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 great car to drive and looks good too! - 2003 Acura MDX
  By cmh - July 11 - 10:00 am

  This is the best vehicle I have ever purchased. It drives like a car and handles the road great. For the first time I was not afraid to drive in the snow. I could feel the 4 wheel drive kick in just when needed. The kids love the flexibility of sitting in the middle seat or all the way in the back for some private time. Our only regret was not getting the DVD system.

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  24 MPG on the HWY - 2007 Acura RDX
  By Bryan - July 7 - 9:23 am

  I have made 2 round trip between Baton Rouge and New Orleans driving on Interstate 10. The trip computer said that I was getting 24.1 MPG @ 65 MPH. I didnt notice any turbo lag when I punched it while driving around town. Steering pulls to the right somewhat. Dont know if it is an alignment problem or not.

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  Great car - 2005 Acura TL
  By rob leonard - July 6 - 4:30 pm

  Upper end sedan loaded with fun for less than a BMW or Mercedes. A must look for any buyer in this category.

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  A+ - 2003 Acura MDX
  By matthewjoshua - July 5 - 10:00 am

  The MDX is excellent and fun to drive -- - very roomy and lots of cargo space. It is quiet and surely drives like a car. Has lots of power and real easy to drive. It is also fuel economy. I love its 2003 overall look. I am so glad that I bought the MDX. Its worth the money. Thank you.

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  Great Car - 2003 Acura TL
  By bobbennett1 - July 5 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely not a hitch in 9000 miles, except the dealer wanting $100+ for tire rotation and oil change.

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  love it! - 2005 Acura MDX
  By rsl82472 - July 4 - 5:06 am

  I love this car and I think everyone who has one does! I love how custumizable they are, you rarely see two the same, unless they are base models with-out accessories. When people personalize their MDX generally youll they often com up with their own combinations to creat a unique look. But surprisingly Acura doesnt offer any rim choices.

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  Great car - 2006 Acura RL
  By Skip Richards - June 30 - 2:25 am

  $300 in total repairs with 145,000 miles on car

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  Watch out Germany - 2004 Acura TL
  By G35KLR - June 29 - 2:00 am

  This is by far the best car I have owned. Everything about it is outstanding. All I can asy is the big three from Germany better watch out. Acura has stolen your thunder. You will no longer be able to hide behind your nameplate. If you live in Southern Cali. see Bill Haun at Cush Acura of Escondido. He was very professional, and easy to work with. He did everything in his power to provide me with a truely memorable experience.

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  RSX-S is the best value on the road. - 2004 Acura RSX
  By Gorodnitzki - June 23 - 2:00 am

  This is my fourth Acura (although last car was Maxima SE) and its easily the best. I feel funny about giving straight 10s, but this car deserves every one. I look forward to driving it every day, whether to work or across country. Fast, fun, comfortable and it is amazing how much stuff you can fit in the hatch. And I get unsolicited compliments on it regularly, too. Synthetic oil helps performance and quiets engine noise. Unbelievable value for $24K. Bravo, Acura!

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  The best! - 2004 Acura RSX
  By Drewpp - June 23 - 2:00 am

  This is the best car Ive ever had! Its so fun to drive!