Acura is a USA carmaker founded in 1986, now part of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.. The cars themselves are another matter: across 10 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 3 countries — the United States 72.6%, Japan 16.1%, Canada 11.3%. 17 models are tracked here (1985–2026). Reliable? yes, on balance — 4.1 out of 5 across 17 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Acura
Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda, headquartered in Torrance, California. Launched in the United States on March 27, 1986, Acura was the first Japanese luxury brand to enter the North American market — three years before Lexus and INFINITI. The original lineup of the Legend (sedan and coupe) and Integra defined the brand's precision-crafted-performance positioning. Acura is sold only in North America, China and parts of the Middle East — Honda has never launched the brand in Europe or Japan, where the same vehicles are sold as Hondas. The NSX supercar (1990-2005, revived 2016-2022) developed input from Ayrton Senna during testing and pioneered all-aluminum monocoque construction. The current lineup centers on the MDX three-row SUV, the RDX compact SUV, the TLX sport sedan and the Integra rebranded compact car. Acura's parent Honda trades on the New York Stock Exchange under HMC. Recall data for every Acura VIN is reported to NHTSA, and EPA fuel-economy ratings, IIHS scores and J.D. Power Initial Quality Studies provide independent benchmarks. ForCar.org decodes any Acura VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original MSRP.
Honda announced its Acura intentions in 1985 and opened 60 standalone US dealerships on March 27, 1986. The first models — the Legend (Honda Saber in Japan) and Integra (Honda Quint Integra) — established the brand's sport-luxury positioning. The 1990 NSX, co-developed with input from Ayrton Senna, set new benchmarks for everyday-usable mid-engine supercars and was Honda's first all-aluminum chassis. SH-AWD, introduced on the 2005 RL, became Acura's signature handling differentiator.
| Acura | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founded by | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. |
| Headquarters | Torrance, USA |
| Owned by | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. |
| Listed as | HMC |
| Slogan | «Precision Crafted Performance» |
| Models tracked here | 17 (1985–2026) |
| Assembled in | 3 countries |
Technology it is known for: Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), Acura Watch driver assistance, Type S performance tuning, V6 i-VTEC engines, ELS Studio 3D audio system.
This page covers Acura, Honda's luxury division — not the medical Acura (a sleep-medicine brand) or any unrelated trademarks.
Where Acura cars are actually built
A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 11,233 vehicles on record, 10 distinct manufacturer codes.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 19U, 5J8, 5FR, 19V | 1991–2026 | |
| Japan | JH4, JAE | 1986–2020 | |
| Canada | 2HN | 2001–2018 |
Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Acura beginning 19U was assembled in the United States.
All Acura models 17
Every Acura model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Acura SUVs & crossovers 4
| Model | Years | Recalls | Complaints | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acura MDX | 2001–2026 | 96 | 2,032 | 27 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Acura RDX | 2007–2026 | 50 | 2,128 | 24 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Acura ADX | 2025–2026 | 2 | 5 | 28 mpg | 5.0/5 |
| Acura ZDX | 2010–2026 | 36 | 65 | 91 mpg | 4.0/5 |
Acura Cars & sedans 11
| Model | Years | Recalls | Complaints | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acura TLX | 2015–2026 | 41 | 874 | 28 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Acura Integra | 1985–2026 | 92 | 714 | 33 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Acura TL | 1987–2014 | 78 | 3,188 | 23 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Acura TSX | 2004–2014 | 51 | 671 | 25 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Acura RSX | 2002–2006 | 16 | 197 | 26 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Acura Legend | 1986–1995 | 34 | 431 | 20 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Acura ILX | 2013–2026 | 38 | 268 | 38 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Acura RL | 1987–2012 | 68 | 322 | 20 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Acura RLX | 2014–2026 | 17 | 110 | 30 mpg | 5.0/5 |
| Acura CL | 1987–2003 | 20 | 607 | 24 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Acura Vigor | 1992–1994 | 3 | 25 | 20 mpg | 3.5/5 |
Acura More models 2
Acura by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Acura | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 662 campaigns | Most recalled: Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module |
| Owner complaints | 11,235+ filed | Most reported: TL |
| Fuel economy | 91 mpg best | Leader: ZDX |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ top rated | 8 models tested by NHTSA |
| Insurance | $1,894/yr typical | Cheapest: RDX |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Acura hybrids & electric models
Acura's electrified lineup — 4 hybrids and 1 electric / plug-in. Click any model for its full powertrain, MPG and range by year.
Acura hybrids 4
| Model | Years | Best figure | Recalls | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acura MDX | 2001–2026 | 27 | 96 | 4.5/5 |
| Acura NSX | 1987–2022 | 21 | 14 | 4.0/5 |
| Acura ILX | 2013–2026 | 38 | 38 | 4.5/5 |
| Acura RLX | 2014–2026 | 30 | 17 | 5.0/5 |
Acura electric & plug-in 1
| Model | Years | Best figure | Recalls | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acura ZDX | 2010–2026 | 91 | 36 | 4.0/5 |
Electrified variants from EPA fueleconomy.gov powertrain data. A model may offer gas, hybrid and electric versions across years.
Get a Acura window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Acura's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Acura window stickers →How to read a Acura VIN
Every Acura built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Acura and the country it was built in.
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. See exactly what your VIN decodes to: model year, assembly plant, country of origin and the full 2001–2026 year-code table.
Who owns Acura, and what you get
Acura belongs to Honda Motor Co., Ltd.. Acura competes in the US, Canadian and Chinese luxury segments against Lexus, INFINITI, BMW, Audi and Genesis. The brand's positioning emphasizes performance and value rather than ultra-luxury, with starting prices typically 10-20% below comparable German rivals. Acura's Type S sub-brand designates high-performance variants, while the 2024 ZDX represents Acura's first battery-electric SUV, built on GM's Ultium platform under a development partnership.
| Acura | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Ownership | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. |
| Stock ticker | HMC |
| Basic warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 6 years / 70,000 miles |
| Assembly countries | United States, Japan, Canada |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 4 years / 50,000 miles. See when Acura models actually start to break →
Acura — frequently asked
Is Acura usa?
Acura is a USA company, headquartered in Torrance and founded in 1986. The cars are a separate question: 72.6% of the Acura vehicles in our records were assembled in the United States.
Where are Acura cars made?
Across 10 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: the United States (72.6%), Japan (16.1%), Canada (11.3%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.
Who owns Acura?
Acura is part of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..
How many Acura models are there?
We track 17 Acura models spanning 1985–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Acura warranty?
New vehicles come with 4 years / 50,000 miles basic cover and 6 years / 70,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Acura reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Acura model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.
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