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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  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.

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  A Good All Around SUV - 2008 Acura MDX
  By HI MDX - June 14 - 11:30 am

  Had this SUV for 2 months now. I had more problems with customer service from the dealship than the vehicle. I did have the b-pillar plastic trims replace because they were bowing outward and the plastic trim on the side of the passenger side dash. The adjustable rate shocks are worthless. Comfort and Sport modes feel the same, very spongy.

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  Great car, fun to drive. - 2002 Acura RSX
  By Adam R - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Its a sharp looking car, with a sporty feel to the drive, great acceleration. Nice standard features like moonroof, sport seats, short throw stick shift, auto ac fan speed throttling, side airbags.. Lots of fun to drive it around. If you get it, get used to people in Civics challenging you to race all the time!

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  acura..03 - 2003 Acura TL
  By jav - June 14 - 10:00 am

  just purchased the tl 03 model 2 weeks ago..so far its been great..smooth ride,quiet engine and all the extras are standard in the vehicle as opposed to the various trimlines in other car models...dealership was first rate.. combination of price and luxury is unbeatable

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  SUV that fun to drive - 2007 Acura MDX
  By car man need and suv - June 13 - 5:53 pm

  I also test drove the X5 4.4 and Q7 4.2. The MDX was just right. All the stuff I need.