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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  I went from Ford escort to acura TL - 2003 Acura TL
  By I need mine - January 25 - 9:57 pm

  Buying my acura was the best thing that happend to me in a long time. Being a 22 year old man you dont want to just drive anything. I really got sick and tired of my 1994 ford escort and decided it was time to upgrade and get something sophisticated and stylish. This car gets so many looks its outrageous.

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  Id buy another X - 2004 Acura MDX
  By kevman1 - January 25 - 1:24 pm

  This has been the perfect vehicle for me because: 1. I drive 45 miles to work, so the 25 mpg I get (driving gently) is great. 2. I can fit anything I need to inside, since it can accommodate boards/items 4 wide. 3. I love the way it looks. 4. It was cheaper than all the other SUVs I was looking at. 5. Ive had NO major issues with it for 78k miles. 6. I can perform my own maintenance (all 4 fluid changes).

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  Excellent SUV for the road warrior - 2007 Acura RDX
  By SJN - January 25 - 11:19 am

  We use the vehicle for work and travel. We love the tech package. HandsFree link is a favorite. The rear camera, SH-AWD is a must. Feels very safe to drive.

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  Powerful Engine, Smooth Handling - 2017 Acura RDX
  By ACURA_RDX_OWNER - January 24 - 10:31 pm

  Pure and powerful engine, Good Handling on curves

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  An Incredible Car - It Simply Keeps Going - 1994 Acura Integra
  By TegMan - January 24 - 9:51 pm

  I now have over 360k miles on my 94 GS-R and this thing still flies! Never have had any engine work done on it, only typical repairs including brakes, tires, belts, and hoses. Did replace the radiator once, but, it was a simple job costing less than $90. I change the oil about once every 12k miles and it still has no issues. What a car. Fast, fuel efficient, and a blast to drive. I upsized the tires to 205/55r-15 and it makes a positive difference. There is something special about the 94 GS-R engine (many call it the one year wonder engine). Not sure what it is, but, it definitely has more hp than subsequent years (even though the specs dont support it). Get one if you can!!

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  Definite Improvement - 2007 Acura RDX
  By Janice - January 24 - 9:13 am

  We purchased this vehicle to replace the Honda Odyssey that I hated at 13 mpg. I wanted the MDX but couldnt get into that one at the time - should have tried. Anyway, this one has much better mpg, fun to drive, great looks, fairly easy entry/exit for "fat" mama. Wish it had the power lift gate, auto on headlights (my Pontiac did). And I wish I could pair my phone to it-- technology. We love the Navi! Wish our two Fits had that!

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  Just Got This One - 2005 Acura TL
  By Larry Jay - January 23 - 9:16 pm

  Although this car isnt as beautiful as the Lexus GS I chose it over, it is very impressive. Theres lots more room than the exterior suggests. The controls are clear and convenient. The power reserve, for a slow commuter, is terrific, and I long to wind it out. I miss two things from my previous Lexus: the automatic tilt-away steering wheel, for easy in and out, and the full leather seats. While these seats look fantastic, they appear to be leather only in the perforated, middle areas. Still, I expect a long, solid life from this car.

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  What a Great Car - 2002 Acura RL
  By Mike - January 23 - 9:02 pm

  I just purchased my RL used recently. If I would have known what a great car it would have turned out to be I would have bought one sooner.

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  Wonderful Car - 2005 Acura TSX
  By Bishopsring - January 23 - 2:39 pm

  It has been two years, two trips to California, Austin and Dallas. The car runs admirably. Lacking in power, it provides gas mileage, comfort, and fun driving. The overhead blue light during the night adds a unique but classy ambiance. The interior and use of all available space provide a wonderful usage for anything and everything, cell phones, chargers, cd cases. With performance being its only down point, I understand the balance, but it needs the extra horsepower or burst of speed off the line. There is one aspect from changing from second gear to third gear where it gets stuck even with the clutch completely down. Great car.

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  Nice luxury sedan value - 1999 Acura RL
  By afsound - January 23 - 8:19 am

  Despite expected poor fuel economy, and despite its premium fuel only recommendations, this car has been everything and more that I hoped for. Only issue so far has been the SRS light came on shortly after purchase, perhaps air bag sensor tripped?