2009 Acura MDX

Model strengths:
300-horsepower V6; super handling all-wheel drive; luxury coupled with reliability.

The Acura brand launched in North America in March 1986 as the luxury vehicle division of Japanese parent Honda Motor Company. Operating under the Acura brand, Honda was the first Japanese automotive company to tackle the American luxury vehicle market. Two vehicles made up Acura’s initial offering in 1986: the Legend, a sporty luxury sedan, and the Integra, a more economical three-door or five-door hatchback.

In 1990 Acura introduced the NSX, a V-6-powered sports car that had the distinction of being the world’s first all-aluminum production car. Starting in the mid-1990s Acura began changing its model nomenclature to alphanumeric sequences, with RL replacing the Legend and the RSX and TSX eventually replacing the Integra.

Despite some success with the tuner enthusiast market, Acura’s image and sales struggled somewhat during the mid-to-late 1990s. In 1999 Acura introduced the 3.2 TL sedan, intended to compete with the BMW 3-series, Lexus ES and similar entry-level luxury cars. In 2001, the Acura MDX debuted—it was the first crossover SUV to have a third row of seating. The MDX met with immediate sales and critical success; including taking Car and Driver’s top rating in a comparison test against seven other SUVs. In 2004 the entry-level sport sedan TSX debuted, making Car and Driver’s Ten Best list from 2004 to 2006.

Acura offers Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) on select models, a feature that continuously determines the optimal level of power distribution as needed by varying road conditions. All five current models also have been recognized as “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Today, Acura’s U.S. lineup consists of five models, including three sedans and two SUVs. For 2009 Acura completely redesigned the TSX and the TL sedans. The TSX is Acura’s entry-level, front-wheel-drive sporty sedan available either with manual or automatic transmission. The Acura TL is an upscale midsize sedan that offers a choice of either front- or all-wheel drive. Acura’s flagship model is the larger, luxurious RL that competes with the Infiniti M45, BMW 5-Series, Lexus GS and other luxury sedans. The RL is powered by a 300-horsepower V-6 and comes standard with all-wheel drive and an impressive array of options including larger wheels, 10-way power adjustable front seats, USB connectivity port, and more. Acura also offers two sports utility vehicles--the RDX is a compact crossover SUV, while the MDX is a luxury midsize SUV.