Acura Automotive manufacturer

Tokyo, Japan from 1986 on

Acura is a brand name used by Japanese automaker Honda in North America and Hong Kong for premium and sporty models since 1986 . 

History

The brand was established in Mexico in 2004, in the People's Republic of China in 2006 and in Russia in 2008 , although it was abolished there in 2014. Original plans to introduce it in the home country of Japan were ultimately not implemented.

The vehicle range consists of Honda models that are modified by badge engineering and technical and visual enhancement, as well as vehicle series that are specially developed for the Acura brand and marketed exclusively under this label.

Similar to its Japanese competitors Toyota and Nissan (with their luxury offshoots Lexus and Infiniti ), Honda is trying in this way to participate in the high-yield market for premium vehicles. The aim of this strategy is to use the technical resources of the parent brand inexpensively, but at the same time to give the customer the impression that it is an independent brand that has no relation to the low-cost models of the parent brand. For this reason, the sales areas are often spatially separated.

Model Timeline

1980s

1985–2001 Integra (sports coupe and sedan)
1985–1995 Legend (luxury sedan and coupe)

1990s
1992- Acura-NSX
1992–1994 Vigor (mid-sized sedan)
1996–1999 SLX (SUV, re-badged Isuzu Trooper)
1996–2014 TL (mid-size sports sedan)
1996–2012 RL (full-size sedan)
1997–2005 EL (compact sedan)
1997–1999, 2001–2003 CL (luxury coupe)

2000s
2000–present MDX mid-size (crossover SUV)
2002–2006 RSX (sports coupe)
2003–2014 TSX (compact sports sedan)
2005–2011 CSX (compact sedan)
2006–present RDX compact (crossover SUV)
2009–2013 ZDX (crossover SUV)

2010s
2013–2020 RLX (Mid-size luxury executive sedan)
2013–present ILX (Subcompact executive sedan)
2014–present TLX (Compact executive sedan)
2017–present NSX (Exotic sports car)
2017–present CDX sub-compact (Luxury)