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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  An Incredible Coupe! - 2003 Acura CL
  By Gidget - June 11 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my 2003 Acura CL Type-S in Anthracite Metallic the day the model was released. I have been thrilled with this car. With the VSA and tighter suspension, you almost feel like youre driving a sports car. The handling is great, the interior is rich, the body is solid and the engine is quick. I do not believe there is a more luxurious, better performing car out there for the money (the ONLY option on this car is the navigation system).

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  I Love My CL-S - 2001 Acura CL
  By Jersey Girl - June 11 - 2:00 am

  25,000 miles and not a single mechanical problem here. The car is a blast to drive and my bright red CL- Type S still gets envious looks! Its fast and smooth. Its easy to do 85 mph on the highway before you even realize it. The only complaints I have are a thin paint job...it seems to scratch and chip easily and noise from the moonroof if I leave the cover open. Other than that, I am an extremely satisfied customer. I would buy another Acura in a heartbeat!

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  No Wonder its the 2007 SUV of the year - 2007 Acura MDX
  By Acuraman3 - June 11 - 12:20 am

  Having owned two Toyota 4Runners, a Lexus RX 300 and a 330, and having test driven the 2007 Lexus GX 470 and the BMW X5, I can say without a doubt that the 2007 Acura MDX - my very first Acura - is the best SUV Ive ever driven and much more fun than driving a car.The SH-AWD system alone is worth the price of ownership. The first big snow will make you smile because youll feel safe and secure, knowing youll get wherever you want to go. Actually, the SUV handles beautifully any time of year and Acura reliability means it wont be in the shop every month. The interior is classy and elegant. Comfortable and intuitive, its the best SUV Ive ever driven.

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  Best Car Ive ever Owned or even driven - 1991 Acura Legend
  By Nitsua - June 10 - 2:00 am

  My personal favorite. The Legend of the early nineties was the best car ever produced by Acura. It fully lives up to its name. Ive put over 170 thousand miles on mine and I look forward to many more. This great looking sedan drives like a 2-door and shifts like a sports car with an engine to back it. If you want a luxury sports car, but need room for the kids, this is your car.

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  One of the best cars to lease - 2002 Acura CL
  By amresource - June 10 - 2:00 am

  This car is awesome!

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  Best Car On The Road For The Money - 2005 Acura TL
  By Ed H - June 9 - 10:36 am

  This car is so much fun to drive, I love the 6 speed transmission performs as well as european cars. I know my future cars will be Acuras. I especially like the hands free link ease of use. And to be able to open the roof and windows from the remote is great on those warm days. Also the climate control system is the best I have ever experienced in a car. And driving in the rain the car feels like glue on the road, and driving in the snow with the TSA is great gives you traction instantly. This a true drivers car with all the amenties you could ask for and for the money the best car you will ever own.

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  Well Built Luxury Car at a Great Price - 2004 Acura RL
  By lovethisrl - June 9 - 2:00 am

  Built in Japan, the RL has great build quality and is extremely reliable. Standard Onstar, XM satellite radio, navigation, heated seats, Bose, and all the stuff that other manufacturers cream you for as add-ons. A very reasonable price for all that you get.

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  Almost 110k miles, still running new. - 1999 Acura TL
  By Alex Sonne - June 9 - 2:00 am

  I have had 2 problems with this car in its 110k mile life so far. After 65k miles the transmission went. They told me that the tiptronic was causing the problem and not to use it all that often. At 89k miles the Traction control went. They fixed both under warranty for me even though it was over the mileage limit.

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  Fast Car and Lots of Fun - 2002 Acura RSX
  By thumper67 - June 9 - 2:00 am

  Good sports car for people who are tall. Plenty of room inside. Sleek and clean interior design.

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  Acura Hits A Homerun - 2004 Acura TL
  By Kennys Dream Car - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Acura put everything in one neat package and at an affordable price. I was looking for a 2 door car. I was not crazy about the look of the CL (too bland). I was hoping they made it more sporty looking for 2004, only to find out it was no longer being made. I noticed the 2004 TL on the internet and instantly fell for it. Not only did it look good and was loaded for the price, but it also came in a stick shift. I did my research, compared it to BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, etc, and decided I was getting the most for my money along with Acura reliability.