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 the Car to GET!!! - 2006 Acura TSX
  By wolfgangmeister - April 24 - 4:36 am

  This car blew me away... didnt expect it to be so good in every aspect. Handling, Acceleration, Comfort, Style, Roominess and the worlds BEST Navigation system! I was an Audi owner, and a BMW lover, but move aside Germany, Acura has you beat! Plus you actually get to enjoy driving this car, rather than paying 1,000s of dollars maintaining it. Ive replaced my last fuel injector, oxygen sensor, electric door lock, cruise control switch and air bag sensor in my Audi... if you want quality its Acura all the way. If you enjoy the repair shop, I guess the A4 and 3-series are just fine.

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  thumbs up - 2005 Acura TSX
  By will - April 23 - 7:36 pm

  Just purchased an04 this month. Its a great car. fist tank of gas, mpg 25 city driving. The back seat leg room is tight for average size person. Its fun to drive, tight, no noises. Firm ride of bumpy roads. Has good power and acceleration, and handles good. I looked at the TL but a little high for my budget, The Accord, everyone has one and the maxima good room but didnt like the lay out of the dash. I got a good price and a new car warranty.

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  Worth the wait - 2002 Acura MDX
  By KYShredder - April 23 - 9:55 am

  I waited 5 months for delivery, and wasnt disappointed. It is the perfect blend of sport, utility & luxury. Pickup is quick, handling precise yet comfortable. Ive had 7 passengers in it for short treks without complaints. Also, Ive had 4x8 sheets of drywall in it - they lie flat! Its not so luxurious that you are scared to mess it up. The wife and I fight over driving it. It isnt as luxurious as a Lexus. Suggested improvements are nits. With the value and performance, cannot understand why anyone would waste money on any other SUV in this class. IId buy another!

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  New MDX purchase - 2016 Acura MDX
  By Dan Anelli - April 22 - 1:34 am

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  Great compact car - 2002 Acura RSX
  By Jim - April 22 - 12:52 am

  I have owned an Integra and the RSX blows it away. Every aspect of this car has been thoughtfully crafted. The interior is very clever and simple, and the leather seats are comfortable and supple. The exterior does not suffer from over-styling, but presents a sleek and aggressive stance. I have not had any problems with the car whatsoever. This has to be the best compact car on the market.

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  best car I ever had - 2003 Acura TL
  By hokiehigh - April 21 - 3:57 pm

  I bought the TL brand new in Sep, 2003. I dont drive it a lot so it only has 10k miles so far. I love the powerful engine and tons of features comes with the car, lots of luxury feathers and great looking. I never had any problem with it except the rattling from the sunroof which was fixed under warranty. Dealership is great too, free loaner, free wash and free inspection. Best value for your money.

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  Wow, we love this car - 2007 Acura TL
  By hands2god - April 21 - 2:56 am

  We looked at a few cars that are considered in this class, and the TL Type-S is by far the nicest looking, nicest driving and the best bang for the buck. The drive by wire is great, and the torque is a nice surprise. Great car, drive it, youll buy one.

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  have to drive something - 2005 Acura TL
  By millie - April 21 - 2:00 am

  only had it for about two weeks, but it seems to be the car for me.

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  Sweet Ride - 2005 Acura TL
  By SF-Frisco - April 21 - 2:00 am

  I have it for two weeks. Except some tire defect which was fixed by the dealer, it has been great. The MPG really sucks though. Im averaging 22. The technology is really great. I got an audio DVD and the sound isnt as great as one would think. The styling, interior and ride quality are very good. This is my first acura, and it has a lot of good features for the price. A great buy!

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  Worth the resale value - 1999 Acura TL
  By jgenitile - April 20 - 6:18 pm

  We bought our TL through eBay and have not had one problem with it. That is once we put cross drilled disc breaks on it. I am looking forward to purchasing another.