I just saw an advertisement from the Japanese luxury brand Acura from 1996, and it is a Murderer’s Row of great cars, but with like three Babe Ruths, and Tony Lazerri also has a cyborg arm. It is all hits, no misses, and I want to join those on the Internet who are making this case because I don’t think we talk about Clinton-era Acura enough around these parts.
Maybe it’s due to the fact that multiple staff members own ’90s/’00s BMWs that we, as autojournalists, look back at the E46/E39/E53 days as some sort of gearhead peak. German cars of the time were also expensive and, in many cases, somewhat overbuilt. Is it not more impressive that Acura, which only came into existence in 1986, should be able to produce such an unbelievable mix of cars?
This image first appeared to me on Instagram, which is my Twitter methadone now that Twitter is saturated with Grind Guys and alt-right troll bots. I’m sure AI/Meta/Whatever will ruin Instagram soon enough, but for the moment, it dishes out gold like this:
View this post on Instagram
This is from Instagram GM worshiper ls3tee, who makes the completely fair point that the Acura NSX might be GOATed, but the Acura Legend coupe and sedan brought greatness to everyone, whereas the OG NSX was mostly only seen in video games, magazines, and television shows.
“The Acura Legend is the king of the streets when it comes Acuras of the ’90s.”
Bold words, but I agree. Here’s the full brochure image he’s using in the background there:
It’s so beautiful it almost hurts to look directly at it, right? The bright white is like an H-bomb of radness, and we’re all Cillian Murphy trying to reckon with the meaning of it all. Rather than burn out our retinas, I’m going to try and take these one at a time, starting in the back row and working my way forward.
The Acura SLX
This is a nicer, slightly upgraded version of the Isuzu Trooper with no manual transmission available. It wasn’t exactly a runaway sales success, as luxury SUVs hadn’t quite arrived yet outside of Range Rover. Troopers of this era tend to be loved in retrospect, and the version with the DOHC V6 is something I’d like to try one day. Some of the lack of contemporary appreciation might stem from this Consumer Reports test that showed the Trooper and SLX could rollover in certain situations. Because the Great Rollover Panic encouraged automakers to install various electronic aids and make suspension changes to correct this issue, it’s hard to judge now how big of a deal it really was. I just know that today, none of that would stop me from buying a clean SLX if I could find one.
The Acura Integra
People wouldn’t constantly be stealing Acura Integras if they were not worthy of being stolen. Specifically, this model. The can’t-be-venerated-enough third generation. It is the bobblehead they keep making long after the player retires. In 2025, I do not need a new Alan Ashby bobblehead, nor will anyone probably make one (no disrespect!). Not to keep going back to baseball metaphors, but this is Ryne Sandberg. You’ll always want a Ryne Sandberg bobblehead, just like you’ll always want one of these.
The best-handling front-wheel-drive car of all time? Some might say the short-lived, Isuzu-powered Elan. Others would say the Euro Focus RS we never got. Both of those vehicles are about as attainable as a Banksy, whereas the Integra in its various trims could be had for reasonable money. Also, I think it’s the rare case of the USDM car looking better than the JDM version.
I drove a nearly perfect DC2 Integra Type R, briskly but carefully, and it definitely lived up to the impossible hype. Even in non-R kit, here’s what the great Brock Yates had to say about it after Car And Driver’s long-term test:
If Porsche built this it would cost $65,000, smell like leather, have a sexier exterior, and R&T would treat it like the second coming of Dr. Ferdinand himself. This thing is a marvel.
Buzzy at 85 mph. But not bad. And that motorcycle rev limit and taut steering are marvelous. I love this thing—it’s the Sugar Ray Robinson of automobiles, the original Sugar Ray having been considered, pound-for-pound, the greatest fighter in history.
There’s no topping that, so let’s move on, shall we?
The Acura Legend/Legend Coupe
It is bold to call the luxury sedan from your startup marque the “Legend.” It is Chex Mix Extra Bold Party Mix to suggest that your luxury sedan from your startup marque, co-developed with Rover of all companies, is legendary out of the gate. Fittingly, that first-generation car isn’t, really. The fake-it-til-you-make-it didn’t last long, though, because the second-generation car is the true legend.
Debuting in 1991, this now fully Japanese car came in a stately sedan or Anime-proportioned coupe. I have to fudge the model years a bit here because the coupe wasn’t for sale in 1996, as the last year was 1995. That means that this vehicle isn’t in the photo and, instead, there’s the Acura RL. I’ll talk about that in a minute, but first, here’s a photo of the coupe:
A kid in my high school, who was this big Chewbacca-looking dude also named Matt, had one of these in white. It was glorious, and the custom plate matched his nickname, which was Wookie. He played trombone, and I’m not sure if he still plays the trombone but I hope he still has the Legend. The FWD layout V6 allowed the coupe to have this stunning rear-overhang-to-front-overhang ratio. It almost doesn’t make sense, but making sense is overrated. These also have a longitudinally-mounted V6, which was supposedly designed to package the engine in a way that it could maintain a tight turning radius.
The Acura RL
Somewhere along the way some marketing genius decided that the names were bad and, instead, Acura should use alphanumeric names like other German and Japanese luxury cars. This was wrong. Acura RL doesn’t have the same status as “Legend” and I’m bummed the genius behind that probably got paid a lot of money. The fact that Acura just brought back the Integra name shows the folly in this, and I hope Legend is next.
This generation vehicle, the KA9, is an obvious continuation of the Legend and carries over the 3.5-liter V6 in longitudinal configuration. I don’t like it as much as I like the prior generation, but it’s still a good car.
All-around Acura expert Tyson Hugie has detailed his experiences with these, and they seem robust.
The Acura NSX
Rare though they may be, the mid-engined Acura NSX is probably one of the best-handling and most interesting automobiles ever built. It was the Japanese attempt at creating a supercar that eschewed the violence of the Italian brands and the inconsistency of the English ones. This was a car that you could drive every day and would never let you down. Gordan Murray liked it so much, as recorded in this Road & Track post, that it would inspire the Zeus-tier McLaren F1:
“The moment I drove the ‘little’ NSX, all the benchmark cars–Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini–I had been using as references in the development of my car vanished from my mind,” said Murray. “Of course the car we would create, the McLaren F1, needed to be faster than the NSX, but the NSX’s ride quality and handling would become our new design target.”
High praise.
Also note how Acura puts this in the back. That’s quite the flex. It’s like inviting your friends over for pizza and not mentioning that the guy in your backyard hunched over your Ooni is Wolfgang Puck.
The Acura CL
I think the original first-gen CL, while not as concupiscent as the Legend Coupe, does have its place. I suppose that place is: Would you like a Honda Accord Coupe that slaps? It’s basically an Accord underneath, and the one bummer here is that the 1st generation CL definitely looks the best, but you’re not going to do better than a five-speed manual and a V6 good for about 200 horsepower. The second generation has a somewhat dopey appearance, but comes with a six-speed that’s apparently great and true LSD. If you find one of these, it’s kinda a grail.
The Acura TL
Full disclosure, I had to triple-check I was using photos of the TL and photos of the RL for the RL. This is the “they’re the same picture” of mid-90s Japanese cars. This is technically the replacement for the Vigor (another great name), and the important thing about this is that it’s the one with the inline-five motor. Who doesn’t love an inline-five?
The Current Lineup
The new Integra is enjoyable in every trim, the TLX IIRC is pretty good, too. The ZDX is, well, see TMD. The MDX, ADX, and RDX are properly handsome and capable vehicles, though, as Thomas said in his ADX review, could all benefit from hybrid power. Do they hit the same? I don’t quite feel it yet. Maybe it’s just the alphanumerics. Would the TLX be better as a Vigor? I think we all know the answer.
When I look at these 2 generations side by side it reminds me that people with the earlier models knew something everyone else didn’t and by the mid 90’s everyone else had wised up. Acura then started to get real popular so they decided to change genres and started doing pop.
This is so true. I remember walking by a fancy hotel where the valets left a legrnd out front soon after the legend first came out and thinking damn that thing is beautiful – the valets obviously agreed.
They really were that exceptional, especially at the time.
It pains me a little to see a picture of the 1st gen Integra. I twisted my parents’ arms to test drive on after their awful G body Malibu died, and they loved it. A few years later I got one used, my sister got a 2nd gen sedan and then my mom got a 2nd gen hatch. Four people, four Integras in the driveway.
One of my first cars was a 1997 Acura RL in aubergine, it had been my grandfathers before he passed. I know that they don’t live up to the Legend in the eyes of many, and they were not the best handling machines but it was a nice road trip car. Comfortable, powerful, reliable, and I thought pretty good looking. At the time I wanted an Integra, or CL coupe, but eventually I was wooed by ze Germans and quickly forgot about the Japanese for my 20s and part of my 30s.
As a side note, I don’t know if people are still complaining about the new Integra because it’s not a coupe, but if they are, go drive one. It’s a good car that is let down slightly by the interior material quality since it is obviously still a Civic, but I have heard the OG suffered the same.
“The second generation (CL) has a somewhat dopey appearance…”
Gonna have to disgree on this one.
We went from the larger and more graceful 2nd gen Legend to a short and stubby CL – and while the 2nd gen CL was only 2 inches longer, it appeared larger and longer. Being more powerful didn’t hurt either.
In either case – Neither were in any way as good as the Legend.
Nor was the RL.
The SLX was only great if you loved the Trooper – and many didn’t.
That said – Had no idea cars had lustful feelings.
Usually it’s their admirers.
Names > letters. Much more memorable.
Both he Acura RL and the SLX were misses.
The RL was a Buickified Legend.
And the SLX was unreliable compared to other Acura/Honda products.
And both of them were sales duds.
And the CL was a weaksauce Legend coupe and was also a miss.
The people put in charge of Acura in the 1990s and into the 2000s lost their minds and made absolutely idiotic decisions… and it started with renaming the Legend the RL.
As a former Trooper owner I’ll agree the SLX was a miss. In particular the DOHC V6 feels like it has the power of the 4 cyl with the gas consumption of a V8.
What praise. Sounds like the V6 in my parents’ 1986 Chevy Astro.
Coupes were already on the decline when the CL launched. Styling aside it wasn’t mechanically any worse than the Legend. The 2nd-gen CL didn’t fare a whole lot better. Competitors like the Toyota SC didn’t last either.
It’s interesting that buyers tolerated the lightweight Rodeo badged as a Honda, but the heavy Trooper made for a terrible Acura. One glance at the RX300 over on the Lexus lot told you everything. Definitely a major miss for Acura.
RL was a sales stinker from start-to-finish: 16 years! It’s amazing that Acura kept it around that long.
The move to alphanumerics wasn’t confined to Acura… the other luxury brands Infiniti and Lexus started the trend and I’m guessing someone at Acura thought it would help make the brand be perceived more as a luxury brand.
I’ve always loved the rear end of the Legend coupe.
2nd Gen Integra was better looking and smaller and lighter. I do like the refreshed 3rd gen with the semi flush outer headlights but I had two second gens and they are my favorite radwood cars ever.
I had a second gen and a third gen Integra. I had absolute base trim both times so the power was limited. The 93 was lighter and more playful, so much fun to dance at the edge of it’s grip. My 96 was different, but better. Maybe it was more rigid? A little less drama and always more capable, but it was also just a nicer place to be. I miss them both. I totalled them both. The second one was my damn fault. Funny thing about dancing in the edge. The closer you get the more fun it is, until it isn’t.
I had a 92 GS that I totaled. We (my dad) swapped the engine/transmission into an absolute POS 90 RS that was smoking. The first car had every option except leather seats, the second had none. Both were fun. I miss them.
Not criticizing in any way, but of all the days to use this particular phrasing……surely this was intentional?
Today is the 80th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
Still, I dig the 90s Acura radness.
Oof I’m certain that was unintentional.
Doesn’t help that a “rad” – Radiation Absorbed Dose – is a unit of measurement for ionizing radiation…
Those were A-bombs.
True, after posting I thought about mentioned the difference between a regular atomic “A” bomb and the thermonuclear “H” bomb, fission vs. fusion, but I thought close enough like in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Yeah, that was a valid thing to note, I just couldn’t resist the pedantry.
I miss coupes.
As for the current Integra, let’s disguise our platform sharing a little better, shall we?
Also, “eschewed the violence of the Italian brands and the inconsistency of the English ones” is just a great freaking description.
I came close to buying a Legend coupe. Great car and, were it European, I think it would be far more celebrated. (I think it’s what Jaguars should have looked like instead of that stale XJ look.) I’d say RWD, too, but it was more of a PLC and I don’t think it would have improved it much other than in the eyes of snobs and drifters who would have destroyed the ones that rust didn’t take. I ended up preferring to pay cash and got my mk1 Legacy wagon. No regrets, but I still love the looks of the Legend coupes on rare occasion I see one.
I’d love a Legend GS 6-speed.
This!
5cyl of shit i guess was dead. Kept passing one with the handling king as a 1st gen Explorer. On cruise control. He was doing 80+ on the straight and stupid slow in the corners.
The Vigor ended in ’94, so I’m calling it a mid-90s car. I’m not sure I’d call it a hit or a miss. It was good-ish, but mostly it was just A Car.
Different take: I think the first and second gen Acuras were the best by far, and in this mid 90s lineup of third gen and add-on cars, the integra is the only one that stayed great. The RL was a fine car I’m sure but it was kinda nameless and boring compared to the Legend. The CL was a swing and a miss (great concept, kinda dull in execution), the TL was indistinguishable from the RL and also kinda dull.
After this photo was taken, the only Acura I ever found desirable again was the 2nd gen TL (one of Acura’s best cars ever). I wouldn’t have kicked the TSX wagon out of bed either I guess. Otherwise, it was all meh and weird creases and beaks for a long time.
I agree.
Proper take
The TL was a thoroughly decent car. Give me a legend over the TL every day of the week.
Owned a bunch of Acura’s: 1994 Integra LS, ’18 RDX and two (’20 & ’23) MDX’s. I actually think Acura has stayed true to its role even as its transitioned from cars to SUVs. With the exception of the RDX (no sh-awd) they have all consistently out handled their respective front-biased class and have been true value for money.
The 2.5TL and 3.2TL are actually completely different cars in front of the firewall. Different front ends, different hoods, headlights, bumpers, etc. The 2.5TL had 4-lug wheels, while the 3.2TL had 5-lug
Biggest problem with bringing back the Integra name was the negging from never-satisfied Internet car guys who’d forgotten that most Integras weren’t Type Rs and it was always a fancier Civic.
Love me some 90s Acura. I should have bought my brother’s Integra GS-R when he sold it in 2006.
A college pal had an ’88 Legend – it was. That car redefined my vehicular expectations ( I grew up on mostly ’80s Fords). It was so much better built.
I owned a ’10 TSX and still have an ’05 MDX. Good mix of upscale yet reliable and durable. Looking at buying a newer MDX now.
My aunt had a Legend. It was only after the engine seized did she realize you had to change the oil every so often.
Some people just don’t deserve nice things.
100%
I remember a guy from work back in the 90’s that would lease only Civics and would NEVER change the oil.He figured that wasn’t his car so he didn’t care.He would just add it whenever it was low.I actually saw him put a quart of 30W Briggs & Stratton oil in it one day after work.
What a dick.
The topshot looks like the invitation to hang out with Acura in their party mansion! NOTHING SEXUAL.
I had a 1991 Integra LS manual in Tornado Red. It was awesome for the 200k miles and 15 years I had it. When I picked it up from the dealer, it was next to a NSX. My Integra looked huge in comparison.
I had a 1996 TL 2.5 with the 5cyl.
This model never seems to be brought up when talking about 5 bangers, but it sounded absolutely glorious over 4000rpm. It was just plain musical.
Always wanted a 4 door Legend as a daily. But all the ones I’ve found are broken beyond what I am willing to spend to fix.
Same here, they were too expensive for me to afford when new, and now they were driven for so many miles it’s hard to justify bringing them back to life with 300k on them
No lies detected.