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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  2003 Acura TL - 2003 Acura TL
  By Greg Hunter - August 5 - 2:00 am

  I made the switch from an SUV to the Acura TL and have found the vehicle quite enjoyable. The quality is excellent, paint & finish is flawless. The ride is very good and I am impressed with the performance and overall comfort.

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  Type S - 2004 Acura RSX
  By compdoc777 - August 4 - 2:00 am

  Excellent car robust and gets on well with modifications. Mine makes an extra 60hp at the crank now all N/A. Very capable of a low 13 second run. Handles like a dream and had plenty aftermarker parts avalible.

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  FANTASTIC, FUN CAR!! - 2005 Acura TSX
  By KEN - August 3 - 3:03 am

  I traded in a 2003 TL and couldnt be happier with my choice! The 2005 tsx is a real head turner and is the perfect car for a sportier feel. Dont be put off by the 4 cylinder engine! This car can really move! Fit and finish are top notch and all the extras come standard. What a value. I simply could not justify spending 10k more for a car with similar features (i.e G35, TL, bmw). You will not be sorry for choosing the 2005 tsx!

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  Good Job Acura - 2005 Acura TSX
  By Happy - August 3 - 2:36 am

  Over all a really nice car that will get you from A-B not only in style but in a hurry as well. Interior styling is really nice. Performance is as expected, handles really smooth, and hugs corners well with the VSA. Dash lighting is exceptional, but a little overpowering at night in full bright. Navigation is the most intelligent system out there that I have seen. Not only do you get navi, but you get the trip computer (w/memory), calender/event planner, and other goodies that my not be mentioned. Definitly an awesome car, for the money. Would buy an Acura anytime. The leather is really soft and seats give you oodles of support. Great car for the growing family.

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  Good family vehicle - 2004 Acura MDX
  By JSR - August 3 - 2:00 am

  Overall, we have had a positive experience with the vehicle. My daughter really enjoys the entertainment system and the third seat. However, one of the front headlights lost its seal, and we expected better initial quality.

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  drives like a sports car - 1992 Acura Vigor
  By joh - August 2 - 2:00 am

  expensive parts,but its worth it.

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  Think Again! - 2003 Acura CL
  By MadHorse - August 2 - 2:00 am

  The Car is fun to drive, But there are too many problems. I bought this used at 23,000 miles and drove it for about half year, initially the parking brake did not work, then the wheel bearing went back, then the battery cable went loose and I was stuck at a fast food restaurant after lunch for two hours, then the brakes went back and the rear rotors were damaged and brake pads only had 5% (highly unusal). Then the expenses tires needs replacement and I am up for a wheel alignment, the cupholder keeps making noise and the rear window defroster does not work... thought I bought an Acura but this thing is not reliable at all.

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  Gettin another one as soon as I can - 2002 Acura MDX
  By Pdeaun - August 2 - 2:00 am

  This is a great SUV! Its stylishness turns heads. Its roomy, I have filled this truck with 2 32 inch TVs (in their boxes) and still had room for the rest of the Christmas shopping bags. The MDX is a real workhorse. It has good pick-up and is not bad on gas (which is getting harder and harder to judge) As soon as I am ready, I will fly back to the dealer for a newer model

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  2005 TL NAVI 6 SPEED - 2005 Acura TL
  By ALI - August 1 - 9:56 am

  I love the Acura TL. For the money you cannot beat it. It is a very smooth operator, a little stiff on the ride; it might be the 17" wheels. I guess my TL will be a little stiffer because I will be putting 19" shoes on it soon. I like everything about the exterior styling. The interior of the car is above average to me. A lot of the car is voice activated. XM radio is ok, I wish I could hook up my MP3 player, nice 6 disc CD player, the audio system is 5.1 surround sound, nice highs with a powerful sub. The navi is to sweat, and I hope you already have a Bluetooth phone. I use my Nokia 6620, nice, paired up on first try. I have already used the heated mirrors and seats.

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  Excellent Sport Car - 1998 Acura Integra
  By SiL - August 1 - 2:00 am

  This car is excellent for those who live in warm-weather climates and dont need to deal with snow or rain for half a year. Its fast when you want it to be, excellent on gas mileage and always turns heads wherever you go. This is a great car for a high school or college kid that needs something reliable yet relaitvley inexpensive. I would certainly purchase another Integra GS-R if I lived in a state such as Florida or California.