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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  A love affair like no other - 2004 Acura TL
  By harrybarry104 - July 17 - 6:13 pm

  I just bought my Acura TL with 153k. I was skeptic at even looking when I heard of the mileage but it has been an absolute gem. The build quality surpasses Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. I turn heads almost everywhere I go, and have been getting amazing gas mileage. You would never guess the age or mileage on this car. I have to say, if youre looking for a great car, this is it. Ive only owned the car for a week, but have made several long distance trips. Everytime I sit in my Acura, I smile, and Im constantly looking for an excuse to go somewhere. What a great vehicle from Honda.

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  Perfect sedan for the Money - 2004 Acura RL
  By jasonwipf - July 15 - 9:19 pm

  Perfect Used sedan for the money. Why spend 40-70k for luxury sedans when you can get a 2004 Acura for 10-13K??? They changed the styling in 2005 and its completely different. The newer ones are sporty and pre-2005 they are luxury. I have owned 2 so far they are that great. my 1998 RL I ran to 265,000 before giving to my sister inlaw who is still running it today. And my 2004 I picked up with 88K and know it will go easily to 300K miles. thats over 200,000 of luxury car for only $14K (thats on the high side for buying it in 2012 but it was a cherry! and worth every penny).

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  I love the car - 2012 Acura TL
  By ar0101ar - July 14 - 3:48 pm

  I drive this car and enjoy the experience. I feel i have good ownership experience which includes - style, comfort, technology( GPS, traffic alert, key less fob, ...), and cost of ownership. I do agree that there are areas of improvement.. however i am not a race driver or a person who has tons of free time to play with all the possible options in the car so i dont have any specific complaints. its a real good car which makes you smile and its value for money on long run.

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  My best car ever - 2001 Acura TL
  By mysterger - July 13 - 3:23 pm

  xI have owned this car since it was new, purchased September 2000. I had the transmission replaced at about 34,000 miles by Acura at no extra charge. Since then, Ive had no issues with the transmission and mileage currently stands at 153,000 miles. The car still drives and runs beautifully. It is serviced regularly by an Acura dealership and I love their service. For a twelve years old, people who dont know too much about cars think it is just a 3 or 4 years old. Last month, I had the oil changed along with a tire rotation. When I was about to get in my car and leave after the work was done, the mechanic who did the work came outside and offered me $6500 for it! I couldnt believe it.

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  Acura TL vs. Infiniti G37 - 2012 Acura TL
  By carreview123 - July 12 - 1:44 pm

  I drove both the Acura TL and the Infiniti G37x. Infiniti: extremely fast (almost too fast) with solid handling. Interior is nice, but seemed a little on the cheap side. Leather was nice, but I heard a few squeaks during my overnight test drive. I am 61" and 250lbs (wide shoulders). I was somewhat comfortable in the G37 but had the driver seat all of the way back and dont know how comfortable I would be after a 2 hour drive. Backseat was tight. Acura TL: Almost as fast as the G37 but not as fast (still PLENTY of power!) Interior was much more comfortable. Handling was just as solid as G37. Interior quality is nicer then Infiniti. Pricing = same exact monthly payment

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  Purchased as CPO with 66,000 miles - 2008 Acura TL
  By bonaircarguy - July 8 - 1:32 am

  I have put over 11,000 miles on my TL so far, and have had zero issues with it unlike Volvos which I had owned before it. It is white diamond with camel interior. My only problem with this type of leather is if you do not condition and clean it often it will discolor and crack (I do clean and condition it weekly). Other than that, the interior is in excellent condition. I do a lot of highway driving and will normally get around 30-31 MPG if the speed control is used and stays around 65-70. Average per tank is 23 - 25, and I have a lead foot. I highly recommend this car if you are in the market for a sporty fast sedan! I picked it over Mercedes, Infiniti and Audi.

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  Just Love the RL - 2004 Acura RL
  By jasminebree - July 7 - 5:00 pm

  I just bought my 4th RL. This was a 1 owner with 60,000 miles and it is just like new. The Navigation works great, the power lumbar support is phenomenal, moving the CDs to a more accessible location helps...

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  ZDX perfect for me, not for everyone - 2012 Acura ZDX
  By grandpagolfer - July 2 - 7:03 pm

  I love my ZDX! That said, I am a retiree, and probably 90% of my trips include just my wife and I. This car is as close to a sporty car as I want to go, but I get a kick out of the many positive comments I get on its style etc. I have running boards, which light up at night to the extent that when I approach my car in the dark and unlock the doors, it looks like a cruise ship. I also dont haul much, and dont plan to, so the big negative versus the MDX (my old car), lack of cargo space, is moot for me. The interior of this car is the nicest, classiest interior Ive ever seen in an automobile, and my two closest neighbors drive Lexuses and Mercedes (biggest models of each).

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  Like an MDX and Accord all in one - 2009 Acura RDX
  By jbriscoe - July 1 - 1:47 am

  I owned a 03 MDX and 07 Accord V6 previously...I wanted to go back to a SUV...just not a large one. The RDX fit the bill for me. I get 22 mpg non highway driving at an avg speed of 28 mph, I drive 66 mi daily round trip to work. The turbo kicks in when needed and the ride inside the cabin is quiet. The road feel can be bumpy on poorly maintained streets and the handling is great on quick turns. If you need more cargo room and a fold down third seat, opt for the MDX and a few less mpg. Im 53 and my husband is 61 and we both have plenty of head and leg room.

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  Perfect at the price - 2013 Acura RDX
  By eastbaysteve - June 30 - 12:29 pm

  I drive 30k per year and go through a lot of vehicles. Comfort, performance and reliability are all critical for me. This car covers all of them - best for the $ by far.