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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  The best - 2008 Acura TL
  By Al - September 2 - 9:50 pm

  I had a budget up to 50 thousand and was looking at lexus and infiniti. Then decided to test drive tl-s and realized that it is the best car for my needs. It was one of the most quiet and comfortable cars, with enough power for daily commutes. The car is built with amazing quality in all the details inside/out. Fuel economy is decent - after 1400 miles computer shows 20 MPG with average speed 29 miles. I anticipate expensive maintenance on this car - tires, brakes, etc.

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  96 Acura Integra GS-R - 1996 Acura Integra
  By planetena - September 2 - 2:00 am

  I dont think one thing has gone wrong with this car in 88000 miles. All weve done is change oil every 3000-4000 mi plus factory recommended maintenance. Nothing breaks! Very quick, fun to drive, cheap to maintain,excellent gas mileage...all in all a great little car.

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  The Best Value - 2001 Acura RL
  By GPF - September 2 - 2:00 am

  The vehicle is BEST VALUE BUY for luxury cars. All luxuries are standard, you no have to pay extra charges for more equipment like the Mercedes E 320. All standard features are premiun leather,sound,and others extras.Drive this car is like drive a dove in the road and at the same time you can feel the power of the 3.5 liters motor. The elegance of the Acura 3.5 RL compare with the Lexus LS 430. But the price is much much less. Than you Acura!

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  comfort and style - 2002 Acura RL
  By chief - September 2 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle comparible to Lexus luxury sedan or Mercedes E320 at about $20,000 less. Understated styling for those confident enough to drive a good car.

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  1996 2.5tl/premium - 1996 Acura TL
  By redbadger - September 1 - 2:00 am

  Just the greatest car. Have owned BMWs, Corvettes, Jags and this is the best car! Extremely reliable, comfortable and fun to drive. Like the 96 better than newer styles. Have had this car for 5 years and have 120,000 plus-only problem was wind shield wiper arm needed replacement at 70,000! ($65). Thinking of getting a used cl to keep this one company.

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  review - 2003 Acura MDX
  By marko 89 - August 30 - 10:00 am

  This is a GREAT SUV . My Wife and I love it. We bougth a 2003 fully load acura MDX with alot of accessories too. It has a good comfortable ride. NICE looks too. We love the conveniece of the back up rear-view camera. Leather in the SUV is almost first rate . The sound system is nice 8 speaker bose.A LOT OF MONEY $$$

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  Fun & Built to Last - 2003 Acura MDX
  By SportsGuy - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Having purchased 2 Acuras in the previous years, I decided to go back to a car I could depend on. The new 03 rides well and is quick when you need to accelerate. Styling features are clean and theres plenty of room for large drivers, as well as, a large family if needed. Gas mileage for me runs 19mpg for both city/hwy, and compared to the X5, which I was leaning towards, not only did I save thousands, yet the car outperforms the X5 in all categories except braking.

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  Best deal ever made - 1996 Acura RL
  By prophet2 - August 29 - 2:00 am

  Purchased with 36.8K miles on clock and have put on 33K smooth, trouble-free miles over past 22 months. Drives like a dream. Other than normal wear-and- tear items, only problem has been an oxygen sensor at 67K miles, replaced under extended warranty purchased by prior owner. Paid $20K + TTL for this immaculate unit, saving $3K+ from a new 2000 Accord EX V-6 I was considering and getting a superior vehicle.

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  Best Vehicle Ive Owned - 2001 Acura MDX
  By claire1 - August 28 - 2:00 am

  After 25,000 miles, I still like the MDX more each day. Its comfortable, powerful, versatile (because of the 3d row seats). The handling is wonderful, and the controls are convenient to use. Its excellent in the snow. The leather is holding up well. Its a perfect car for my family--we have 2 preteen kids. There are plenty of cupholders and lots of room for their friends. A great car.

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  Excellent Car- - 1998 Acura Integra
  By keithgolden - August 27 - 2:00 am

  My experience has been great. The car is a great car for a student. It handles excellent, and comfort is great. I wish it had a little more excelleration.