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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  This car ROCKS! - 2006 Acura TL
  By JEvans - March 12 - 11:30 am

  I upgraded from a 1997 Civic to a 2006 TL. Its been 6 months since I bought it and the initial shock of driving something 1) that worked and 2) that is fast has worn off. However, the fun I have driving it has not died. There are times I wish I was in sales just so I can drive it around. Although, Im pretty sure its quickness and nibleness will probably get me a ticket at some point. I love this car. I try to tell everyone I know to get one. I loved my Honda and now I love my Acura. You just cant go wrong with that company. On a side note, I have to say the dealership I went through was amazing. Ive never thought of buying a car as a pleasant experience. They were great!

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  RSX - 2002 Acura RSX
  By matwka2002 - March 12 - 10:00 am

  Its really good car and is sleak and easy to modify for those of you who like to supe up cars.

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  Wow - 2003 Acura TL
  By George2 - March 12 - 10:00 am

  This car has almost everything, Safety, Quality (Anti-lock brakes, "crumple" zones, Vehicle Stability Assist, Traction Control, Side Air bags etc), Price (only $32K), Performance (VTEC 260 romping, stomping horsepower 0-60 in 6.6 seconds), and just plain fun. The Navigation System is the best at "any" price.

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  Mr. - 1999 Acura CL
  By Craig Mackay - March 12 - 2:00 am

  Best car I have ever owned.

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  2000 Acura TL - 2000 Acura TL
  By asalamon - March 12 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive. Lots of power and very reliable. Never had a major mechanical problem during the past 39 months.

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  Best in class - 2006 Acura TSX
  By CW - March 11 - 7:53 am

  Not only the best car but also the best value in its class. Our TSX handles like a dream and loaded with options like navigation, i-pod connection, blue tooth, XM sat., all standard. Fast, smooth and refined.

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  Better than expected - 2004 Acura TL
  By dc - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I was led to believe the new TL was merely an upscale Accord EX-L. Couldnt have been more wrong. Fun to drive and absolutely loaded with tech toys, Acura has really set themselves apart from the competition in a very affordably priced mid size sedan. I compared, and seriously considered the GS300, 530i, and G35. The TL had more interior room than most, while truly exhibting a great sporty look. Ive put to use almost all of the tech gadgets. Integrated bluetooth works great - the DVD Audio is out of this world (although finding them is tough), and its one of the best GPS and map data systems Ive used. Performance is great - ride is smooth.

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  Great Car without the Rattles - 2004 Acura TL
  By MBL - March 9 - 10:00 am

  For Acuras claim to and reputation of quality, I would expect a better build. Windows rattle; center speaker buzzes at speeds in excess of 50mph; sunroof rattles intermittently. And, I thought that rattles were only unique to the driver...but the complaints are legit. All this at 8,000 miles (the rattles began at 3,000). Take away the rattles-- this is a fantastic car! My gas mileage (combo city/highway) is consistently 27- 28 mph. Couldnt find a better value for the money--I love this car.

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  Great car - 2004 Acura TL
  By ace2 - March 9 - 10:00 am

  An all around great car and a bargin at that. Only weakness is the crummy tires.

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  Acura TL - 2004 Acura TL
  By Gene Robustelli - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Best car Ive ever owned. Im 51 years old and I have finally had the opportunity for that special car. Im glad I picked the TL. Not only is it great looking, it is a blast to drive and makes heads turn.