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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  07 MDX - 2007 Acura MDX
  By rg - June 4 - 9:26 am

  Unbelievable value, the whole nine yards. Build quality, performance, tech features galore. ULEV to boot. I can picture driving this SUV for ten years, it will probably seem state of the art for the first five.

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  My RL - 2005 Acura RL
  By Tom - June 3 - 12:36 pm

  I like this car so much that I feel like I should write to Acura and thank them for selling it to me!!!!!It is technologically "loaded" but still simple to operate. The Nav system, voice recognition, and xm radio are great. It also handles almost as well as a sports car without the bone jarring bumps.

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  My 2nd TL - 2007 Acura TL
  By bbj - June 2 - 6:23 pm

  This is my 2nd Acura TL Nav. I just traded my 05 Anthracite for a new 07. Many people thought I was crazy, but it was well worth it. This car is much better than 2005. The ride is better, the features ext/int. the sound is awesome. This car is a keeper. I took white w/taupe this time, since its more of a luxury color. There is nothing not to like in the new TL. Everything you need, you get.

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  Yet Another Review on Acuras Bad Transmission - 2015 Acura TLX
  By MikeH - June 1 - 11:19 pm

  Like the other reviews, the biggest problem with Acura is the 9 speed ZF transmission. About half the time it grinds and shutters between gears, it refuses to upshift, and the car is slow to switch into transmission modes (park, reverse, etc.). I have taken it back to the dealership 8 times and they say they replaced the transmission. I spoke to the Acura area rep (who was a poor representative for Acura, he was rude and told me the car is supposed to shift that way because of the government fuel economy requirements - what?!). Our family has owned 3 Acuras so far and loved them all. Sadly, this is our last Acura. While I appreciate the cars fuel economy, safety features, and smooth/quiet ride - the horrible Acura response to a faulty product (especially for a $45k car), cumbersome infotainment system, and unacceptable transmission is shameful for a once reputable brand.

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  Pride and Joy: My 2003 Acura TL Type-S - 2003 Acura TL
  By T. Godfrey - June 1 - 10:00 am

  From the moment I took delivery of my 2003 Acura TL Type-S, I knew it was going to be a match made in heaven. From its smooth acceleration, superb cornering ability, roomy interior, dependability, and the blissful aesthetics - I am still convinced I made the correct choice in purchasing an Acura. While driving to/from work, I still get the occasional stair from curious on- lookers. I love my TL!

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  So far - Great - 2017 Acura RDX
  By TiggerEsqOC - May 29 - 5:42 pm

  So far this car is what I expected. It is a good value which is the main reason I chose it. I wanted a small SUV but not too small, with good MPG and some creature comforts. My base with Acura Watch Plus does not have navigation, which I did want but it also doesnt have some of the custom ability that I would like and am used to. Such as unlocking all doors when unlocking one, the passenger seat only has 4-way adjustment. The acceleration is good, and it has the power I need. I was driving a $60k Audi Q5 as a loaner before I got the Acura RDX, and that was an amazing car, but I didnt have $60k to spend on a car, for the price difference (I paid $34,000) it is a great option.

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  The best under $25K for coupe/hatch - 2002 Acura RSX
  By cheeku - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Been a month since I got the car. No problems whatsoever,car is zippy enough, great mileage even without using premium. I had shopped against a VW jetta(1.8T). Too much body roll on the jetta.Ideal car for someone who is single although the back seat is not too bad for short drives. Handles very well on the twisties. If anyone is from Austin take it on 2222 and youll be sold.

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  Despite shortcomings, best value overall - 2003 Acura TL
  By jnsacura - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Compared to other sedans in its class, the TL type-S falls slightly behind the best in performance and comfort, however the lower price, high reliability, favorable insurance crash test results and high resale were too practical to ignore. They even outweighed the numerous shortcomings, some of which are listed below.

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  awesome - 2004 Acura TSX
  By honda power - May 26 - 10:00 am

  power, looks and feel. this car is a treat to drive, everything fucntions properly.fit and finish are excellent. tight quiet. my only complaint would be american models get far more options.

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  acura TSX - 2004 Acura TSX
  By cheryl dambacher - May 26 - 10:00 am

  ive driven 7 acura TLs 2.5TL to 3.2TL. always a very reliable car, great to drive, and holds value. i trade between 43K and 48K. ive just purchase the tsx and only have 800 miles on it. it is a sport feel to drive. havent noticed the difference in the 4 cylindar from the V6. Dont know about the gas mileage yet... There is the same amount of room in both TL and TSX. I traded down because the TL took a jump of approx $4000. didnt want to pay over $30,000 for a car that i use in real estate.