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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  Love the 05 RL - 2005 Acura RL
  By mebanedog - January 22 - 2:16 am

  Have now owned new Acura RL for one week. LOVE this car. The V6 is quicker than I thought it would be - it really flies, albeit not as pulse- raising as a BMW or Audi. LOVE the tiptronic - can really zoom in low gear. Have averaged 22.5 mpg in mixed suburban/highway driving. The ergonomics are spectacular. Absolutely the best overall VALUE in its class, no question.

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  Under Rated - 2017 Acura TLX
  By Jimmy - January 21 - 2:56 pm

  THe 2017 TLX V6 is definitely a great car. Driven other cars in the same class and no other car comes close to the performance. Out performs the 3 series and C300. Drives smooth on the fwy, anyone from South California that has driven on the 710 knows how bumpy the drive can be but TLX handles the fwy with no problem. I got the TLX V6 with the Tech package. If youre looking for a great deal and near West Covina go see Jessica Rosas at Thomas Acura

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  As good as I hoped... - 2004 Acura TL
  By flordebob - January 21 - 10:00 am

  I traded in my 2003 TL Type-S for the 2004 TL and couldnt be more pleased. As much as I loved my Type S, this car has it beat in every way. The excessive tire noise is gone and the generic-Honda styling has been replaced by a sexy European-looking design. The car has gobs of power and torque and sticks like glue even with the standard tires. Try the competition - this car gives you high- quality materials and a quality driving experience at a terrific price. And forget about the car magazines complaining about torque steer, its no big deal.

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  So Far So Good - 2003 Acura TL
  By Derek - January 20 - 5:54 pm

  Let me start by saying I went from a 93 Honda Accord that was in bad shape so that might have an impact of my review. I have only had this car for 3 weeks now, but I can say that I am happy with it. I am worried about the tranny, but not too much considering the warranty. I bought it with just under 30,000 miles so there is some wear and tear, but just little items and they are covered by the warranty. I like the smooth acceleration and the interior. The paint does seem to be a problem as there is clear coat issues on the strips between the doors/windows. I will write a new review in a couple of months when I have more of a sample to pull from, but so far Im a happy buyer.

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  BEST IN CLASS - 2009 Acura TL
  By TK - January 19 - 10:36 am

  I owned a 1999 Acura TL with Navi and drove that for 120,000 miles. It was a very good car. 10 years later, Acura does it again. I had to get used to the front and rear end of the car, but after a couple of weeks I love the design changes. If you put any other car next to it, other cars just look dated. The standard wheels that come with the car are my biggest complaint. This car really deserves the upgraded wheels which cost me an extra 2500 dollars. I got the ones that are two tone. There are way too many advanced features that I wont list all of them. Go to your Acura dealership and check out the tech package. It simply blows away anything else out there. I am very happy.

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  An all in one package - 2005 Acura RL
  By Kim - January 18 - 3:27 am

  All the features youd want at an affordable price. This car has overexceeded my expectancies with the technology of today. I was in the market for an Infiniti G35 but fell in love with the RL as soon as I sat in it. Very impressive!

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  The Best Car Ever - 1991 Acura Legend
  By SM Acura Owner - January 16 - 11:39 am

  I cannot say enough. Everytime I go to buy a new car, I end up keeping ole reliable. 120,000 miles and still not a problem. Just installed new leather and floor mats. Just a nice now as it was years ago....15 years old and still purrs like a kitten....I look forward to keeping this car forever and driving it as long as shell keep going... This has to be the greatest car ever built..

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  Wow! - 2008 Acura TL
  By RoswellDad - January 16 - 8:20 am

  Where to begin? I cant believe that a $34K car can have so many features and such performance. Driving is fun again (and thats a challenge in Metro Atlanta traffic). The TL is a good-looking sports sedan that wants to go fast. The only drawbacks are that its rather sluggish at low speeds and the cost of premium fuel (but thats the price you pay to get a decent engine). Incredibly, Im 54, and this is my first Japanese car, but I dont think itll be my last.

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  I love my Acura!!! - 1998 Acura TL
  By Dana Lucas - January 15 - 10:17 am

  By far, the best car purchase I have ever made! I have had this car since late 1997, and have only had to pay for basic maintenance until Dec 2005. In Dec, the heat system failed and I had to fix - only cost $800! Also, car rides like a dream - very smooth. I always get compliments on the look and feel of the car. I plan to buy another Acura when Im done with this one!

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  The interior - 2004 Acura TSX
  By dannyDowns - January 15 - 10:00 am

  When I first got in the car, I was taken beck by the outside- generic looking vehical. it speaks, takes and intializies everything you vcould ever want in a vehicle.