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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  best car for its value.. ever - 2012 Acura RL
  By mung27 - November 2 - 11:10 am

  Its Nov 2015. Which means this review is as about as update as it gets (so far). Car is a decade old and its still amazing. Its like a great marriage. Reliable, dependable and know what to expect. I had Subarus prior to this car. Living in the great NW, its a must to have AWD. To list its "perks" will take up so much space. Its pretty much clicking "option all".. Standard. Its a tank in the snow, literally. Brakes are amazing, but because of the weight, braking takes some getting used to. Stereo is amazing, couple with the quiet, smooth ride. This car went for roughly 47k 10yrs ago, I can see why. Only have her oil changed. Not to mention the awd is amazing so this car only needs all seasons. As for"performance". Its sports "luxury", not a race car. The power is there when its needed, but this car is at its most fun in corners. The balance on this car is incredible. For those that may get a lemon, Im sorry. For those that have found one that has been appreciated.. Finders keepers. Keep it !!

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  2012 TSX w/ Technology 4 cyl. - 2012 Acura TSX
  By Jack - November 1 - 8:46 pm

  Traded in my Honda Accord at 199,000 miles. Liked the reliability and fuel efficiency of the 4 cyl. Accord and found a TSX for about the same price. I am not sure if it is a sporty, economical car or a economical, sporty car. It is a bit smaller than the Accord, comparable to the BMW 3 series in size and appointments. The engine performance is not near the BMW, maybe the 6 cyl. would be better. The "Technology" package is great, a lot of stuff I dont use, but it has a Rockin Stereo! Look forward to taking it up to 199,000 miles too.

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  Great Value, Great Fun - 2015 Acura TLX
  By Stan Waclaw - October 31 - 7:27 pm

  I traded in a 2013 BMW 328x drive. I love the new TLX with the technology package. The stereo is outstanding. The car is super quiet and no squeaky dashboard like the BMW. The power delivery is very linear and not punch like the BMW. I really dont see any difference in the handling between the two cars - both are great. The drivers side leg space is very big - especially right leg room. My right leg always leaned against the console of the 328, but I have lots of room in the TLX. I read many reviews that dissed the dual screen infotainment system. I dont find it any less difficult to navigate than BMWs I-drive. I like the Siri-integration. The headlights are outstanding, even more so that they come standard. I upgraded the headlights in the BMW and they still didnt come close to the clarity and visibility of the jewel-eyed TLX. I priced out a similarly equipped 3 series at over 50K. The TLX was priced at 32,000 for the year end clearance. I feel very happy with my purchase.

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  Like me, this little car does not show its age - 1997 Acura Integra
  By Cathy H - October 31 - 11:12 am

  I am the second owner of my 1997 Acura Integra LS. People are shocked to learn it is nearly 20 years old. The mileage is creeping up there (just like me)and I have kept up with all the regular maintenance like timing belt and exhaust replacements when needed just like I would check and maintain my own health issues as I get older and I am in pretty good shape for my age. So is my Integra. I have had noooooooo major problems and none that you wouldnt expect from an older car. Another amazing phenomenon is that it has been just the last year it has just started to rust a little around the wheel wells but I live in the northeast and I expected a whole lot more than what it is. Kind of like my wrinkles. It rides and travels beautifully and the gas mileage on this little girl is unbelievable!! I get about 36 or 37 MPG on the highway. The other thing I like about the Integra is that there are very few blind spots around the car, unlike a lot of newer model cars. The Integra handles really well on snowy roads but not so good on ice (what vehicle does?) It sits low to the ground so if there is a major snowfall you have to tuck yourself in after the first few inches are on the roads until the road crews get out to plow. That hasnt been an inconvenience for me at all. The one "negative" I would have to include is the headlights. High beam on this car is less quality than low beam on most newer cars and the radius of the lighting area is not the best. If you are travelling in an area where there is a risk of large animals wandering onto the road, this could be a concern because you cant see them along side the road very well. This is such an awesome car I would recommend it to anyone who wants a classy vehicle that is economical and lasts a long time, just like some of us classy older models from the 60s. : )

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  Comfortable/Reliable/Stylish - 2012 Acura TSX
  By Randy - October 29 - 6:37 pm

  This is my second TSX. I love this car. Very comfortable on long distance drives. Best gas mileage in its class. Disappointed Acura decided to morph the TSX & TL into the TLX.

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  Pure reliability - 2014 Acura TL
  By James Robinson - October 24 - 7:42 pm

  Needs premium fuel but is a great car for performance. On the highway you couldnt ask for a better ride or acceleration.

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  Its Not a Thrill - 2015 Acura TLX
  By David D - October 24 - 12:01 pm

  Acura advertises that the TLX is "Some kind of Thrill." A better descriptor is "Some kind of Numb." My previous Acura was a TSX V6. The TLX is also a V6. Nothing about the TLXs performance connotes sportiness or performance. At worst, its a souped up Accord or its the best Oldsmobile ever made. It has no feeling of connectivity to the road. This is due to the poor steering, suspension, and tire combination. Rubbery describes it best. All wheel steer creates an odd feeling and a feature to coverup engineering design flaws. The brakes are average. The pushbutton 9 speed transmission is silly, slow to engage, and has lots of travel when placed into park. The touch screen infotainment is abysmal. Its a design copout. The engine is Honda quality. Strong and gets great gas mileage on the highway. Its quiet. The headlights work well. Acura took 6 years to release the TLX. Its supposed to be smaller than the prior TL except it sits on the same wheel base. Park next to an Accord and its hard to distinguish the two. Thats why the TLX suffers. Nothing about it makes it a distinctive sports sedan ready to fight the German competition. If you want a fancier Accord at Honda value, this is the car for you. Otherwise, look carefully at the alternatives.

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  Drives Great "IF" You Can Get it to Start! - 2014 Acura RLX
  By Jacqueline Scott - October 24 - 1:45 am

  Purchased my 2014 RLX in May 2014. Other than the fact that the engine was kind of loud, and the car did not come with a spare tire of any kind, I was in love with my RLX the first time I drove it. My favorite feature is the All Wheel Steering I love the way the car handles. What I dont love is that something keeps draining the battery. The first time my car failed to start was in Jan 2015, eight months after I purchased it. This happened again in Sep 2015. The car was completely dead both times wouldnt make a sound. I had to call Acura roadside assistance to jumpstart the car each time. The car was taken to the dealership after each incident and they could not find what was causing the battery to drain, or any other problem with the vehicle. I have also had problems with the touch screen going blank, Forward Collision Warning activating for no reason, the Bluetooth/phone screen not responding, and voice activation not working properly. The Navigation system doesnt work very well either, once you "finally" figure out how to use it. I have had several problems trying to get the system to find addresses. The search feature doesnt do a good job of keying in on your current area for requested searches, not to mention, maps are outdated. As much as I like the Acura RLX, It is unreliable, so I would not recommend it to a friend or anyone else for that matter.

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  Dont think twice just buy it! - 2009 Acura TSX
  By Mark Wilmes - October 22 - 7:31 pm

  I bought my TSX used in early 2014. My company moved from the suburbs to downtown so my commute changed from an easy 10 minutes on a turnpike to 20-30 minutes of Indy 500 with crack-ups and rescue vehicles included, and Im so glad I bought the TSX instead of some larger sedans or SUVs I was looking at. My wife has a 2011 Pilot EXL so the need for another SUV really wasnt there anyway. Weve had or still have six Hondas and two Acuras plus Mazdas and Nissans and some Fords. Im getting over 25 MPG even with all the stops and starts and racing that Im doing. I use the paddle shifters ALL THE TIME and its so cool to pass or get around someone and then to accelerate and just get away from them (even within the speed limit, the acceleration is awesome). I did read the reviews about geting the 6 cylinder if you can find one, and I did test drive a 4 cylinder and then a 6 cylinder, back to back and the 6 is spectacular. I wasnt quite ready to pull the trigger, and the color of the 6 cylinder was white and I prefer black. The paddle shifters make the 4 cylinder a blast. This car is very fun to drive. Its easy to find a 4 cylinder in the color combination you want, and when you do, just buy it! I got mine with 64,000 miles on it and Im at 104,000 after 20 months. Ill probably take it to 135,000 miles and then sell it and get a 2013 or 2014. This car is great for getting around in the parking garage, and my 17-year old son and his buddies think its pretty slick!

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  Love this car from the outside - 2015 Acura TLX
  By Ann - October 22 - 9:53 am

  Once you get in, and drive - particularly at NIGHT is when you really cant stand it. The lights are so very dim - we live in an area with no street lights. Test drive was on a highway - and didnt notice how DARK the car is. When you come to an intersection and need to turn - you see an absolute BLACK HOLE on the sides of the car - no visibility whatsoever. Cant see a deer, dog, bear, bicycle rider, pedestrian - zip nada nothing! You have to use the high beams the entire ride - and my 2006 Acura had great lights. Loved the look of these LED from the outside, but the brightness is very short distance ahead. Makes you very unsure around the next bend. I have to look into some type of fog lights being added, because my husband and I recognize we could well be killed driving this vehicle at night. The transmission is quirky - especially around 40-45 MPH, does this zooming up thing while you are coasting. Should you take your foot off the gas to approach either a hill or railroad tracks - the car comes to life and speeds itself up! Craziest thing. Absolutely HATE electronics all on the screen. Simple function like adjusting fan speed cant be accomplished because of the glare on the screen. Just give me a dial! Why does the car rock repeatedly every time I brake - no matter how gently? I feel that someone went way too far with the electronics, and over engineered what ought to be simple tasks. Headlights are DANGEROUS and I foresee a recall in the near future - as was the case with the shiny ac vents reflecting off the mirror - which were replaced with black matte ones. BTW - Still havent found the odometer??? 6 Weeks of ownership.