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Acura

Launched in the United States on March 27, 1986, by Honda, Acura became the first Japanese automotive brand dedicated to the premium market. Its original range was built around two very different models: the Legend sedan, intended to establish Acura as an upscale marque, and the smaller Integra, focused more directly on driving appeal. Four years later, the Acura NSX gave the young division international visibility with a mid-engine layout and an aluminum body. Over the following decades, Acura expanded through sedans such as the TL and TSX, then placed increasing emphasis on SUVs including the MDX and RDX. The brand’s recorded model range also includes more specialized nameplates such as the CL, CSX, ILX, CDX and the ADX, introduced for the 2025 model year.

20Tracked models
25Versions
1986 - 2025Covered years

Models from A to Z

A

ADX

1 variants
C

CDX

1 variants
C

CL

1 variants
C

CSX

1 variants
E

EL

1 variants
I

ILX

1 variants
I

Integra

3 variants
L

Legend

2 variants
M

MDX

1 variants
Acura NSX

NSX

1 variants
R

RDX

1 variants
R

RL

1 variants
R

RLX

1 variants
R

RSX

1 variants
S

SLX

1 variants
Acura TL

TL

1 variants
T

TLX

1 variants
T

TSX

3 variants
V

Vigor

1 variants
Z

ZDX

1 variants

Acura overview

Acura history

Acura was formally announced as a new Honda automotive division in 1984 before beginning U.S. sales on March 27, 1986, through a network of 60 dealers in 18 states. The Legend and Integra established the brand’s two founding directions: comfort and prestige on one side, compact dimensions and sportier character on the other. The arrival of the NSX in 1990 significantly strengthened Acura’s technical identity. Its mid-engine V6 layout, lightweight construction and all-aluminum body were unusually ambitious choices for a production car at the time. Acura expanded into a different category at the beginning of the 2000s with the MDX, its first midsize SUV designed and engineered in the United States. It offered three-row seating, a feature that was still relatively uncommon among premium SUVs at that point. The RDX later occupied the compact SUV segment, while the TL and TSX represented Acura’s sport-oriented sedan offering. After several years away from the lineup, the Integra name returned for 2022. The ADX subsequently joined the range as a compact entry-level SUV for the 2025 model year.

Acura positioning

Acura has historically positioned itself between mainstream Honda products and established luxury marques, combining a more upscale presentation with engineering solutions associated with Honda. That approach was visible from the first Legend and Integra, and later continued through the NSX, Type S performance versions and SH-AWD all-wheel-drive systems. The brand’s emphasis has not remained fixed. Coupes and sedans were central for many years, particularly through models such as the CL, TL and TSX, before the MDX and RDX gave SUVs a more prominent role in the lineup. The modern Integra and its Type S derivatives demonstrate that Acura still pursues performance, while the ADX reflects an effort to broaden access to the brand. It is therefore more accurate to describe Acura as a premium marque with technological and dynamic priorities than as a purely sports-car manufacturer: its history combines performance cars, practical sedans and family-oriented SUVs.

Recognizing a Acura in a photo

The first clue when identifying an Acura is the stylized A badge, inspired by a measuring caliper and introduced on 1991 model-year vehicles. Later generations often feature a Diamond Pentagon grille, hook-shaped lighting signatures and sharply creased bodywork, although the exact design depends on the model year. Older Acuras are often easier to separate by their name and overall shape: the Legend is a large sedan or coupe, the Integra is a compact hatchback or two-door model, and the NSX has a low body with a mid-engine layout. Type S badges identify higher-performance versions, but the equipment and mechanical specification changed between generations. Reliable identification therefore requires more than reading the nameplate. Headlights, grille details, door handles, rear-quarter-window shapes and overall proportions are useful when checking the presumed year. Names such as TSX, ILX, MDX and RDX are not sufficient by themselves because several generations of each model used substantially different exterior designs.

Important Acura models

The Legend and Integra are Acura’s foundational models: the former established the brand in the premium sedan market, while the latter gave it a lighter and sportier identity from 1986 onward. The NSX, introduced in 1990, remains Acura’s defining technical statement, combining a mid-engine layout with an aluminum body. The MDX later became central to the brand’s expansion into family-oriented SUVs, while the RDX addressed the compact SUV segment. The TSX represents an important period for Acura’s sport sedans, particularly during the mid-2000s. More recently, the Integra name returned for 2022, followed by a notably powerful Type S version, and the ADX joined the range for 2025 as a compact entry-level SUV. Together, these models illustrate Acura’s main stages: premium sedans, accessible performance cars, a halo sports car and a growing SUV portfolio.

References