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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  Second time around - 2005 Acura MDX
  By rob2xmdxbuyer - July 2 - 10:00 am

  This is my second MDX and I love it more than the first one(2001) I had to wait 3 months for the first one and it was well worth it. The 2005 model is a great improvement. More power, comfort , options and its even quieter. Hip, Hip huray for acura. and a special thanks to Rob at Paragon Acura for the great service.

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  A truly wonderful automobile - 2005 Acura TSX
  By Jim - July 1 - 1:16 pm

  Ive owned this car for over a month so far and cannot be happier with my decision to buy it. I had cross-shopped this vehicle with the BMW 3-series (reliability concerns and much less value for money), Audi A4 (again, less value for the money), Lexus IS 300 (too small) and Mazda6 (inferior build quality). No other vehicle was comparable to the all-around the performance, quality, and features found in the TSX. The power is excellent especially for a 4-cylinder engine, and the handling is taut and precise. The interior is very nicely appointed, and the car comes fully loaded. I opted against the only option - the navigation feature as I didnt think it was necessary for my needs.

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  Great car in more way than one. - 2005 Acura MDX
  By Heli Bassham - June 29 - 11:20 am

  I have been driving several luxury cars in the past and I have never like any of them as much as I love my MDX. This car is just awsome. So much space and it drives so smooth handles great in the snow and rain. It is just a wonderful car. Thank you Acura for making it.

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  Honda/Acura got it right - 2003 Acura TL
  By njgladiator - June 29 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my TL for a couple of years and have no complaints at all. I would buy this car again with any hesitation, the engine is very powerful and the ride and extremely comfortable yet very fun to drive.

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  WOW check it out! - 2015 Acura TLX
  By jan jusko - June 28 - 11:32 pm

  Test-drove the 300 and 400 Benz and the 300 and 400 BMW’s and they do not even come close. They were loud, stiff, and felt cheap inside. The TLX is an incredible auto and an incredible value. The MSRP on my TLX was 46,000 for a comparable Benz or BMW the MSRP was 53,000 to 55,000. I do mostly highway driving and it handles great at all speeds and is quiet and well made. Oh by the way, the trade-in value is better than the Benz or BMW. You cannot buy a better car for the price. Test drove the base model and was not impressed but the all- wheel drive advanced package is a home run!

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  Absolutely the best mid SUV available - 2007 Acura MDX
  By Mr. Mike - June 28 - 10:40 am

  Im one of those people who research purchases to the point of exhaustion prior to making a decision. Additionally I test drove all similar vehicles. Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares with this vehicle for the price paid. Everything about this vehicle is top tier, fit and finish, performance, luxury, reliability and safety. I feel as if this vehicle is a bargin even at MSRP! Acura simply has produced a excellent automobile at a great price.

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  RDX exceeding expectations so far - 2007 Acura RDX
  By patentcad - June 27 - 6:20 am

  Its impossible to convey the RDXs overall excellence in a brochure or 10 min test drive. After a week Im THRILLED. More like an AWD TL station wagon. An SUV that out performs many sports sedans and handles like a Porsche 944. Superb passenger comfort. You sacrifice a little in the cargo area dept., but the car is perfectly adequate for our needs. We installed Thule cross bars and attachments to the factory roof rack. Fuel economy? Im getting 17-18 city, 22-23 hwy and about 20 mpg combined. That will improve once the engine breaks in. On the gas guzzler issue - compare the RDX to real world mpg from other AWD wagons/small SUVs and youll find its better than most of them.

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  Commute in comfort and have some fun! - 2012 Acura TL
  By Peter - June 26 - 1:39 pm

  Upgraded from a 3rd gen TL, what a huge huge difference. The car has minimal body roll, strong brakes, brisk acceleration. Passing cars is a breeze. You go from 65-85 in less than 2.5 seconds. Wheel has torque steer, be prepared for it, even when accelerating at highway speeds. Interior could be quieter. Wind and road noise is noticeable. Brake feel is great, doesnt dive when braking and the transmission shifts smoothly at all speeds making it a very comfortable commuter car on the jam packed 805 and 5. I wish the car had direct injection and valve shut off. Commute is 17 miles. 5 miles of which are torture, 12 of which are open, averaging only 21.3 mpg. Wish the car had 20-30 more hp. Paddle shifters work extremely well allowing you to downshift to slow down like a manual transmission increasing longevity of brakes.

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  Acura 2003 RSX - 2003 Acura RSX
  By PRBillie - June 23 - 10:00 am

  Awesome Car, easy to manage. Sticks to the road!

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  Best Car for the money - 2003 Acura RSX
  By Thunderek - June 23 - 10:00 am

  I am so pleased with my rsx. I was never too into cars, but i knew i wanted performance, luxury, advanced features for a great price. It was the first new car i ever bought. The shifter is like butter, speed is great, did great in the winter here in buffalo too. Sound system is great. If i had a quirk with it, id say the seats could use for comfort. But it is a sports car.