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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  Still loving it after 12K miles! - 2004 Acura TL
  By aaargh - September 26 - 2:46 pm

  After 12,000 miles, I still love driving it every day! The handling and power are awesome. Friends rave about the interior and the stereo. I havent had the quality issues others have complained of. After reading the Edmunds forums, I believe while there are some quality issues, the majority of TLs are fine. Im getting 25 - 26 MPG in mixed driving (mostly highway).

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  Luxury, Power, and Economy - 2004 Acura TL
  By HappyChuck - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Drove the TL south through the WV mountains several thousand miles. With the cruise set at 75 mph, this 270 hp sports sedan returned 30 mpg even with all that hill climbing. Never had any worries about passing, handling a curve, or braking. Dual zone, dual mode climate control keeps both front passengers happy.

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  Cant get anything better for $35,000. - 2004 Acura TL
  By mraf2693 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I purchased an 04 TL 6spd-Navi in May of 04. I cant say enough good things about the car. Not only does it come loaded with the newest technologies on the market, it was also thousands less than equally equipped high line cars. This car is worth a test drive. The navi unit is the best I have ever used and very user friendly.

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  Thank you Acura! - 2004 Acura TL
  By zzzdmd - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Just picked up my TL a few days ago, made a quick trip from Phx to Newport Beach, CA, AMAZING is the only word for it. Family members own late model BMWs and Infinity, and they all drool in the TL. No comparison when looking at money spent for what you get. Its a steal at 35K! Stayed in posh resort for meetings in Baloboa Beach, and all valet guys wanted to park the TL instead of the Mercs, Lex, Infin, Caddies, etc. that were all lined up. Acura nailed it with this one! The new RL is one to wait for if youre spending 50K on a car, otherwise let the TL swallow you up in refinement, surround sound, and performance.

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  Great car - bad climate control system - 2004 Acura TL
  By MadCow2 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Great car, lots of great features, fun to drive, nice power. Climate control system is terrible. Fan makes lots of noise, but moves insufficient air to allow comfort throughout cabin. Poor airflow to the feet. It is so bad, I hope there is a redesign and recall - so speak up people!

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  Acura MDX Rules the Road - 2004 Acura MDX
  By simsix - September 25 - 2:00 am

  An absolute gem! A pleasure in every sense of the word. Dependable, very comfortable, fantastic in every way. We had a 32 inch blizzard..... it performed flawlessly. Never got stuck and I was out for hours just playing in the drifts and unplowed parking lots and roads. I have owned 3 full size American 4 wheel drives (Dodge Ramchargers, just like Chevy Blazer or Ford Bronco). This performed just about as well.

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  Stable, reliable, multi-functional - 2004 Acura MDX
  By twriter - September 25 - 2:00 am

  Test drove other SUVs and understood why so many tip over. Probably because its on the Honda Odessy frame (lower, wider track), The MDX feels solid and corners without the sense that you are going to tip over. Excellent 0-60 acceleration - but you will stop showing off when you have to put gas in it. So-so mileage around town - excellent highway mileage. Very good visibility. Good multi-function usability - whether going to the theater, taking the dogs to the vet, or loading up at Home Depot - it is flexible. I was worried because I was going up from an Integra - with lots of handling and performance - but I have not been disappointed.

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  Great Car - 1996 Acura Integra
  By Vanyan - September 24 - 2:00 am

  This car has great handling, good acceleration at higher RPMs, low maintenance, and looks great. I highly recommend owning an Integra. A standard transmission is a must.

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  Great car, fun to drive - 2004 Acura RL
  By pepe11 - September 24 - 2:00 am

  Whats not to like about this car? Its comfortable and classy looking. Big enough for my family of five and it drives so beautifully. By the way, Open Road in East Brunswick, NJ is a great dealership - highly recommended.

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  RSX S - 2002 Acura RSX
  By sgRSX-S - September 24 - 2:00 am

  Ive had the car for 16 months and it is everything that the reviews said and more! I am especially thrilled with the quality of the interior. The BOSE sound system is the best Ive heard for a stock stereo. A little road noise but what a great ride. I will soon be buying a 350 Z but will miss my RSX-S as I will likely sacrifice interior styling and sound system quality for pure speed. I considered the Hyundai Tiburon but after three test drives of each I made the decision to go with the RSX-S based on the interior and resale value (and the ACURA name). Also I just couldnt see myself in a "Hyundai." After owning the car for over a year I cant believe I