What car delivers the elegance and technology of a luxury car but leaves the price tag over in Europe? The Acura by Honda has filled this role. First introduced in the United States in 1986, the Acura is a part of the Honda Corporation. The American consumer was immediately attracted by not only the beauty of the car and all of its features, but the name Honda backing it. Honda had already become associated with quality automobiles in the United States and this was their newly created luxury branch.

When the Acura was first introduced in the U.S. it consisted of two models, there was the Legend Sedan and the Integra Sport Coupe and Sedan. The cars were an immediate success here and the American consumer was hungry for more. Over the next few decades the Acura name became associated with high performance, low maintenance, top notch technology and affordability, when compared, as it often is, to the European luxury cars. Over the next few decades Acura has introduced a number of models some with more success than others, though records show American consumers love this automobile. It is interesting to note that the Acura was specifically developed for the North American market and is still not sold in Japan or in Europe.

The Acura has changed with the times. They are still developing plans for new models and still have a fan club in the American market. Some of the models introduced since the beginning of the new millennium are:
The MDX which is an SUV first marketed in the U.S. in 2001
The Acura RSX Sports Coupe which was the successor of The Integra
The TSX a sports sedan which was introduced in 2004.
In 2004 and 2005 Acura improved upon the midsize TL Sedan and The RL Luxury Sedan both with great success.

Consumers have had an extremely positive reaction to the Acura since its introduction in 1986. That matched with the very high reviews by top automobile raters, has created an avenue for still further development and extensions of this car. In 2009 and 2010 Acura will add to its already impressive base of driving machines. Future Acura models will include The 2010 ZDX and the 2011 Acura RL.

In its relatively short history, Honda’s Acura has left a huge impression on its targeted market and there is no reason to think it will be slowing down. As long as the American consumer is looking for performance, style, and technology at a price that allows for all of these aspects at a cost far less than other luxury models, Acura will remain in the American driveways and on our highways for some time to come.