Acura was conceived as the luxury division of Honda. Honda created it in 1986 with the brand, Legend. This became a runaway success. Next in the lineup of models was the Integra, a sport coupe and sedan.

Its best success was in 1991, with the NSX sports car. This new all-aluminum construction became a rage, also because it was priced substantially lower than its European models.

Although less flamboyant than most European luxury makes, the Acura was well received in the US market. It went down well because of its sophisticated features, high reliability and low costs of maintenance. Service on the vehicle was easy, since it was backed by the service network Honda had built.

It started a new trend in naming its models with alphanumeric designations in the 1990’s. After a series of average performances through that decade including the SLX in the mid-90s, Acura started the 2000s with a revamped model, the MDX.

This SUV included various innovative features, such as a third-row seat. It became a successful model, and helped the company regain its position to an extent.

In 2002, it came out with the Acura RSX sport coupe, which was considered a successor to the Integra. This was followed in 2004 by another all-new entry-level sport sedan, the TSX. In 2004, it also totally redesigned one of is more popular brands, the midsize TL sedan. The following year, it redesigned its flagship brand, the RL luxury sedan.

With these three cars, Acura has come back to the forefront of the luxury car segment. With all the features these cars offer, and given the fact that these are a lot cheaper than European and American cars in this segment, the Acura is today regarded as a top-notch luxury brand. It scores highly in J.D. Power quality and satisfaction surveys.