Acura

Acura is the premium vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Honda. Launched for the North American market in 1986, Acura markets also in China and other select countries.

The first Japanese premium automobile brand, Acura was best known for the original flagship sedan, the Legend, which inspired Toyota and Nissan to launch their own premium brands Lexus and Infiniti, and the exotic sports car NSX.

Following a decade of R&D, Honda launched the Acura brand in North America in 1986. Its lineup consisted of the executive-class Legend and the compact Integra. By 1990, Acura would out-sell Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus in the NA market.

In the same year, Acura introduced the NSX ("New Sports eXperimental"), a mid-engine sports car. It was the world's first all-aluminium production car. It was viewed as the "Everyday Supercar" for its ease of use and high reliability. However, sales came down in the mid-1990s.

Since 2000, Acura has experienced a rebound with new models, especially well-appointed crossovers.

Acura's current vehicle lineup includes two sedans, three crossovers, and one sports car. All models bear a three-letter designation, with the second letter referencing the vehicle's type (L for sedan, D for crossover, and S for sports car); all models names end with an "X":