Honda VS. Acura: 8 Important Differences (Before Buying)

Acura and Honda cars are both made from the same company: The Honda Motor Company.

What are the major differences between Honda and Acura?

Honda displays broad appeal while Acura focuses on making luxury cars. The Honda Motor Company established the Acura brand to make an entry into the luxury car market. Acura cars emphasize comfort, while Honda cars are mostly functional.

So, they share a few features, but they also have characteristics that set them apart.

All Acura models come with power seats. They also have a special feature that allows drivers to cool or heat them according to their preferences.

Most Honda cars lack this feature since the cars are built merely for private transportation.

Honda cars are also very practical, so you can expect your car to come with a luggage compartment. The Honda brand provides a much larger cargo space than Acura to help you store your luggage comfortably.

This is why Honda cars are more appropriate for family trips.

Which of the Two Is the Most Reliable Car Brand?

Honda cars are more reliable than Acura.

The Honda brand is notable for efficient and dependable cars. It has a large variety of models from which aspiring vehicle owners can choose.

These variants include pickup trucks, crossovers, hybrids, and hatchbacks.

Acura cars are not as diverse, but they are much more comfortable.

A Quick Comparison:

In the J.D. Power Reliability ratings, only two Acura models, the RLX and NSX supercar score a 3/5.  The rest earn a 2.5/5.

On the other hand, almost all Honda cars get a score of 3/5 in the same reliability ratings, with the Honda Insight, CR-V, Ridgeline, and Passport earning a 3.5/ 5.

In 2013, WarrantyDirect ranked Honda as the car brand with the most reliable engines. Two years later, WarrantyDirect, alongside WhatCar, conducted a survey to determine the most reliable car brand.

The result put Honda in first place. Reliability Index also ranked Honda as the 2nd most reliable car, with a reliability index of 42.

The reason Honda cars are so reliable is that they cost little to repair. In contrast, Acura cars, like every other luxury brand, require regular repairs that are quite expensive. So, they have lower reliability.

You should also be reading our article which talks about Honda & Hyundai Differences You Should Know

Are Honda Cheaper than Acura?

Not surprisingly, Honda cars are cheaper than Acura cars.

Acura vehicles are packed with luxury features absent in Honda vehicles.

Please note that despite their low prices, Honda cars provide a high-quality experience. In contrast, Acura vehicles may cost more, but they have a lot of shortcomings.

A good example is a comparison of the Honda Fit and the Acura RLX. Both cars are the cheapest of their brands. The Fit costs $16,190, and the RLX retails at $25,990.

The Honda Fit suffers transmission noise during drives, and the Acura RLX, which is a lot more expensive, also suffers the same problems.

Other inexpensive Honda models that offer great value are the Honda Civic and the HR-V, which cost $19,750 and $20,820, respectively.

To get the best bargain out of a Honda car, look for its MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price).

Knowledge of the MSRP will guide your negotiation and save you thousands of dollars since you’ll know what prices to agree upon with your dealer.

Does Honda or Acura Sell More Cars?

Honda always sells more units than Acura.

The lower prices of Honda may account for this, as middle-class citizens form the bulk of the population in the United States, Honda’s largest market.

Even though Honda cars have suffered a decline in sales, falling by 1% in 2018 and 0.5% in 2019, the brand still makes more sales than Acura.

In 2018, American Honda sold about 1,445,894 cars, while Acura only sold about 158,398 units.

How Do the Prices on Maintenance and Repair Cost?

Acura vehicles are more expensive to repair and maintain than Honda vehicles.

Since models in the Acura lineup offer more features than Honda models, it is no surprise that they cost more to repair.

Generally, the annual maintenance for Honda vehicles cost $428, while the maintenance of Acura vehicles cost $501. So, we can safely say that it costs more to maintain and repair Acura vehicles as compared to Honda vehicles.

However, there are some exceptions. Take, for instance, a comparison between the Honda Pilot and Acura RDX. The Honda Pilot costs about $547 to repair, but you can repair an Acura RDX at $497.

How Is the Performance of the Brands Compared?

Acura takes the win in this category.

For most luxury vehicles, more money means more features, and Acura vehicles are no different.

Here Are A Few Comparisons:

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot: Although both SUVs sport a front-wheel drive and a 3.5L V6 engine, the MDX has greater performance features.

Where the Honda Pilot has only a six-speed transmission and 280 horsepower, the MDX boasts a nine-speed transmission power and 290 horsepower. The MDX also conserves more fuel than does the Pilot.

Acura TLX vs. Honda Accord: Acura also beats Honda performance in the sedan segment. While the Honda Accord uses a 1.5-liter standard engine, the TLX uses a 2.4 engine. The TLX also features an all-wheel-drive that is absent in the Honda Accord.

The only edge the Honda Accord has over the Acura TLX is the amount of horsepower it delivers. An Accord produces 192 horsepower, compared to the TLX’s 182 horsepower.

Thus, we can affirm that Acura vehicles perform better than Honda vehicles.

What About Safety?

Both brands demonstrate excellence when it comes to safety.

Perhaps a consequence of their sole origin, each of the brands have identical safety systems. Hondas have the Honda Sensing and Acura cars come with the AcuraWatch.

Both systems include lane departure warning, forward collision avoidance, and a backup camera to guide the driver during the rear movement.

If we consider the safety ratings of the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration(NHSTA), Acura cars are safer than Honda cars. Many Acura models got a five-star rating while Hondas mostly get awarded a four-star rating.

Which Is More Durable?

Acura cars are more durable than Honda cars.

However, they can only last very long with regular maintenance. Take a look at the comparison between these Honda and Acura models:

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot: Both the Acura MDX and Honda Pilot can easily clock over 300,000 miles on the odometer, with regular maintenance.

One record-breaking MDX has over 900,000 miles. We are sure there are Honda Pilots out there with over 400,000 miles.

These vehicles are very well made and will take you to the end of the world. You only need to maintain them properly and use them conscientiously to get maximum value.

Acura TLX vs. Honda Accord: The mileage between these sedans is just a little different.

The TLX is higher with a mileage of about 300,000 miles, while the Honda car is lower, with about 200,000 on it.

Which Is the Better Used Car?

Honda cars are the most used cars.

Since most of the U.S. population consists of middle-income earners who prefer to buy practical cars, Honda makes more sales.

After these cars are used for a while, they are released into the used car market, thus dominating the market.

In contrast, Acura sells fewer units because they are more expensive, and so, there are fewer cars to release to the market.

Moreover, when the cars are sold in the used market, Acuras are more expensive than Honda cars.

Once again, most people go for the cheaper Honda cars because they cannot afford to pay for the luxury Acura offers.

Other Differences You Should Know

What really sets Acura cars from Honda cars is the luxury they offer, as opposed to the practical Honda vehicles.

If you want a car just to convey people around, then you should go for a Honda vehicle.

If, however, you prefer comfortable cars and you are affluent enough to afford them, go for an Acura.

Please also check out our article about common problems with the Acura TSX.