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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  Nice Ride - 2010 Acura TSX
  By KMack - September 16 - 2:00 am

  Well I bit the bullet, was considering a V6 accord Coupe, but after really looking hard, decided on the TSX V6. I am impressed with this vehicle. As Porsche owner, I can verifiably say the handling for a sports sedan is quit good. The steering has a nice feel especially at high speeds. The V6 get pretty decent fuel mileage. The ride is very acceptable. I really have nothing negative to say. My opinion is after looking at the Lexus IS250, this car is above it. The size is perfect. And the features it offers make it a very nice package. I am impressed with the Noise Cancelling system. Really does a nice job keeping out the external noises.

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  A very good car - 2010 Acura TL
  By Emkay - September 15 - 2:00 am

  I have been driving this car for 8 months now. It has been a pleasant experience. Its a good value for the money and provides a very decent experience. The car picks at a good pace if engine is raved up. The car could have a higher lower end torque, that will add to the driving pleasure. The car has very good audio system with subwoofer, however when you play some music with little high bass, it feels like the rear windshield is going to break. Overall car is a fun to drive but do not expect the thrill and driving experience of Infiniti G37 or BMW 3 or 5 series cars.

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  Navi - 2010 Acura RDX
  By Bean - September 14 - 2:00 am

  The RDX is exeptional in every way...Id recommend it to anyone. The quality is second to none. But I want to stress the superiority of the NAV package. After a recent road trip in a friends Lexus, I am embarrassed for Toyota. The Honda Navi is far superior...the joy stick, zoom in/out, changing addresses on the go, categories of attractions, etc. The Acura Navi is intuitive, easy to use, fun and informative. I only have Lexus to compare it to, but that Toyotas is a total waste of money.

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  Great for a 10 year old car. - 2000 Acura Integra
  By Aaron - September 13 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my Integra for a little over 2 years. It was my first car and overall Im very happy with it. The seats are supportive and comfortable for daily driving, though they lack in lumbar support on long trips. Car pulls respectfully for its powertrain. The transmission is fairly easy to operate, though it tends to catch 3rd gear when power shifting. Short throw shifter is a good purchase for everyone, as it aides in smoother quicker shifts. Steering is spot on, though a bit fluttery at times. Overall great car, though it does show its age in some areas.

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  Great Car - 2005 Acura TL
  By Cornel - September 13 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this TL in April. Love the car with only one real complaint. The Seats are hard to keep clean.. The dye from jeans bleed right into the leather. The seats are tan so they look dirty. Other than that this is a wonderful car.

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  Absolutely Awful - 2010 Acura TSX
  By dimitrir - September 13 - 2:00 am

  Regardless of price, this must be the worst car on the road! Suspension is so clunky and noisy that I do not want to drive this car. Corporate ACURA and dealership say that "this is the way it was engineered". ACURA should be absolutely embarassed and ashamed.

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  Safe bet - 2006 Acura TL
  By sasha - September 13 - 2:00 am

  This car has many plus features, very few negatives. However after going from a sport car to a sedan the handling leaves something to be desired. Plenty of power but could use more torque. A little noisy for a high end car. Nav system talks too much and looks very outdated(like something off an old Atari system). Sound system OK. Very spacious and comfortable inside. For the price of the car you certainly get a lot of great features, bluetooth, homelink etc..Have had absolutely no mechanical problems. Would def recommend this car.

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  Gotta love this one! - 2010 Acura MDX
  By Bruced4 - September 12 - 2:00 am

  Fast, nimble, comfortable, killer stereo. This is an amazing vehicle. It drives more like a sports car than an SUV. Incredible in the corners. Great power throughout the RPM band with smooth delivery from the 6 speed tranny. I have heard some complaints about gas mileage but I get 18 all around - quite good for this size vehicle. I think this is probably the best value in a luxury SUV out there, so make sure it is on your test drive short list.

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  Silky Smooth - 2010 Acura TL
  By WalterSobchak - September 12 - 2:00 am

  Was shopping on and off for an all-wheel drive luxury/performance car, and was checking out all the usual suspects (Audi, BMW, Benz) plus the Subaru Legacy GT. I had written the Acura TL off, as I was determined to keep my left foot awake with a M/T. Around the end of July, I discovered that Acura added a M/T to the 2010 lineup. Went to the dealer for a test- drive, and fell in love with the handling/power mix. The size and amenities are great, and the (polarizing) looks have been growing on me daily. Dollar for dollar, the 4g TL is the best value mid-size performo luxo sedan on the road, especially once resale value and insurance costs are figured in (w/ the perfect crash-test ratings).

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  OMG I love this Car!!!!! - 2004 Acura TSX
  By Margie - September 11 - 2:00 am

  I located this wonderful vehicle that is 6 years old and only had 39,000 miles. I must say this is one of the best Ive ever driven. The only thing I would chang is I cant hook up my I pod when Im in the car. It is soooooo much fun , quick and very intuitive.