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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  05 MDX - 2005 Acura MDX
  By lbelle - December 27 - 1:56 pm

  A very solid car. Acura has gone to great lengths to correct some of the problems of the more recent models such as the gas tank slosh and the brake clunking. The new acoustic lining has done wonders to mitigate noise. This is one silent and solid vehicle. Leather appears improved over prior models as well.

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  Great value - 2005 Acura MDX
  By Aaron - December 27 - 12:20 pm

  Hands down the best automobile Ive owned. Did lots of research on SUVs before deciding on the MDX, and so far I havent been sorry with my decision. great zip, room for 7, and the Navigation system that never ceases to amaze. Awesome sound system; rear DVD a must have for those with kids. Incredible number of features for the money. Very refined car, with the quality of Honda to back it up. Every control right where its supposed to be - when you get into the drivers seat of this vehicle, youll feel right at home!

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  2 year follow up - 2002 Acura NSX
  By Easygo711 - December 27 - 10:19 am

  Its been 2 years and 17,000 miles since my last review of my 2002 NSX. This car has 28,000 miles on it and is amazing. I have not spent a cent on the car except for normal maintenance and an upgrade to a Comptec exhaust system. I didnt notice a change in performance, just a better exhaust sound. I just had an oil change and the tech said I still had 60% left on the brakes. There are no squeaks or rattles and everything works perfectly. I will need to replace the tires soon. The short throw shifter and 6 speed are a pleasure to drive. A tip of the hat to Acura and this car. Its no wonder that used NSXes hold their value.

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  TSX 6spd nav - 2006 Acura TSX
  By nj2pa2nc - December 26 - 4:35 pm

  Owned this car one month - love it. It is milano red with ebony int. Very good on the highways. No problems using regular gas.

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  Have Clutch? - 2003 Acura RSX
  By Johnny Rotten - December 26 - 3:39 pm

  This vehicle was the right car for the right price, wanted something with good gas mileage and fun to drive. At 3000 miles the clutch slipped, took it in, couldnt find a problem. At 20,000 miles the clutch was shot, they replaced under a good faith warranty. At 40,000 miles clutch slipped again, couldnt find a problem. At 49,000 miles the second clutch is shot, had to be replaced. Told me it was a wear and tear item and I had to pay for it. $1400 later, Im getting my one year warranty out of the clutch and then getting rid of it. It likes to go fast, but doesnt like to stop. Brakes need improvement. The Bose sound system could be a lot better. Ive heard Bose before, this is no Bose.

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  Acura RL - Best of the Best - 2005 Acura RL
  By Mjustice - December 25 - 9:30 pm

  Awesome car, I love it. The RL is fast, luxurious, roomy. Its the best purchase for me and my family.

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  WOW! Best decision ever!! - 2007 Acura TSX
  By hexer311 - December 25 - 9:25 pm

  This car is absolutely amazing in every respect. The honda vtech engine isnt the quickest engine out there but over all performance, MPG, and reliability are unbeatable. I still cant believe this is only a 4-banger. The 07 comes packed with new stuff from previous models including bluetooth phone, MP3 jack, and a nice information system. Handling is best in class. Great job Honda/Acura. Drove MB C230, BMW, Infiniti, and Lexus IS 350, by far the best value and best style.

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  My experiences - 2006 Acura RL
  By herbeand - December 25 - 3:46 pm

  Performance is really good. Power, handling, ride quality, interior comfort are all good. Tire noise is a little high. The headlights that turn when cornering is just high tech for the sake of it, not really useful. The Navi system is really difficult to use and dangerous when driving alone. The voice activation is hit and miss, especially with a window open, sometimes works, other times does the wrong thing. The electrochromatic mirror is garbage, the old fashioned flip types for night mode work much better.

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  Awesome little devil - 2005 Acura TL
  By Ozz - December 25 - 1:00 pm

  This car makes me want to hug it. Its completely different than my 2003 TL. It drives great, a little stiff though. I DONT like Bridgestone Turanza tires since they make the ride a lot stiffer and you feel many bumps. Michelins would have made a huge difference. Oh well. On the positive side, this car is a pleasure to get inside. The audio is great (speakers are a little underpowered and sub is way too powerfull for them). Bluetooth is great with Verizon Motorola V710 phone. Not much body roll when turning compared to 2003 TL. Rear wheel drive would make this car a lot more fun to drive though. Overall its a great car.

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  Issues & comments - 1999 Acura CL
  By KyLarry - December 25 - 11:08 am

  Surprisingly wide turning radius. Fuel injectors replaced @ 70,000. Drivers side window mechanism failure @ 60,000. Very nice ride on trips. Overall a very good car.