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:

• 

  Great car - annoying flaw - 2007 Acura TSX
  By billtheprinter - December 25 - 10:23 pm

  This is a very fun car. Just the right amount of luxury for me. I sell for a living so I have to look a certain way, but it isnt ostentatious at all - I like that. Just the right amount of power in my opinion but you have to be used to the no-torque Honda way of engine building. Fantastic in snow! Weve had a week of BAD snowpacked roads, and between the traction control and the ABS, theres been no need for chains or 4wd.

• 

  Meet the New Boss! - 2009 Acura TSX
  By dag14qb - December 25 - 6:30 pm

  The New TSX is nothing like the old one, it has sharp crisp lines, ground effects, beautiful wheels, and a very aggressive look. The first think I noticed is the Cockpit, with the new gauges, revamped center console, and the Navigation screen now indented into dash, there is no "cabin" feel to the car, it feels like a cockpit! The ride is amazing as well, if i drove it blindfolded i would swear it was a six cylinder. The 09 actually has 4 less hp than my old 05, yet it is faster due to more torque. I am completely enthralled by this vehicle, it is as dramatic a change as i have ever seen since i test drove the 04 TL when compared to the 03 TL. This is a beautiful car inside and out

• 

  2004 MDX - 2005 Acura MDX
  By APildes - December 25 - 12:23 am

  This vehicle is spacious, extremely comfortable, has a great stereo system, and there is very little road noise. Visability all around is excellent. Pick up is good, but could be better when accelerating from a stop. The engine is more than adequate for highway driving and does not strain when going 70 mph. I am extremely happy with my MDX and would consider purchasing an MDX or an Acura car when my lease is up.

• 

  owner for 3 weeks and loving it!! - 2008 Acura TSX
  By T-Force - December 23 - 10:54 pm

  I had a Jeep Wrangler for 11yrs, & wanted something in this class. I looked at the Audi A4, BMW328, G35, & thought the Acura was the best all- around car. CPO, 14k miles. Ive had for 3 weeks & have been very happy. Its been an early winter so far, & the car has generally been great in the snow (this was my main reason for contemplating the AWD models like A4).

• 

  Jeep upgrade - 2001 Acura MDX
  By Rick - December 23 - 1:19 pm

  Purchased in 02 with 11k on it. Grey market but was able to have maintained through local dealership. Previously had 3 Cherokees over 8 years. Best upgrade ever. More room, comfort, visibility than the jeep. I found the seats especially comfortable since I had a bad back. Good handling in wet weather or snow, but would not want to take it offroad. Has carried my family for 155K and convinced me that my next car will be the same one (not the newer smaller version). No reliability issues, predictable maintenance.

• 

  Why didnt I buy the Accord! - 2003 Acura TL
  By MikeNJ - December 22 - 10:00 am

  This car has a disappointing amount of squeaks and rattles. The brake system is one of a toy car. I thought because it was an Acura that it would be a better car then a plain old Honda. Boy was I ever wrong. I know a few people that own both of these cars the TL and the Accord. TL drivers share their horror stories while Accord drivers worship their cars.

• 

  Doesnt matter where youre going - 2009 Acura RL
  By PDS - December 21 - 10:50 am

  This is my second RL, having returned my leased 05 for an 09. The best thing about this car is the way it makes you feel when driving it. With the SH-AWD, the bullet-proof nav system, the world class vtech engine and the solid suspension you can drive this car with complete confidence that you will get where youre going and get back. To me, the most important thing about a car is that I trust it. I have never had a car that I trust (or enjoyed) more than this 09 RL. Complete reliability, safety, luxury and comfort.

• 

  Outstanding vehicle - 2008 Acura MDX
  By gaawb - December 21 - 10:06 am

  For the money, this is the finest vehicle on the road. The nav system is unequaled and incredibly impressive. I test drove the X5, FX45, MKX, Q7, and Enclave. It was a tough decision between the X5 and MDX but I will never look back. Ive driven 2000 miles and it is an absolute pleasure in every way. The 300hp engine actually puts a smile on my face when I punch it. If you are looking for a crossover, this is a no-brainer.

• 

  Fun and sporty - 2009 Acura RDX
  By Amyjo - December 21 - 9:29 am

  I have only had this car for a few days, but I LOVE it! I have always loved Hondas and I have wanted AWD drive for years, so this is the perfect mix of fun and safety. The turbo and handling are impressive. Its like a sport sedan with higher clearance, AWD, and more trunk space.

• 

  Still Going Strong - 1995 Acura Integra
  By roadrunner1995 - December 18 - 3:45 pm

  As the original owner, I just love my Integra. I have had multiple offers from young people I do not know approaching me about selling the car. It has over 280,000 original miles and has never had anything but maintenance work done on it. I just learned that the transmission is starting to go, so an investment of $2K will be well worth it to replace the trans. My 7 year old grandson calls it "Grandmas Hotrod". He loves cars and I told him it is his when he is 16 if he continues to do well in school. This car is staying in the family for sure.