Do you know that Honda Motor Company technically owns Acura? However, many people think it’s a different car brand. The reason there is this dichotomy is that this ‘brand’ wants to be associated with luxury. So, you may wonder: Is Acura a luxury car brand?
Acura is a full-fledged luxury car brand. Why? Its model lineup comes with high-end features in its interior as well as its exterior. You will be impressed with its style, comfort, and performance when you step inside this car.
Acura is a branch of Honda, but it seems to carry its name because of its merits. Honda is for a wider range of car buyers.
Acura was developed to break into the luxury car market. This luxury car brand helped turn the reputation of Japanese cars focused on the economy into luxury cars offering superior features and performance.
Read on to learn more about Acura, if it’s a luxury car brand, and why.
Is Acura a Luxury Car Brand?
100% Luxury Car Brand
Acura is 100% a luxury car brand. While Honda Motor Co makes it, it is made for the luxury market. Unlike most Honda cars, which target a broad market of car buyers, the Acura brand is focused more on the luxury car market, which is after superior comfort, style, and performance.
One of the First Japan-made Cars That Broke Into the Luxury Car Market
In that regard, the Acura brand has its own merits. It was one of the first Japan-made cars that broke into the luxury car market. This luxury car brand was instrumental in turning the reputation of Japanese cars as economy cars into cars that offer premium features and superb performance.
Acura Has Proven Itself as a Trusted Car Brand
As a luxury car brand, Acura has proven itself as a trusted car brand. Throughout the years of its production and marketing, this brand has earned a reputation for affordability, technology, reliability, and safety.
Is an Acura Car Worth Your Money?
Yes, it is. While it offers premium style, comfort, and performance, its price points are remarkably affordable for luxury cars. As such, it is more affordable than other luxury cars.
And since Acura cars are very reliable, and their cost of ownership is quite low, buying a used Acura car is also a wise choice.
What Makes a Luxury Car
Luxury is many things to many people. But there’s one thing that people would agree with when luxury is spoken of: it is superior in many things and pricey. In that sense, Acura cars are luxury cars because of the following things:
1. Superior Features
Luxury cars offer a wide array of premium features you don’t usually see in conventional, economy vehicles. Some of the plush features that you commonly see in luxury cars are the following:
- Soft leather seats and upholstery
- Deluxe lighting options
- Comfortable and spacious features
- The latest cutting-edge technology interfaces
2. Pricier Than the Economy Counterparts
These cars are significantly pricier than their economy counterparts mainly because of their larger and more powerful engines and superior features. With larger and more advanced engines, luxury cars naturally offer superior performance compared to their standard siblings.
3. Latest Cutting-Edge Technology
Luxury cars offer the latest automobile technologies that are not yet available to the mass market of car buyers. For instance, their ride quality is much better than ordinary top-of-the-line models of conventional vehicles.
The entry-level models of luxury cars are several notches higher than the top-of-the-line models of standard car models. No wonder they are in a class of their own.
Why Is Acura a Luxury Car Brand
High Performance, Stunning Looks, and More
Now that you know what a luxury car is, we can discuss why Acura is a luxury car brand. Most people expect a luxury sedan or SUV to offer high performance, stunning looks, and a very comfortable cabin.
Highest Quality Interior
All these things you will get in an Acura car, and more. The typical interior of an Acura car is of the highest quality. You cannot question its road performance. The way it looks is incomparable.
Other Features
These are some of the things that make Acura cars very luxurious:
- Advanced technology interfaces
- Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD)
- Multiple lighting options
- Soft leather materials
- Spacious seating
- And many more
Overall High-quality Experience in Performance, Style, and Comfort
Overall, you can consider Acura a luxury car brand. It offers high-end features in and out of the cabin; it delivers an overall high-quality experience in performance, style, and comfort. Surprisingly, Acura offers all these expensive features at very affordable price points.
It doesn’t matter whether you choose the Acura MDX, ILX, or TLX, you will be treated with luxury features, and you’ll not overpay for each of them.
Is Acura a Good Luxury Brand?
Good Luxury Cars
Now that you know that Acura is a luxury car, is it then a good luxury car? Based on buyers’ experience of Acura cars, it appears they are good luxury cars. Whether a sedan or an SUV, these cars can provide superior comfort to anyone.
Come with Convenience Features, Sleek Styling Elements, and More
They come with convenience features, sleek styling elements, superior performance grades, and surprisingly affordable price points that make them stand out from their nearest rivals. At much lower tag prices, you can get the luxurious items that Lexus or Mercedes Benz sedans and SUVs have.
Five Acura car models are available on the market. All of them are luxury cars of the highest quality and at the most affordable prices compared to their nearest competitor brands.
Acura Car Models
These Acura car models are the following:
- Acura ILX,
- Acura TLX,
- Acura MDX,
- Acura RLX, and
- Acura RDX.
Each of these cars, while all luxurious in features and specs, has unique features that distinguish them from one another.
How Different Is Acura from Honda?
Honda Created the Acura Brand to Break Into the Luxury Car Market
You already know that the mother company of Acura is Honda Motor Company. Interestingly, you can say that some Honda car models also have some luxurious features and specs. In that sense, how is a top-of-the-line Honda car model different from a luxurious Acura car?
Based on its history, Honda created the Acura brand to break into the luxury car market. Some say that the Acura brand had played a significant role in transforming the image of Japan-made cars from economy class to luxury class.
Acura Cars Have a Wider Range of High-end Technologies
While Acura cars share some of the features and platforms of Honda cars, they have a wider range of high-end technologies and a larger range of creature comforts.
If you are looking for a luxurious car priced lower than an Audi or a Lexus, you should look for an appropriate Acura car model.
Acura Comes in More Expensive Sedans and SUVs
Acura cars also come in sedans and SUVs. But their prices are higher than Honda sedans and SUVs. That’s because of their higher comfort features and larger engines that offer high-performance specs.
So, if you want a better Honda sedan or SUV, your best option is an Acura sedan or SUV. But be prepared to pay a higher price.
Again, is Acura a luxury car brand? Due to Acura’s high-quality vehicles and superb features, it is considered a luxury brand. Acura models also have gorgeous exteriors and remarkable driveability.
Is Acura MDX a Luxury Car?
Starting Price
If you base it on its price, you can say that the Acura MDX is a luxury car. The price of the 2022 MDX starts at $47,925. Its previous year’s model is lower by more than $2,000. So, considering its price, the Acura MDX is truly a luxury car.
Equipped with SH-AWD Feature
Its SH-AWD feature seems responsible for the additional $2,000 on its price tag plus some other tech trims. This feature is also available in its A-spec model, priced at $58,125. The priciest variant is the 2022 MDX Advance model, which you can have at $61.675.
Less Expensive Than Similarly Classed BMW or Mercedes Benz
This price made itself equal to the Volvo XC90 and the Land Rover Discovery, which had recently refreshed. The price of a 2022 Acura MDX is also lower than a similarly classed BMW or a Mercedes Benz.
Is Acura ILX a Luxury Car?
Smallest Car in the Acura Luxury Car Lineup
The Acura ILX, the smallest car in the Acura luxury car lineup, is another car that looks like a luxury sedan. Considering its price, premium features, and styling, it is a bargain.
Re-formatted Earlier Honda Civic Generation
If you examine it closely, you will notice that it is a re-formatted earlier-generation Honda Civic with fewer luxurious features. It doesn’t have the sporty dynamics, and its infotainment is outdated.
Has a 2.4-liter Engine with Four Cylinders
However, the Acura ILX has a 2.4-liter engine with four cylinders that offer a smooth and comfortable ride. This is a very fuel-efficient engine for a luxury car.
Is It Worth Your Money?
A reviewer believes that the 2022 Honda Civic is offering a better bang for your buck than the 2022 Acura ILX.
But if you compare it with the likes of the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, the Audi A3, or the Mercedes Benz A-Class, it’s much more affordable.
Is Acura TLX a Luxury Car?
Ranked Number 7 Within the Class of Luxury Midsize Cars
There’s another popular Acura luxury car that deserves your attention. The Acura TLX is ranked number 7 according to the score it earned within the class of Luxury Midsize Cars.
It was given a score of 7.9 out of 10 by a research group. This score was based on evaluating 30 research pieces and data elements from different reliable sources.
Starting Price
Its price is certainly luxurious. The starting price of the Acura TLX is $37,700. This price is low considering that it is s luxury midsize car. However, you must pay $2,200 more if you want the all-wheel-drive trim.
Comes with Type S Performance
The top-of-the-line Acura TLX has a whopping price of $53,600. But it comes with Type S Performance. This makes it more powerful, can handle the race track, and is complete with Brembo brakes. It’s a high-performance sedan with an equally high price tag.
Powered by a 272-horsepower Four-cylinder Gasoline Engine
A 272-horsepower four-cylinder gasoline engine powers this luxurious car. There’s an available option of a V6 engine that can crank 355 horsepower. Both engines are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. However, the transmission takes time to shift when in manual mode.
Base Form Gets an EPA Estimated 22 Miles per Gallon
In its base form with front-wheel drive, this car gets an EPA estimated 22 miles per gallon and 31 mpg on the highway. They are the average fuel consumption of luxury midsize sedans.
The V6 engine variant drops its fuel consumption by about 19 in the city and 25 on the highway.
Gives an Energetic and Relaxed Driving Experience
The driving experience of the Acura TLX is a mix between energetic and relaxed. Its suspension system handles the bumps smoothly, offering a very comfortable ride.
The Type S model of the Acura TLX offers a more athletic drive. Front-wheel drive is standard on all trims. But you can get the optional all-wheel-drive if that’s what you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Acura brand is popular among those looking for cars that offer luxurious comfort and powerful performance. Naturally, there will be questions arising in the minds of those who are not very familiar with this car brand. Here are the answers to those questions:
Is Acura a Luxury Car Brand?
Yes, Acura is a legitimate luxury car brand. The kind of features this brand offers, their styling, the comfort they offer, and the bigger and more powerful engines in their model lineup place them in the class of luxury cars. You can find more information about these luxury cars on the Acura website.
Are Acura Cars Expensive?
This is the most surprising thing about Acura cars. They are indeed luxury cars but are not as expensive as other luxury car brands. On average, they are the most affordable luxury cars on the market.
As a point of comparison, the average price of an Acura car is lower than that of comparable models of Mercedes Benz, Audi, Lexus, and BMW.
Is Acura Part of Honda?
You can say that Acura is part of Honda. The mother company of Acura is Honda Motor Company. Acura is the answer for those who want a more luxurious Japanese car.
According to some historical reports, this car brand played a significant role in transforming the image of Japan-made cars from economy to luxury cars.
Is Acura a Luxury or a Performance Car?
Overall, Acura is classified as a luxury car brand in the league of Lexus, Audi, Mercedes Benz, and the like. However, it can also be considered a performance car brand because of the bigger and more powerful engines under its hoods.
These engines can crank huge power from 270 horsepower to 355 horsepower. That massive power comes from a car classified as a sedan or an SUV.
What Is the Ranking of Acura Cars?
The reliability rating of Acura cars is 4.0 out of 5. This places it second out of 32 brands of cars. It was based on the average rating across 345 different car models.
Is the Acura Brand Respected?
The Acura brand has earned the respect of the luxury car community. Throughout the years of its production, the brand was able to build a good reputation for its technology, reliability, safety, and affordability.
Is an Acura Car Worth My Money?
Acura has earned a reputation as the most affordable car in the luxury car segment. This means they come with all the bells and whistles of a typical luxury car at very budget-friendly prices. If you want your money’s worth in a luxury car, Acura should be your choice.
How Long Does an Acura Car Last?
Since a company practically owned by Honda makes it, and since Honda has a reputation as a long-lasting car, you can expect an Acura car to last longer. So, if you buy a brand new Acura, expect it to give you good service for the next 20 years, or around 300,000 miles.
What Are the Most Popular Acura Car Models?
The most popular Acura car models are:
- Acura ILX,
- Acura MDX, and
- Acura TLX.
They all have various trims with variations in their features and engine specs. All of them are classified as luxury cars.
In Closing: Acura – Is It A Luxury Car Brand?
Acura is 100 percent a luxury car brand. The reason is that all the cars in its model lineup come with high-end features inside and outside. Any Acura model you choose will impress you with its superior style, comfort, and performance.
Honda is the parent company of Acura. However, it seems to sustain its name due to its merits. Honda cars are made for a broad range of car buyers. But Acura is designed for those who are looking for more luxurious offerings.
This car brand was instrumental in ditching the reputation of Japan-made cars as economy cars to being premium cars for the luxury car market.
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