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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  First Import - 2003 Acura TL
  By danimal007 - March 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is my first import and I love it. Acceleration is great...only v- 8s can beat you. The ride is awesome.

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  Awesome TL - 2004 Acura TL
  By BarryL - March 1 - 2:00 am

  Simply the best car Ive owned. I tested Cadillac CTS, G35 Infiniti, Maxima, and 3 and 5 Series BMW. For the value and money you cannot beat the Acura. All the options on the $50,000 plus BMW come standard on the Acura. Styling, power, and comfort are outstanding.

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  Best Car for the Money - 2004 Acura TL
  By ClayT - March 1 - 2:00 am

  Best car for the money. I looked at the G35, 3-series, A4, C-Class. TL offered best package of price, luxury, reliability, exterior/interior styling, and size. It is not as sporty as the others but has plenty of pep for 99.9% of driving situations.

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  AWESOME! buy it! - 2003 Acura CL
  By dreamcast18 - February 28 - 10:00 am

  Excellent car! I upgraded to wider and bigger tires and now it drives on rails! Get the Type-S! Thats my only complain!

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  Flaming RSX - 2002 Acura RSX
  By FireRSX - February 28 - 9:30 am

  Aside from all the oohs and aaahs that this car receives from the design of the car. The RSX has proven to be a performance and luxury vehicle that Acura has always wanted it to be.

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  Excellent car - 1991 Acura Integra
  By danzman - February 27 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Integra a month ago with 110,000 miles and couldnt be happier. It still looks great for a 13 year old car, and runs even better. Its great on gas and is plenty quick for any daily commute.

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  Volvo patron - 2009 Acura TSX
  By rcsdvm - February 26 - 4:00 pm

  I have had nothing but Volvos since 1982. TSX compared favorably with S80, 328, IS 250, CTS and was cheaper. MPG has been great - 36+ hwy and 30+overall. I still havent mastered the tech pack. That lady doesnt understand KYeze. I have one negative: Steering is very sensitive and feels "notchy" in turns and there is sometimes a distinct steering torque with acceleration in turns. I have not investigated with dealer. One more thing: dont break a mirror - $525. So far dealer experience has been very positive.

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  THE ONE! - 2004 Acura TL
  By e11even - February 26 - 10:00 am

  Drove the dealer demo hard and the TL merely asked what was next. Acceleration, braking, handling, and refinement sold me on this vehicle. Safety features add to the secure feeling you get when driving this car. The Volvo S60 was our other serious consideration. No comparison for the money. If the TL is on your list of "Possibles" then launch on this vehicle right away. Acura does not disappoint....

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  Great car - 2004 Acura TL
  By Science123 - February 26 - 10:00 am

  Ive had three Acuras, and they consistently amaze me with their craftsmanship, performance and overall value. The 2004 TL is a head turner, with the guts to back up its radical new design. An A+ for this new Acura.

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  My NSX car - 2004 Acura NSX
  By NicknPDX - February 25 - 2:00 am

  This is my 2nd NSX and for the price, its the best car Ive owned. Very comfortable interior and exterior. Its a head turner!