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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  Great Care w/ a Few Problems - 2004 Acura TL
  By mke_driver - October 6 - 2:22 pm

  I bought my 2004 TL used with approximately 72K miles on it. Ive had it for a little over 2 years now and have noticed some issues arise. After looking at other TLs it seems that discoloration in the side mirrors is pretty common with this model. I have also had to replace my O2 sensor after failing an emissions test. Just recently my passenger side headlight went out. I have no idea why they built the car like they did but in order to replace either of the headlights(not fog lights), you need to take the bumper off the car making it close to a $400 job ($200 for the headlight & $200 in labor). Its still a great car but can be a little costly to fix at times! Will check in again!

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  Great choice for nexus of features / function / value - 2011 Acura MDX
  By mmr183 - October 2 - 3:38 pm

  Delighted with driving performance and comfort in our MDX. Owner profile can help, so share we are 55-plus couple and retired. Key factors for us in vehicle purchase are safety, comfort, cargo space, driving ease and reliability. Considered Volvo XC90. Lexus Rx & GX, BMW x3 & x5. Nutshell version is we didnÂ’t think any measured up against MDX for nexus of features / function / value. Small snafu in our MDX has been the voice recognition system doesnt always translate some female voice commands correctly. We like the seemingly controversial grille / front end design. Looks sleek to us. Beauty in the eye of the beholder we guess. Love the look of the Bronze / Parchment combo.

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  96 Acura problems - 1996 Acura TL
  By henry49 - September 30 - 9:07 am

  200k mi(9-30-11) oil leak-filter neck gasket, then water pump alternater moter mounts($400ea) fuel pump And relay(stuck on freeway) oil leak on distributor gasket seats crack oil leaks valve cover(numerous)and on cam seal oil burns and smells(must fix) harmonic balancer wheel to alt bad,(must replace) front wheel bjoints radio(cd trouble) I fix one thing then next week or day here comes another, boy, glad Im blessed that I can fix my own vehicle! (I really ain"t finished)

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  Heated Seats - 2011 Acura MDX
  By janetrich - September 28 - 8:02 am

  I purchased the 2011 MDX in August and simply love the SUV. I have always owned a Honda and wanted to own the luxury line of Acura. I love the car but since I drove it out of the dealership I have had problems with the drivers side heated seat (back rest). It feels like it is always on. I have taken it back to the dealers and they ran tests on it but insist that it is fine. But my back always sweats. They will not do anything about it but have told me that other people have brought in their MDX saying the same thing, that the back of the seat feels like it is always heated. Does anyone else have this problem? Maybe if enough people complain they will issue a recall.

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  3rd timies a charm. - 2008 Acura TL
  By jimrobertson - September 27 - 2:56 pm

  Third TL in 12 years. 1st a 2000, loved it, got crushed by a semi. 2nd a 04, got crushed by a F-350, and a teenage driver. Both times the passengers exited without a scratch. Both times, we purchased something else, Lexus RX330, junk-ola, crap mpg, BMW 330Ci, great fun, even while draining the wallet, VW new Beetle, huge inside but no power. Back in a 2008 TL and it is by far the best of the best. Could use a little more power, but super smooth and great mpg for a roomy sedan that I drive way too fast. I hope I can keep this one forever.

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  TSX 2009 - Reliable-No-Torque-Wind-Noise Car - 2009 Acura TSX
  By wantferrari355 - September 26 - 12:16 pm

  Good value, but boring because it lacks power (4-cyl). Wind noise noticable after 90km/h. Battery is small and died twice on me. Rear seat leg room is limited. Other than above, very good package: reliable, stylish and not very expensive.

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  Best Entry Level Value by Far - 2011 Acura TSX
  By stlouiscarguy - September 24 - 2:55 pm

  An overall great contender in the Entry Level Luxury category that happens to be an incredible value in the segment to boot! I only recently got my new TSX but already rank it as my favorite car yet. With the six-speed manual it brings a level of engagement sorely missing from my past few vehicles that raises the driving fun factor exponentially. The 2.4L Four with this transmission is more than adequate for real world acceleration needs. The feature list is extensive when equipped with the Tech package. That combined with the interior materials quality plus fit and finish make this a Wow Car for those that see it for the first time. Most expect it to be priced much higher than it is.

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  I miss my Grand Prixs smooth transmission... - 2007 Acura TL
  By whiterabbit79 - September 22 - 12:56 am

  I shopped around quite a bit before finally choosing the TL. I was looking for a reliable, sporty sedan that wouldnt put me in the poor house. It turns out there arent very many options that fit this bill. Almost none, actually. I had originally been shopping for a new car, but I started to consider certified used cars when I ran out of options and started looking to luxury brands for possibilities. I bought my TL 1.5 years ago, and while I do have some complaints, overall Im very happy with my choice.

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  Best first car ever! - 2001 Acura Integra
  By xjennat - September 18 - 9:00 pm

  Well actually my first car I purchased was a 1994 LS Integra. I had it for about a month till I got in an accident (not my fault) and my poor integra was totaled. It was pretty much devastating. About a month or two later I got my new 2001 LS integra w/ 92k miles and its been a great upgrade. Its a little smoother to drive than my previous 94 but they were essentially the same. After the crash the only other car I wanted was another integra... My integra is so much fun to drive and its the cutest little thing ever. Its perfect for a high school/college student who wants good looks and good MPG. I get about 25 city.

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  Did not meet my exectations as a used vehicle purchase - 2003 Acura TL
  By jacquelineb - September 18 - 11:13 am

  Initially I was proud that my 2003 Acura TL was made in Ohio and purchasing it used fit my budget in 2007. This car can eat four years of family vacations. Expenses include: a rebuilt transmission replacement, convenient electrical features busting. At 80,000 my CD player failed & ate CDs, @ 90,000 CD player buttons on steering wheel failed, @ 100,000 the heated seat feature failed on the passenger side. The one on driver side only heats the back not the bum for which I am keeping my fingers crossed will not fail this week since I need to recover from a back sprain. Leather seats not too durable for no kids no pets family.