras are the base car made - 2005 Acura TL
  By Dubuc - May 29 - 7:43 pm

  I have owed this TL since the first one came out in 2004 and that is one of the best car I have ever driven.

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  Better than BMW X3 - 2008 Acura RDX
  By Cindy - May 29 - 4:46 pm

  Before purchasing the RDX, I drove a 2005 BMW X3 for three years. I loved my X3, but the newer models are quite expensive. Im just delighted with the RDX. It has a similar drive to the X3 and the savings over the X3 is huge. Was treated very well by the dealer and Ive had for a week and absolutely adore this vehicle. It is designed very well and the interior of the car is actually nicer than the X3, in my opinion. The seating is every bit as good as the X3. Im looking forward to my first long road trip in my new RDX. It corners like a BMW and has a sports car type feeling when you drive it. It is a nice package!

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  Love it. - 2002 Acura RSX
  By Choser - May 29 - 8:16 am

  Perfect for me.

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  Great Car in ALMOST every way - 2004 Acura MDX
  By Richard S7 - May 29 - 5:23 am

  This was my second Acura MDX that has gone over 100,000 miles. I absolutely love this vehicle. It has been virtually trouble free. No matter where I go and rent cars or SUVs, it always feels great getting back to my MDX. The only complaint is that it gets only 17 MPG overall. That used to be okay -- but now with gas over $4.00 a gallon, it gets expensive. BUT, since its so darn reliable, I am not putting any money into it for repair so it works out.

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  great car for daily driving commute - 2008 Acura TL
  By mr & mrs destiny - May 28 - 8:21 pm

  We previously owned an 03 Acura RL so we knew Acura reliability would be there. So far with about 5k miles we are pleasantly pleased. The S type auto handles very well - a good attempt of mixing sporty with luxury. All the options you want are there so there is no hassle picking a package. The quad exhaust pipes and rims are hardcore and this car will get you looks. We havent experienced rattling noises in any situation so far. Minor issues such as poorly placed outlets and easily scuffed interior door is a no brainer trade-off when one considers overall value and cost.

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  Most reliable vehicle ever... first love - 1998 Acura CL
  By smootherida - May 27 - 6:28 pm

  This car is and will always be my first love. First, the ride is incredibly smooth. It handles well for an expensive honda, and anywhere you drive it will feel like a great cruise. Also has some nice juice/kick to it. Second, she is built to last. With the exception of the transmission, which Ive had to replace 2 times, this vehicle took me through everything. I went through a snowstorm driving through Yosemite, Reno, and the Sierras in a span of 2 days (long story) and she never broke down on me during or even after the trip. I had her at 35k and drove her to 185k in 7 years. I have a new G37 coupe and I still wont give up my CL. It is that great of a ride.

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  Type S is great! - 2008 Acura TL
  By jeff - May 27 - 5:10 pm

  I have had my Type S for a month. There are a lot of nice details I keep finding. Was a bit leery about the "big" engine considering gas has since gone to over $4/gal. So far I notice hardly any difference from my 01 Accord V-6. I only have 1200 miles on the car but am getting 20 MPG around town and 29 on the highway (At 73 MPH). My Honda got 20/30 so I am getting 86 HP for the cost of premium! The only slight negatives are the wide turning circle and the Brembos seem a bit "grabby" when applied. The audio system is almost worth the price alone. I decide not to wait for the 09 as I did not want a bigger car nor a bigger engine.

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  Second only to my 01 S2000 - 2004 Acura TL
  By TimTheFoolMan - May 27 - 10:34 am

  This is a car for my wife, coming from an 03 Mountaineer. My best friend (certifiable performance guy) asked, "How did you talk your wife into getting this?" I didnt have to. She drove one and loved it right away. Prior to this car, my favorite sedan was a 97 Maxima. Having taken this on a short trip and driven it around town a fair amount, Im no longer comparing other sedans to the Maxima I compare them to the TL. The compromise of FWD will put off some performance enthusiasts, but the added space was worth it for me. Given the power, Im surprised how well this FWD design works, and how little torque steer is present. I cant imagine one car that would appeal more to the two of us.

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  Acura rsx All good. (no bad or ugly) - 2003 Acura RSX
  By Mike Siano - May 27 - 2:00 am

  I researched all the competition before my purchase, test drives etc. This car does it all. Daily driver, Weekend screamer.Am currently driving on winter rubber and steel wheels. Performs great in snow or rain. Predicable handling, great shifter. Drive it as an economy car, or stomp on it and "get on the cam". Reliable as a furnace, tossable, room for kids. Hope to keep as long as my last Honda (12 years). Would recommend to any enthusiast.

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  Needed 2 of these cars!!! - 2002 Acura TL
  By dogteam - May 27 - 2:00 am

  We bought my wifes 3.2 Type S in 2001 so we have had it a while. After over 30k miles it hasnt had to be repaired for anything. The main thing I hate is it is hard not to get a ticket in this car because it goes to fast and makes you try to take turns faster.