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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  such a car - 2004 Acura TL
  By pmch - December 24 - 10:00 am

  I relied so much on comsumer reviews when searching for my new car...the Acura TL has been fabulous..quiet..great interior..cant say enough good things about it...Drive one!

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  A few problems - 2004 Acura TL
  By stanjl50 - December 24 - 10:00 am

  I have had my TL for three weeks now. It is a very nice car in most respects. Handles very well, fast, good mileage. A tad noisy. It has been in the shop for a week because one of the speakers was not attached and parts keep showing up defective. Someone else has already noted the problem with the gas gauge. It tells you it is empty when it has 3 gallons left. This defect is called a feature by Honda since it was designed to be that way, according to my dealer, at least. Honda doesnt want you running out of gas, and supposedly calibrated the computer telling you how many miles till empty to get to zero too quickly, along with the gas gauge. Pathetic.

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  I love it - 2016 Acura ILX
  By Holly Swanson - December 24 - 7:29 am

  I absolutely adore this car. I have no idea what some people are talking about regarding the seats being uncomfortable. These are the most comfortable seats Ive ever driven in. This car is just what I was looking for...a beautiful, reliable and luxurious commuter. The white model really turns heads and by the first week Id already gotten so many compliments. Interior road noise is perfect, road feel is excellent, steering is excellent, ever little detail in his car screams luxury. Really nothing bad I can say about this car, and no Ive not been paid to say these things...this car is just that good.

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  Great little car - 2006 Acura TSX
  By mikeL - December 23 - 3:47 pm

  This has to be the best 4 cylinder engine on the market, it is phenomenal. You can really motor in this car. I use mainly on the highways to go back and forth to work and its a great commuting car. Its a small car, but very comfortable on the inside even for someone 6 feet tall like me. The gas mileage is great, I average 30 miles on the highway. All the features on the car are standard, Navigation is the only option which makes life a lot easier. Best car for $30K on the market.

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  3 years and still going strong - 2002 Acura MDX
  By drhibert - December 23 - 11:15 am

  I bought my 02 MDX in 06 with 64,000 miles on it. I have not had any problems with it in the last 3 years. I keep up with regular maintenance - thats it. I can regularly get 20-22mpg around town, and up to 26 highway. Pretty good for an SUV. Im up to 120,000 miles and it still drives and looks great. Theres a weird pop noise when going back into drive after being in reverse, but its been there since I bought it and has never caused any problems. To my understanding, it is common to most 02 MDXs.

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  Great Value - 2003 Acura CL
  By TMDNH - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Love the car. The dealership was easy and actually enjoyable to work with. I sold my 1999 EXV6 Coupe for this car and I am not disappointed I did.

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  Acura MDX The Best SUV - 2003 Acura MDX
  By Acuraguy - December 22 - 10:00 am

  I like the DVD System. The 260 HP engine is great and more than powerful enough to drive this suv. It is perfect. I really enjoy driving this suv.

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  Acura MDX - 2003 Acura MDX
  By Microsoft398 - December 22 - 10:00 am

  It is a great SUV. It handles well in the rain. I love the navigation system. The sound system is great sounding. Test drive all suvs that you are considering before this one and you will be suprised. Get the Acura MDX. You dont have to take my word for it, go test drive the MDX.

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  Fun for the Aging Boomer - 2003 Acura TL
  By jbscoop - December 22 - 10:00 am

  TL-S is great driving. Surprisingly good MPG. Traded up from an A-4. Performance is comparable. Interior comfort is much better. And cost about 6-8 K less!! Minor nitpick. The paint coat seems susceptible to dings. I seem to be getting a few too many nicks.

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  Best Sporty Bet in Full Sized Four Door - 2003 Acura TL
  By Dave TL-S - December 22 - 10:00 am

  The TL-S is nearly a true sports car masquerading as a family sedan. Gobs of power, great stereo, supremely comfortable seats on long rides, perforated leather keeps things comfy; Great seating for four adults with a huge trunk; endless options list. A similarly equiped BMW would cost $40k+. Handling has some problems with standard front/rear sway bars.