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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  nice ride - 1992 Acura Integra
  By migue - January 14 - 2:00 am

  very spacious for a coupe,very fast and excelent stability, also nice interior and very easy to drive.

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  Happy owner - 2004 Acura MDX
  By Bourdeau - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Have owned various Acuras since the 1986 Legend and they all have been good for 150,000 miles plus. Reliability is a big factor. The current MDX replaces a Ford Explorer, 1999 and the change is monumental. There are a few areas where the interior could be a little more user friendly, but overall, it is a joy to drive.

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  More Than Satisfied! - 2003 Acura MDX
  By Rhinoact - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Outstanding automobile! Extensively researched and test drove Acura, Lexas, BMW and Mercedes SUVs. Much to my surprise, the clear winner MDX. Have made numerous eight hour family trips in the MDX from our home in S. Calif. to our Lake Tahoe cabin. During these trips, the MDX has experienced temperatures of +115 F through the Mohave desert to -5 F in Lake Tahoe. Nothing seems to phase the MDX. We average 21 - 22 mpg on these trips and the ride is comfortable and quiet. The engine is powerful and has plenty of passing power when needed. My wife and I both agree that this is by far the best vehicle that we have ever owned.

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  My First Car - 1998 Acura CL
  By shellyrae - January 11 - 2:00 am

  My parents purchased a black 2.3 CL for me when I was 16. I absolutely love it. It handles well and is a joy to drive. Very solid car. Takes curves with ease and precision. It has 98,000 miles now, and I have never had any mechanical problems and the interior still looks new. Fuel economy is good it will easily get 300 mi/tank. I get compliments on it all the time!

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  2002 Acura 3.5 RL - 2002 Acura RL
  By Bill Buie - January 10 - 2:00 am

  Classy car with a sporty look. Tight handling more like the Legend. Powerful with refined appearance. Just the right mix of style & performance.

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  Love my new (used but new to me) car - 1999 Acura TL
  By Acura Enthusiast - January 10 - 2:00 am

  I was especially impressed with Acura of Boston - their professionalism & courtesy and helpfulness. I would recommend them to anyone - Steve S. was our salesperson, and he was outstanding. The car we purchased is a 99 TL and it rides beautifully, handles turns exceptionally is comfortable, roomy - we love it! The stereo system & CD player sound great also.

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  Review - 2003 Acura RSX
  By RSXTS - January 10 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned two of these cars now. The 1st one saved my life in a two roll over/4 tree hit accident. They have great potential and are a major eye turner while driving around town..

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  hot rod with class - 2001 Acura CL
  By coolyma - January 10 - 2:00 am

  i only want to say it is hot rod with class

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  Great Car - 2002 Acura RSX
  By eclipsex50 - January 9 - 10:36 am

  This car has luxury, performance, and great styling all in one.

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  I could not be happier with a car - 2004 Acura TSX
  By durple - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I test drove a whole bunch of cars before deciding on the TSX. I almost bought a fully loaded V6 Mazda 6 but I am glad that I deceided to wait a while and test drive a few other cars. I also test drove a Passat 1.8T and a V6 Honda Accord. Although I did feel that the Passat was a little zippy because of the turbo engine, it lacked style. The Honda Accord was stylish and powerful but did not have the zip of a smaller car. The 6 was the closest thing to the TSX, the engine had a little extra power. However the reviews were not as good. People were not happy the the 6s gas milage and they had issues with some tire dirt.