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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  2005 Acura RL - 2005 Acura RL
  By Bob Martel - February 22 - 3:10 pm

  An excellent four-wheel drive medium-sized luxury vehicle that will give BMW and Mercedes a run for their money.

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  The complete package and a great value - 2006 Acura TSX
  By cat_trammell - February 21 - 10:37 pm

  Found a new 2006 model in February and glad I did. My last three cars have been: 2005 Saab 9-3, 2003 MINI Cooper and 1997 Audi A4. Overall, the TSX outclasses them all. Handling is on par with the A4, comfort is comparable to the 9-3, and its as fun to drive as the MINI. All this and Acuras reputation for quality and reliability, and a price thousands less than its European and Japanese competitors with every feature standard. Anyone looking for a sports sedan needs to seriously consider the TSX.

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  As much fun as expected - 2007 Acura TSX
  By Card_richelieu - February 21 - 10:29 pm

  For the price, this car is too much fun to drive. Its got great handling, ample power when needed, good fuel economy, looks sharp but not gaudy, and is very comfortable. These were my main criteria and this car is the best balance of these at this price range. I also looked at the Mazda6 which I considered the closest comparison based on my criteria. In the end an easy choice. I suspect the main knock is that you are paying a few $K more for a glorified Accord. There is some legitimacy in that argument but once you get inside that will melt away. I love this car. Do yourself a favor - the 6 speed manual box is really sweet and is an absolute must!

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  Nice job Acura - 1992 Acura Integra
  By Jon - February 21 - 8:50 pm

  My Acura went from my father to my brother then me and it still runs strong. My 2nd generation Integra has 275k with out problems. However I do think that the years are starting to catch up to it. But it is one of the most reliable cars I have ever seen.

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  Rattle Rattle Bang Bang - 2016 Acura MDX
  By Jerold - February 21 - 11:56 am

  The tech package was better in our 2004 MDX, Impossible for a six foot man to get in and out of drivers seat, and lastly the car has dash rattles and not only that the rear of the suv it sounds like it is bottoming out when it crosses tar stips.

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  2007 SUV of the year! - 2007 Acura MDX
  By MDX Dad - February 21 - 3:50 am

  I was looking for a vehicle for my wife and daughter. I am the kind of guy that will research vehicles for months and months before making a decision. After comparing the MDX with just about every luxury suv (ie, X5, XC90) on the market, the decision became easy. The MDX has a luxurious feel but still has a lot of function to the design. The technology is amazing and easy to get used to (my wife is not a tech geek at all and she is loving the nav, blue tooth, rear view camera, etc.). Very safe vehicle. After all the research I am convinced this is the SUV of the year, when luxury, quality, performance, and Acuras reliability are all thrown together. Best vehicle we have ever owned!!

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  Love the car - 2003 Acura TL
  By mark1000 - February 20 - 2:00 am

  Weve had the car for about a year and love it. It rides smoothly, and the acceleration is great. We were looking at Lexus, BMW, and Audi, but you cant beat the car for the price and performance. Interior is great and my wife loves the heated seats...

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  Awesome - 2004 Acura TL
  By mgoblue - February 20 - 2:00 am

  This car is just fun. Great pwoer, excellent handling, classic interior, energitic yet subtle styling. They got it right. Only problem - no compass if dont get the navigation system.

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  Acura04TL - 2004 Acura TL
  By wmscott - February 20 - 2:00 am

  Excellent value and quality for the money. Sporty look and style is just what a guy likes in a family sedan.

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  Best bang for the buck - 2002 Acura RSX
  By Dmitry - February 20 - 1:23 am

  This is a great car indeed. Its fast, reliable and comfortable as well. Plus it responds great to aftermarket mods such as intake/exhaust/headers. Acura has won me over with the RSX-S. Dima proud owner of a Satin Silver RSX-S with Injen intake, Borla exhaust and Neuspeed short shifter.