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 car, fun drive - 1998 Acura TL
  By srb - April 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car after owning a 92 Legend for almost 7 years. Acura continues to produce amazing cars with great performance for the value. Amazing acceleration from this 3.2 litre V6. Highly recommended.

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  Just straight up fun - 1993 Acura Legend
  By oskiller - April 23 - 2:00 am

  I initially bought this car as a replacement for a 95 Cirrus LXi. This was for my wife to drive so I could get my van back. She still drives the van 2- 3 days a week. I love those days. This thing is a joy to drive, especially in the hills around Pittsburgh. Pop the sunroof open when I can, open the windows and cruise on down the road. Havent had this much fun driving a car in years.

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  Uncomfortable seat design - 2001 Acura TL
  By SusieQ - April 23 - 2:00 am

  2002 TL-S,10 months old, 22K miles. When driving or riding, I having pain in my hip that runs down my leg from a sciatic nerve problem that had occurred years before during the time I was driving a 1984 Honda Prelude. I can sit in other vehicles comfortably without pain. Seat bottom seems to have little padding and the lumbar support is weak. The headrest pushes my head forward uncomfortably. The overall seat design doesnt fit me. Passenger seat is worse because it cant be raised. Paint chips on the front end no clear coat? Carpet is thin and wearing. Great gas mileage, great power, beautiful car, but its gotta go.

• 

  Robertos review. - 2005 Acura RL
  By Roberto - April 22 - 11:43 pm

  The car is a pleasure to drive. Its acceleration and movements are excellent. Very comfortable interior with easy to use controls. The voice activation system requires some practice, though, but works fine. Excellent audio system. And the price is competitive when you compare it to the BMW 530.

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  An Excellent Car For your Money - 2005 Acura TSX
  By goddsmack - April 22 - 1:03 pm

  My choices: Mazda 3, Honda 2-D Accord EX V6 6-spd, Nissan Altima, Lexus IS300, and G35 coupe 6MT. The Acura standed out above all in terms of best gas mileage, cheaper insurance, bang for your buck, seat comfort and reliability. Although the accord was close and a better deal (below invoice) than the Acura , the thing that stirred me away from the accord is the really light feel of the accord clutch. The Lexus is a good vehicle reliable, but outdated and screams on the highway due to a 5-spd manual tranmission. The G35 is also fun to drive, but tire issues, gas mileage and brake issues deferred me away. The 3 is wonderful to drive, no issues, but the TSX has more prestige and room.

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  Great Car - 2006 Acura TSX
  By Candice - April 21 - 10:33 pm

  I really enjoy driving my TSX, it is fun to drive has enough power, great gas milege, comes with all options included if you get the navigation system which is also helpful since it is hard to find your way around town sometimes if you are new to an area. The interior design is very classy and the exterior is sleek. I love this car I have had it for 3 months now and I dont think I could have got a better car for the money! It drives smooth, handles curves and wet conditions awesomely. I would seriously consider buying this car if you are in the market for this type of vehicle.

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  Sold after 8 Months - 2016 Acura MDX
  By Bob - April 21 - 8:26 am

  The Bad Slow electronics especially navigation iPhone interface doesnt work well Auto idle awfully annoying and cant turn off permanently Doors dont shut well and often require 2nd attempt Funky noise at 18k when shifting gears Paint seems to chip more easily than other vehicles Auto wipers no so good Climate controls not convenient Good Peppy and quiet smooth ride. AWD is spectacular in snow

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  my acura integra - 1994 Acura Integra
  By Stealth - April 21 - 2:00 am

  I have put over 40,000 miles on my integra and I have taken it to the mechanic twice to fix and alltogether it came out to less than 800 dollars in the 3 years ive owned it. It has been very reliable and fun to drive, and Ive owned this car longer than any others I have had.

• 

  Excellent Car - 1993 Acura Legend
  By Bg357 - April 20 - 2:00 am

  Terrific engine, good transmission, good ride, decent mileage all in a timelessly styled car.

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  Awesome - 1998 Acura Integra
  By Acronym - April 20 - 2:00 am

  Well pretty much u cant find a better car off the lot that can handle this well or even find a car that can tach at 8100 rpms wihtout blowing the engine.I am a GR-R owner and i really love this car i am still stock, just waiting for the money to add mods..My point of veiw GET THIS CAR IF U CAN