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Acura Executives Stunned With Consumer Reports Low Rankings

Consumer Reports’ 2008 Car Brand Perception Survey shows the usual suspects, Toyota and Honda, atop the heap, but finds Honda’s upscale marque in the basement – which shocks brand officials.

“In a nutshell we would disagree with the assessment that Acura would fall that low in any survey,” an Acura company spokesman tells Ward’s. “Our research shows Acura is ranking high in technology aspects and brand awareness and those types of things.”
 

Rankings are based on a blind telephone survey conducted last month to judge how consumers perceive industry brands on performance, safety, quality, value, performance, environmental friendliness, design and technical innovation.

Data collected from 1,720 U.S. adults found Toyota and Honda brands are perceived as the best by a wide margin. Ford, Chevrolet and GMC were third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
 

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2008 San Diego Auto Show Photo Gallery

 

 

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Acura Executives Stunned With Consumer Reports Low Rankings



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M35MTM35MT - 1/11/2008 1:30:31 PMView My AgentSpace
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They must've called 009 and EL34 to get this data.

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Agent009Agent009 - 1/11/2008 1:41:23 PMView My AgentSpace
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I don't do phone surveys

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bulldogzbulldogz - 1/11/2008 2:08:11 PM
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yet you conveniently used it in another post to show the quality and dominance of German cars.

Which face do you wear makeup on?

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PorschinatorPorschinator - 1/11/2008 7:09:09 PM
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Well anyone that quotes that guy on Myth Busters can't be all 'there'...lol =)

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abqhudsonabqhudson - 1/12/2008 5:20:14 PM
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My new Acura TL had more problems that my previous three BMWs - Sold it - now back to BMW.

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KingerKinger - 1/14/2008 9:06:25 AM
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theoptimisticpessimisttheoptimisticpessimist - 1/11/2008 1:46:55 PM
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Acura has a problem, with the exception of the new MDX, the most recent introductions have met with lack-luster reviews and dismal sales. Sales are falling. Acura needs to follow Lexus sales model and move away from warmed over Honda. Acura could start by focusing on a market leading AWD TSX and not a $100K, limited production,compromised NSX.

Acura needs to step back and reinvent itself.

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mikeydred20mikeydred20 - 1/13/2008 1:12:19 PM
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I have no problem with Lexus but everyone one of their products resembles Toyota in some shape or form. Other than the RL and TSX which are global Honda's every other product in their lineup is doing a nice job of seperating themselves from Honda's.
The TL for example is going on five years and everyone one I see still looks new. Acura brand perception is arguable depending on what your looking for, but for any one to question their reliability is puzzling because wasn't it consumer reports that ranked them in the top 3 recently?


AMGZING_fanboyAMGZING_fanboy - 1/11/2008 1:51:50 PM
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can anyone explain why they separate Chevrolet and GMC?

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theoptimisticpessimisttheoptimisticpessimist - 1/11/2008 2:08:45 PM
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To keep GMC dealers happy.


PorschinatorPorschinator - 1/11/2008 7:05:03 PM
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GMC is the upscale version of basically the same truck.


0to600to60 - 1/11/2008 10:46:16 PM
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The same reason Ford keeps mercury.


M35MTM35MT - 1/11/2008 3:33:32 PMView My AgentSpace
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wow you must be part of the douche-elite.

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_43LE_43LE - 1/11/2008 3:53:44 PM
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It appears that it's not only the Japanese that are involved in sex scandals, the Germans too, and I'm sure even the Americans:

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/nov2007/
gb20071127_413657.htm?chan=search

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Htay7500Htay7500 - 1/11/2008 4:57:35 PM
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"don't have time to think about building good cars."

neither does chrysler, when they're actually begging for nissan to help them build microcompact cars AND, when their whole line-up was plagued with quallity issues.

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DrFill2001DrFill2001 - 1/11/2008 2:06:23 PM
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Their SH-AWD is rather stunning, and Acura wants credit for it.
Acura brand recognition is certainly below BMW/Lexus/Mercedes and it's a smaller brand than Toyota/Honda, so I can see where it could fall through the cracks of a blind phone recognition study.
Acura needs to build cars for this market, and stop building things they like building. that's not how to make an impact, or arouse strong recognition.
DrFill

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OblivObliv - 1/11/2008 2:22:29 PM
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I dont see how Acura is surprised. None of their products are competitive save for maybe the MDX. They have very boring styling and few desireable engine choices, which would be in part hondas fault as well. FWD for a luxury brand simply doesnt cut it, and theres better AWD options out there in this price range.

Very refreshing to see Ford up there, though!

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limitedlimited - 1/11/2008 2:30:11 PM
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I don't think Acura has truly established themselves as a luxury brand like the two Japaneses luxury brands (Infiniti/Lexus) has. Acura has no real separation between it's parent company's offerings and itself. Their biggest problem is the FWD drive train on the bread winners, both Infiniti/Lexus left FWD for the parent companies and moved over to RWD. It's what drives the luxury brand recognition. Consumers don't feel like they're paying more for a nicer Toyota or Nissan, but a different car in a different class. When you buy an Acura your simply getting a "nicer" Honda since the cars are so similar to what Honda has to offer.

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kpaxxkpaxx - 1/11/2008 2:47:32 PM
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and the separation between toyota/nissan and lexus/infiniti is a marketing facade that honda has yet to figure out


rok_altimarok_altima - 1/12/2008 12:45:56 PM
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Lexus still has FWD vehicles, The ES and RX are both FWD based. Infiniti has gone completely RWD


cericceric - 1/11/2008 2:33:55 PM
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RWD and V8 are what Acura need. Do or die.

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DrFill2001DrFill2001 - 1/11/2008 3:13:23 PM
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Comparing Lexus/Toyota to Nissan/Infiniti is like comparing the Wendy's to Whattaburger

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gsh23gsh23 - 1/11/2008 4:08:30 PM
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what is whattaburger?


PorschinatorPorschinator - 1/11/2008 7:05:30 PM
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^^^ Go to Texas and find out...


SpectatorSpectator - 1/11/2008 4:16:15 PM
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How did Acura do its own brand testing to come up with number that say they should be top of the heap?

Apparently they opend up the phone book from Marysville Ohio and called the first 1700 people they came across.




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lexusis350lexusis350 - 1/11/2008 4:26:38 PM
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That's kind of surprising to me too. Acura's aren't anything special but they're well built. That counts for most of the Consumer Reports testing.

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mikeydred20mikeydred20 - 1/13/2008 1:18:43 PM
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I do not think so "DOA" does not mean 300+HP and SH-AWD just like in 03 when they introduced many first in terms of innovative technology they will once again raise the bar, technology is what they know. Do not sleep on the MMC RL either. "Advance"

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Htay7500Htay7500 - 1/11/2008 6:11:42 PM
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the only acura I'd consider is the TSX.

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lewishamiltonpimplewishamiltonpimp - 1/12/2008 7:35:27 AM
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Well move to Europe and buy an Accord. Same car.


PorschinatorPorschinator - 1/11/2008 7:07:11 PM
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Funny article. Japanese fan boys would be bashing any other NON-japanese Auto Comp is their exec said the same thing about the results.

This is surprising coming from Honda since in the last 10 years they have been solid.

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olscuulolscuul - 1/11/2008 9:09:05 PM
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acura has pretty much been the lower end of the upscale japanese brands, for the more value oriented types, and the survey was about 'perception'.
my kids and i used to joke that the MDX was the unofficial wagon in our town. i see very few of the gen I and gnd II being replaced with another one.
low mileage acuras driven by doctors/lawyers wives, professional women coming to a town near you. :)
most former owners replace them with german next time.
maybe it's a local phenomenon. i'm located not too far from c-r's home.

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LexSucksLexSucks - 1/11/2008 11:50:48 PM
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Acura Execs better get out of the karaoke bars and start designing cars that aren't lame.

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lewishamiltonpimplewishamiltonpimp - 1/12/2008 7:41:02 AM
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Acura started out in the 80s selling rebadged Hondas to unaware Americans. Unfortunately, that hasn't changed and the yanks are a bit wiser.

The current Lexus and Infiniti line-ups for the most part are not sold elsewhere (except maybe Japan) as Toyotas or Nissans (I know the G is a Skyline). The current Acura RL is sold elsewhere as a Honda and that is the flagship. No thanks.

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lewishamiltonpimplewishamiltonpimp - 1/12/2008 7:42:09 AM
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FOrgot - yes, the RL needs a V8 and RWD to be taken seriously. 300HP is the new 200HP :)

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TauronB2GTauronB2G - 1/12/2008 9:25:02 AM
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Basically its because Acura builds downright ugly cars. The last few Acuras have been very unattractive. The MDX and RDX with those weird sheild grills don't help. The RL has no balls and as i recall rather small inside as compared to the competition. They need to go back to the old naming system too. They can keep the NSX by the way. They need to go back to the old way of doing things and get more cohesive and classy designs.
T


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c36amgc36amg - 1/12/2008 12:12:05 PMView My AgentSpace
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yes they are right acura is nothing

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1995e341995e34 - 1/12/2008 12:13:02 PM
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auto enthusiasts stunned there are still no rwd acuras.

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acuramikeacuramike - 1/12/2008 5:14:22 PM
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"Acura interiors come across to me as inexplicably cheap" That's subjective. In my opinion the build and material quality is excellent.

But points made about Acura not being a true contender in the major luxo market are valid. As noted, the more they further themselves from Honda and start coming up with their own stuff things will improve. We've already seen this with the MDX.

For those who keep saying that the current Acuras are basically dressed up Hondas are wrong. Go to your local Acura dealer and test the whole line up. There is a major difference between a TL and Accord. I own both Honda and Acuras. There's a reason why I dish out the extra money for an Acura.

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rok_altimarok_altima - 1/12/2008 5:34:35 PM
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Acura doesn't even offer real wood in their interiors. the "high end" RL has fake wood on the dash and so does the MDX. Suspension tuning, sheet metal and a different interior can only go so far into separating the two cars. It is the same scenario as the I35 was to the Maxima or the ES to the Camry.

Acura only recently cancelled their entry level car, the inexpensive and teenager driven RSX/Integra and replaced it with a small 4 cylinder econo type car (remember the Infiniti G20?). Unfortunatly these cars did little to improve or solidify Acura's position as a luxury auto maker and still make them out to be the visibly extended arm of Honda. Infiniti has turned around the most with offering now RWD cars and nothing that doesn't start under $30K. The QX56 is the only rebadge of a Nissan in the U.S. market. Lexus only rebadges the ES and LX but the rest are exclusive to the U.S. market. So far Infiniti has been the only one to make exclusive cars for the infiniti name (EX and FX).

Acura needs something, they're loosing sales even on new and not so old models and posting steep declines. Lexus and Infiniti have been on the up.

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rok_altimarok_altima - 1/12/2008 8:21:54 PM
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Car guy, I only stated cars in the U.S. market. Technically they are rebadges but of which are invisible to many U.S. consumers. Infiniti's only U.S. rebadge is the QX56 and Lexus's is the ES and LX. The ES and QX56 sell quite well.

Platform sharing doesn't really denote a car as the same to another that shares the platform. The G, M, FX, and EX have different wheel base lenghts, body heights, suspension setups etc. Sharing platforms is a necesity in the entire automotive industry across the world to remain competitive. Rebadging cars (a la GM) is not a way to be competitive. There are people that cross shop a fully loaded Accord Vs. TL or Camry vs. ES350. Infiniti has taken away the cross shopping of the Maxima vs. the I35 which burned that bridge to Nissan.

People still buy Acura because it is a Honda..not so much that it is an Acura.

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 1/13/2008 10:45:27 PMView My AgentSpace
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"The TL interior used to be better."

No, it didn't, it sucked. I had a '96 and it had leather, that's it. They have progressed to the point of using fake wood trim as of now.

Otherwise, I completely agree... there's something strangely cheap about an Acura interior. They are less appealing than Honda interiors.

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 1/13/2008 10:47:05 PMView My AgentSpace
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"For those who keep saying that the current Acuras are basically dressed up Hondas are wrong."

That's absolutely true.

However, they simply don't feel like very big improvements. Acuras, as wholes, are less than the sums of their parts.

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acuramikeacuramike - 1/12/2008 5:47:23 PM
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rok_altima you are right in most of what you posted, I must correct you on one small thing: the Acura RL does feature real wood only when you opt for the Tech pakage.
Also, the only real wood is on the dash with the tech pakage. The door trim still remains plastic. On that note, even the plastic wood looks pretty good..

But, yes, Acura still has a ways to go..

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 1/13/2008 1:18:10 AMView My AgentSpace
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Sitting inside an Acura RL with the gray interior gives me a headache.


mikeydred20mikeydred20 - 1/13/2008 1:31:00 PM
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The wood is real throughout, but beside the point the base model uses less wood and it's fake, but that was to justify the price decrease from 49-45 because Americans were complaining that it was too expensive at 49.
Mind you not realizing everything was standard.


1995e341995e34 - 1/13/2008 11:57:36 AM
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everyone else got rwd. its relative.

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mindwormmindworm - 1/13/2008 8:55:58 AM
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CR is a good mag. It's not an enthusiast mag -- don't get a reliability based pub mixed with a car lovers pub.

In short, I'm someone who filled out the survey for consumer reports on my TL. I have a first year TL, purchased mid VIN run in 2004. I live in Chicago and thought the FWD would be better than the RWD of the 2 door G35.

In short, it rattles beyond belief, has had numerous sunroof fixes, and while nothing has been downright terrible, it's not the car I expected in the least.

And, yes, I did get the dreaded Acura tranny problem, having it replaced 200 miles short of being out of warranty.

It's a good car -- certainly not great. And I have no problems telling Consumer Reports or anyone on the Acurazine boards the issues I've (and many others, obviously) have had.

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BMW995BMW995 - 1/13/2008 11:45:09 AM
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First of all, for those who think/wish Acura will come out with a V8 for the RL...it's NOT going to happen. The new CAFE mileage standards have made that wish dead on arrival. For the same reason, Cadillac has just cancelled their successor to the Northstar V8 in favor of a higher performance V6.
It's a shame that Acura didn't go RWD like Infiniti did. They make great engines and with the handling advantages of RWD they would be in the catbird seat.

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 1/13/2008 12:34:39 PMView My AgentSpace
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No, they would still be missing something: style. Infiniti has a very well-received, distinctive design direction. Acura simply does not. They have yawn (RL/TL/TSX) and anti-yawn (RDX/MDX).


mikeydred20mikeydred20 - 1/13/2008 1:35:07 PM
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Just because Cadillac can't make a legal V8 doesn't mean Honda can't. Just like they can make a 50 state leagal diesel it can be done. That would be the perfect time to eat into other markets shares by doing something they can't.


mikeydred20mikeydred20 - 1/13/2008 1:25:30 PM
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The RL does use real wood, the MDX does not but the Escalade which is about 10K more doesn't either. Plus I would rather have a car with real aluminum throughout that wood. Wood is kind of Buickish not to offend anyone if you know what I mean.

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mikeydred20mikeydred20 - 1/13/2008 1:37:59 PM
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S4 you are so confused by the way not only have you driven everything but your perception of things. What will happen when the post of Audi executives being confused gets posted? After all they finished next to Acura

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 1/13/2008 10:56:07 PMView My AgentSpace
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It won't be posted. They don't care. They're just going to keep doing what they do, and they will move up.

When did I say I've driven "everything?" I had a 1992 Acura Vigor and a 1996 Acura TL, then I moved on to Audi.


MercedesMercedes - 1/14/2008 4:23:57 AM
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This is what happens when you soup up Hondas and load this with a bunch of tech that really doesn't matter beyond the techno geek crowd. If it weren't for Acura's quality and cheaper prices Lexus would have finished them off long time ago.

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IhavearedS2000IhavearedS2000 - 1/14/2008 11:48:04 AM
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Who here wants Acura to succeed? Just curious...

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MercedesMercedes - 1/22/2008 4:34:04 AM
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I doubt anyone would really miss them at this point. All of their products are just so forgettable, the most forgettable lineup in the luxury car segment.




WhelanWhelan - 1/14/2008 12:20:15 PM
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theoptimist above had a great point. The TSX uses the same 2.4L 4 cylinder engine found in the Element. The Element has an AWD system, so I doubt it would be that hard to mount it into the TSX. Not to mention the TSX, TL need a desperate update in the appearance category.

And Acura ditched the RSX cause the new Civic Si was out competing it in hp. Well why not do what you did with the RDX, drop a turbo on the 2.0L engine, get 260hp instead of the 200, and freshen up the design. Lot's of people that were a little older loved the RSX, not just kids. Offer the base with the 200hp, and the Type S with the 260 turbo.

Moving on, they need more models. A small roadster like an S2000 variant with more luxury styling than performance. Could have taken the RSX and made it a coupe like the G35, thrown in a boosted 2.4L from the TSX/Element. Or kept the smaller RSX, make a new car, a coupe based off the TSX platform.

Another problem Honda has is that they have no RWD setup in these cars. The S2000 does and the RL, even though its AWD still puts more power to the rears. They need to think of switching the TL and TSX to rear drivers to compete more with Lexus in the IS, ES departments.

And last point. If they took any longer to come out with the next generation NSX, the world would be spinning backwards. It's like Lexus with the LF-A. tweak tweak tweak. Stop doddling with it and do something useful, like make your Type S lineup more competitive with the RS/AMG/M.

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Dr550Dr550 - 1/14/2008 1:42:32 PM
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A episode of Autoline Detroit on automaker factory efficiency/profits ranked Honda #1. Platform/engine/part sharing were reasons. Feel Acura relies too much on Honda for basic components.



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richard112360richard112360 - 1/17/2008 4:17:25 PM
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We don't learn quickly, do we? I have owned Bmw's, Audi's and MB's. Each was beset with mechanical failures.

Although on paper the body designs, engine specs and interior ambiance really appeals to me, the extremely poor reliability of these machines keep me from even considering them again for purchase.

The German mystic is, in my opinion, simply good advertising. The cost of a quality German luxury sedan is much too high when compared to the prices asked by Acura, Infiniti and Lexus. My experience owning cars by these Japanese makers has been excellent. They have been reiable, comfortable and outstanding perfomers.

It is a shame that the high degree of quality that once was a mark of German autombile makering seems to have become a thing of the past.

What I want in a high-end car is to be able to drive it each day and not simply wait for the shop to repair it.



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