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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  Fun, dependability and good looks - 2005 Acura RSX
  By CHAZ - March 19 - 4:16 pm

  Have had this car for 10 months, and I love every bit of it. Color (Milano red) great choice, fast for a 4 cylinder, sleek looking, interior is snug unless youÂ’re a small family. Seats just hold you in while steering and dashboard is easily accessible.

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  Pimp my ride - 2005 Acura RSX
  By RSX Speed - March 19 - 1:19 pm

  This car is one amazing ride. I have taken it on 400+ mile trips and felt very comfortable. Shifting is a bit sticky when the weather is colder, but the car warms up quickly and has no problem after that. Very small back seat is hard to hold more than 3 people. But when you are alone and not worried about passenger comfort (nervous girlfriends especially), the steering and curves are at your control. It really is a performance drivers dream for the price.

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  Best Price, Value and Looks!!!! - 2005 Acura TSX
  By smoochy - March 19 - 1:33 am

  I have had 5 Acuras in my life and they have all been good to me. However Acura really did well when creating the TSX. Its stylish, fast, and reasonably priced for what is included. Also has a great sound system!

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  AN ABSOLUTE TREASURE - 1999 Acura RL
  By John D. - March 18 - 6:07 pm

  My 90 Acura Legend has 243K miles. L.A. tomorrow? (2K miles)No problem. Sold 94 Legend for RL. Got the RL 2 yrs ago with 60K, just turned 100K. Features in this car are tremendous, comfortable, quiet, (with right tires for sound)awesome off the line listed at 0-60 in 7.5 seconds, highway accelleration, 7K top RPM, 210 HP V6 high compression. Needs V-8? Bah Humbug! Handling dry, snow and ice, super. Im a big guy, theres ample room, astounding comfort access & workmanship. Great Stereo. Friends 04 E-Class Mercedes, problems, 99 RL, no problems, go figure? Reliability and resale are among the best. I get constant compliments on look, ride, all of RL. Pleasure to drive. "I LOVE THIS CAR!

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  Little Luxury - 2002 Acura CL
  By bkd - March 18 - 12:03 pm

  I have had my 2002 Acura CL 3.2 for just over a year now. I love this car. I did a lot of research before buying it, and after driving it, I was sold. I like the sleek look of the car. The interior is nice and roomy. The seats are comfortable, and the car offers all the little luxuries of a more expensive car. I love the heated seats, the dimming mirror, and the sound system. With 225 hp, the CL has some great get up and go. It handles well at high speeds. The gas mileage is better than I thought. Maintenance has been very low in the last year.

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  great value - 2002 Acura TL
  By terri - March 16 - 11:30 am

  In 3 years, other than routine maintenence I have never had this car in the shop. It has been the most reliable car Ive ever owned, and Ive always owned new cars (not used). What are considered options on most cars are included with the tl. The value is incredible. I have enjoyed every minute of owning and driving this vehicle. My next car will most likely be another acura.

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  TOP OF THE LINE SEDAN - 2004 Acura TL
  By jim5566269 - March 16 - 10:00 am

  You must drive this vehicle.Best in class.Vehicle has a lot of features, bells and whistles

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  14K miles after - 2004 Acura TSX
  By Happy Gilmore... - March 14 - 7:44 pm

  Ive own the car for over a year (2 winters) and still love to drive it. I waited 6 months delivery and for a while it was the only one on the road. I see more of them now but not as many as Beemers and such. It is elegant but yet suttle, sporty yet functional. It took me a while to learn how to use the tiptronic shift but now I refuse to go back to the old ways (manual shift). The throttle by wire also takes a while to master. The performance between 3000 and 7000 rpm is awesome, however, dont expect great fuel economy. My advice remains: if you are thinking about it, try it and youll love it too, it gets better with time.

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  Great car!!! - 2002 Acura CL
  By Fighter - March 14 - 10:29 am

  I had pontiac GTO 2004 before this car. What a mistake. I love my CL-S. Great engine, seamless interior, classic exterior forms. HID, heated seats. I love this car. I got it for 18K with 20K miles only.

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  The Type-S Is Worth The Upgrade - 2003 Acura RSX
  By Johnny Thunder - March 13 - 2:00 am

  Ive recently purchased the Acura RSX- S. The car handles like a $40,000 plus vehicle with a much lighter sticker price! For the price, you CAN NOT beat the RSX-S. The six speed manual transmission allows for complete control of your driving experience. With the short throw, the transmission handles like the more expensive European cars. I also like the fact that this vehicle is wholly manufactured in JAPAN. Only the NSX and RSX are actually manufactured in JAPAN. If you are looking for a car that performs like a million bucks but doesnt cost it, than the RSX-S is for you. Be certain to upgrade to the S- Type. For the money, it is well worth it!