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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  Wheres the Road? - 2008 Acura RL
  By BlindedByTheLight - February 19 - 7:51 am

  An excellent car except for the ability to see the road at night. Excellent quality, handling and comfort. However, the HID headlight aiming system is way too low - a law suit waiting to happen. It is pure terror driving downhill on a windy country road at night. The headlights are aimed into the ground, but the dealer claims they are aimed correctly. I would rate this car a 10 during daytime driving, but a 2 for nightime. If I had test driven this car at night, I wouldnt have bought it! On the plus side, I am getting near 28 mpg highway, which is much better than the EPA sticker rating. Excellent steering and road performance.

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  Ownership - 2005 Acura TL
  By Heislen - February 18 - 6:10 pm

  Have had the car Since 04/04, with no real problems.

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  Fun and afforadable - 2005 Acura TL
  By Josh B - February 16 - 7:20 pm

  Excellent cornering and handling, like it better then some BMW and VW I have driven. Nice interior for price shocked by all the standard features, so many gadgets still finding new things on it everyday

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  RDX is a rocket! - 2008 Acura RDX
  By Steve - February 15 - 10:23 pm

  Love my RDX. It has exceeded my expectations. Last two cars have been BMWs 3 & 5 Series and will never go back. Acura gives a great car for the money and very solid. Much more reliable than the BMW and performs better. Gas mileage isnt that bad (about 19) considering its a 4000 lb car and it flies!

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  Best value in a midsize luxury SUV - 2008 Acura MDX
  By wingshooter - February 15 - 5:06 pm

  Replaced a 2006 Murano with this vehicle and could not be happier with my choice. Test drove the ML350, X5, Lexus GX470, and XC90. The MDX beats them all for THOUSANDS less. The SH-AWD is a technological wonder. Handling is agile and the ride soaks up the bumps well. With 300hp on tap, it move when you want it to. This is my first Honda product and Im really impressed with the fit and finish and build quality Seats are very comfy. All said this SUV has as much Sport as it does Utility, wrapped in Honda reliability.

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  Top Notch! - 2007 Acura MDX
  By Anthony R. - February 14 - 4:15 pm

  I replaced this vehicle for a 1999 4Runner. I also considered the Lexus GX470, BMW X5, and Audi Q7. Extremely comfortable to drive, love the interior and all of the tech features. First class!

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  Fun to drive - 2006 Acura RSX
  By Kevin - February 13 - 2:03 pm

  If you live in an area that has rough roads, make sure you test drive before buying - this car does not respond well to rough road surfaces. A lot of noise transfers to the cabin and the ride is harsh. This is due to the sport suspension. I had an 03 Type S before the 06 and do not remember the ride being as tight/harsh. Asside from ride quality on less than perfect roads, this car is perfect - great gas mileage, a lot of fun to drive and it holds its value very well. One other known issue among 05-06 RSX owners is the dash rattles when the temps go below 50. Once the cars interior warms up, the rattle goes away. These issues aside, I would purchase this car again.

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  Who could ask for anything more? - 2008 Acura MDX
  By Rhubbard - February 13 - 1:52 pm

  Acura hit the nail on the head with the 08 MDX. The ride is smooth, the engine is powerful, and the features are top notch. To get a comparable vehicle (BMW X5, Audi, Lexus), the price skyrockets. Acura bundles it all together without compromising on quality.

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  Perfect Size - 2005 Acura TL
  By Rick Meltzer - February 13 - 3:00 am

  I waited for years to find a mid-size car that had the features and handling that I wanted without being way out of my price range. I quickly fell in love with the TL and after 11 months of ownership I still love to drive this car.

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  Will buy one all over again - 2001 Acura MDX
  By Michele - February 12 - 8:22 pm

  My 2001 MDX is nearly 7 years old and has 180,000 miles. Looks like new. I dont consider the 100,000 mile tune up at $1500 a big tag item to keep this baby on the road. Did get a new tranny during the recall a few years back and that is okay. If I am ever in a place to need a new car, I will go for a used 2006 MDX. But at the rate mine is going, I should be able to get another 100K out of her easy.