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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  my new TL - 2003 Acura TL
  By bibb - April 16 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CAR

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  Great Car - 1996 Acura RL
  By goemct - April 15 - 1:51 pm

  This is my first RL. My last Acura was a 97 CL which I was very pleased with. It was going up on 212,000 mile so it was getting close to the time to get another Acura . The RL with 118k is not even broken in yet, its a great car like new in and out.

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  One Hot Car - 2005 Acura TL
  By Morgan - April 14 - 7:20 pm

  After driving a 96 Maxima SE for 8 years, I decided it was time to step up a notch. Considered both the TL and the Infiniti G30 both with manual transmissions. Performance, to me, was quite evenly matched, but the fit and finish of the TL blew the G out of the water. This car is GREAT to drive and begs for you to put your right foot to the floor. Its scary how easy it is to top 100 mph in this car and not realise it. As the engine is so quite, even at 6,000 rpm, the rev limiter is a necessary piece of technology in this car. Passengers love the dual climate control and satellite radio. Dont lease this baby b/c youll hate the restriction of limited miles. She wants to be driven!

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  Change is Good! - 2007 Acura RDX
  By Rob - April 13 - 9:00 pm

  After driving a large SUV for the last four years, I am thrilled to be behind the wheel of a new RDX! I am thoroughly enjoying the superb handling as well as all of the amenities that come standard and those that are part of the tech package. For the extra cost, the navigation and voice command functions are easy to grasp and make the entire driving experience even more exciting. As a father who runs many errands with my son, I am pleased with the size of the RDX as it has plenty of interior room and is comfortable for back seat adults as well. Thus far, there is nothing about the RDX that I do not like. Definitely a welcomed change!

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  Love This Car - 2006 Acura RSX
  By Jess2112 - April 12 - 7:16 pm

  This is a great car to have. I drive it all the time just to drive it. Its quick and very responsive. Nothing in the car is less appealing now than it was when I bought it, i.e., leather is still in great condition, etc. This is by far my favorite car.

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  Acura TL - 2003 Acura TL
  By Pete1111 - April 11 - 3:03 pm

  This is a great car I have ever own.

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  Great car... but - 2005 Acura RL
  By Clip616 - April 10 - 9:17 am

  Leg room drivers side needs improvement. Large foot block left side prevents extending left leg unless you are less than 5 feet tall. Mileage not good in city driving. Highway mileage is good. Needs more insulation. Hard to carry conversation with back seat riders due to road noise.

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  Good but not great - 2003 Acura TL
  By Andy - April 10 - 8:15 am

  Overall I have been very happy w/ my 03 TL-S. Pros: fun to drive, styling, handling is good. Con: no auto lights, vehicle information display is limited (no mpg, mile remaining, oil life, etc), wiper spray doesnt work below freezing, no dual zone heating/cooling. I had some transmission problems early on, two wheel bolts sheared while driving, and the steering wheel stereo controls quit working about at about 80k. I have always thought I would have been happier with the Infinity G35, which will be my next car most likely.

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  the best - 2004 Acura TL
  By wes1966 - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I was ready to purchase Acura TSX, great car but it was worted to wait and see new TL. Its the best package of performance and luxury for under 35k. I love it.

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  Great car for a Sport Luxury - 2004 Acura TL
  By New Jersey Guy - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Well, I just bought the car and it is a great sport luxury. My previous car was a Lexus and comfort in the Lexus is by far superior than Acura. Fun to drive I would say that the TL is a great car. If you are looking for a Japanese car that drives like a German car this is for you.