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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  Love this car! - 2004 Acura MDX
  By mjcw - September 3 - 2:00 am

  After a year of researching and debating, my husband and I just bought this car, and could not be happier! The MDX is not only incredibly nice looking inside and out, but also drives like silk. There is an underlying reliability factor that comes from its Honda roots - and I feel both safe and very comfortable inside. We looked at the Pilot, Highlander, and Audi wagons and came full circle back to the MDX. End of the year sales discounts were worth the wait! Buy one - you wont be disappointed.

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  ITR TEH LEGEND - 2001 Acura Integra
  By integratyper - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I love my Integra TYpe R. This is the longest Ive ever kept a vehicle, almost 4 years.

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  2004 Acura RL - 2004 Acura RL
  By RLinPGH - September 2 - 2:00 am

  A very solid car. I like the classic (others call is bland) styling. The 2004 does not have the acceleration of the TL, but the ride in the RL is nicer and quieter. The interior leather on the RL also is higher quality. I looked at a Lexus ES-330 for $33,000ish and a Toyota Avalon at $31,000. The RL at $37,000 was more than I wanted to spend, but I really am happy I did.

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  This car rocks: Excellent Value - 2004 Acura RSX
  By Zachrsx - August 31 - 2:00 am

  I love this car it is the first time I bought a new car and it has been a awsome. I might not have the power some people want but it will get up and go. I love the interior feels like a luxury car just without the sticker shock. I love it.

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  my second acura...and not the last - 2004 Acura RSX
  By yaksplat - August 31 - 2:00 am

  This is my wifes car, but i get to drive it occasionally. Mines a 94 gsr with 211,000 miles so I can compare them well. The rsx is lacking a bit of power up to 6000 rpm, but after that its great. The gas milage is wonderful. We just got back from a trip and averaged 41 mpg over 300 miles. But under normal driving conditions we get around 26-28. The transmission is one of the best id ever driven. My wife reluctantly learned on this car and had no problem catching on. I would definately recommend this car. We have had no problem with it at all. Acura quality at its best.

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  Great Car - 2004 Acura TL
  By mark blair - August 30 - 2:13 am

  I have owned the Acura TL now for around two months and have been very pleased. It is fun to drive and I really enjoy the great sound system and the navigation system. It is very well built, looks great, and gets decent mileage. The only recommendations I would make would be to add automatic headlights. In addition, as I had read prior to purchasing the vehicle, there is a blind spot due to the shape of the vehicle doors and the relatively small mirrors. The interior is superb and I also like the blue lights in the dash board. Overall, I am very pleased with the vehicle and hope to keep it many years.

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  Fun and Dependable - 2000 Acura TL
  By clawson - August 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car because it topped all the dependability ratings. At 90K miles, Ive not had one single problem - replaced brakes, tires, battery, oil. I never use dealerships for service - total price gouging. My honest local shop can do this stuff. Drives like a dream, soft quiet ride. The backseat is not made for adults, but is fine for kids under 16. I just checked my gas mileage and it was exactly as advertised, city=17, highway=22 (no a/c). I totally disagree with all the editors saying the exterior is bland, looks great with a spoiler.

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  More Bang for your Buck - 2004 Acura MDX
  By terp97 - August 30 - 2:00 am

  The SUV is great! My and wife and i have been looking at SUV for about a year know and were in no rush to purchase one. We have driven everything from the full size to the crossovers. Yukon/Tahoe, Armada, FX35, X5, Discovery, ML350 and Pathfinder. None come close to the value and options you get in the MDX. Take your time and drive them all! The MDX was the last SUV we looked at and ended up being the one!

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  RL Lover - 2005 Acura RL
  By Bob Adair - August 27 - 8:13 am

  As a former Acura TL owner I leased a 2004 Mercedes when I was ready for a new car because I didnt like the new shorter TL style and hated the old boxy RL. When the redesigned RL hit the market, I feel in love with the new sleeker RL body style and all of Acuras technology. It wasnt long before I was saying goodbye to my Mercedes and hello to a new RL. Its a dream to drive, has all of the amenities a driver could ask for, and at a very reasonable price. Before getting my new RL I considered another Mercedes and looked at the Lexus GS and for my money the RL beats them both. As soon as I drove my RL home I felt as if I had just put back on an old pair of comfortable slippers.

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  Great Car - 2004 Acura RSX
  By A.E. - August 27 - 2:00 am

  This car should receive a ten for all categories due to its potential...