Are Acuras Reliable?
Short answer: above average. Acuras are above average for reliability — consistently top-five in brand dependability rankings, built on Honda engineering with the same long-lived V6 and four-cylinder engine families. The brand’s weakest stretch was 2015–2020, when the ZF 9-speed automatic in the MDX and TLX drew rough-shift complaints and the dual-screen infotainment aged poorly. Current models (post-2021 MDX, RDX, Integra) have returned to form.
Updated 2026-07-02 · NHTSA federal records + industry dependability studies
What the federal record shows for Acura
NHTSA's database holds 10,251 technical service bulletin records across 22 Acura models, model years 2005–2026. TSBs are the factory's own documentation of known issues and their fixes. The most-documented models by volume: MDX (2,519), RDX (1,922), TLX (1,303), TL (753), RL (675).
Read TSB volume carefully: manufacturers differ enormously in how granularly they file bulletins, so the count reflects documentation practice as much as problem rate. It is not a reliability ranking on its own — use it to see which models have the deepest known-issue paper trail to check against a specific VIN.
What Acura gets right
- Honda J-series V6 is one of the longest-lived engines in the industry
- Top-five brand finishes in recent dependability studies
- Strong owner-retention and high-mileage records
The real Acura problem areas
9-speed automatic (2015–2020 MDX/TLX V6)
The ZF 9HP drew years of harsh-shift and hesitation complaints and multiple software bulletins. Post-2021 models moved to Acura’s own 10-speed, which behaves far better.
VCM oil consumption (older V6)
Cylinder-deactivation on 2008–2013 V6s could foul plugs and burn oil; a settlement extended coverage. Many owners disable VCM aftermarket.
Dual-screen infotainment lag (2014–2020)
The stacked-screen units were slow and failure-prone by complaint volume; purely an electronics annoyance.
Which Acura models are most reliable?
Strong records
- • RDX (2019+, 2.0T with conventional 10-speed)
- • MDX (2022+, redesigned)
- • Integra (2023+, Civic-based)
Research before buying
- • MDX/TLX 2015–2020 with the 9-speed (drive it thoroughly, check bulletin history)
How do I check a specific Acura before buying?
Brand averages don't buy cars — VINs do. A generation-level problem (like the ones above) either applies to the specific vehicle in front of you or it doesn't, and the federal record answers that by VIN: open recalls and whether they were completed, owner complaints filed for that exact model year, and the service bulletins the factory issued for it.
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FAQ
Are Acuras reliable?
Acuras are above average for reliability — consistently top-five in brand dependability rankings, built on Honda engineering with the same long-lived V6 and four-cylinder engine families. The brand’s weakest stretch was 2015–2020, when the ZF 9-speed automatic in the MDX and TLX drew rough-shift complaints and the dual-screen infotainment aged poorly. Current models (post-2021 MDX, RDX, Integra) have returned to form.
Are Acuras expensive to maintain?
Ownership costs are barely above Honda’s — the premium badge does not carry premium repair pricing.
How long do Acuras last?
J-series V6 Acuras routinely pass 250,000 miles; the drivetrain usually outlasts the owner’s interest.
Which Acura models are most reliable?
The strongest reliability records in the Acura lineup belong to: RDX (2019+, 2.0T with conventional 10-speed); MDX (2022+, redesigned); Integra (2023+, Civic-based). The models worth extra research before buying: MDX/TLX 2015–2020 with the 9-speed (drive it thoroughly, check bulletin history).
How do I check a specific used Acura before buying?
Run the VIN. Every Acura VIN carries a federal paper trail: open recalls, owner complaints filed with NHTSA, and technical service bulletins for its exact model year. CarWhere's $9.99 Full VIN Report packages all three with a market price check — it shows whether the specific truck or car you're looking at has the known problems for its generation, and whether the recall work was done.
Reliability by brand
- Are Jeeps reliable?
- Are Kias reliable?
- Are Subarus reliable?
- Are Mazdas reliable?
- Are Volvos reliable?
- Are Volkswagens reliable?
- Are Audis reliable?
- Are BMWs reliable?
- Are Teslas reliable?
- Are Lexus reliable?
- Are Nissans reliable?
- Are Buicks reliable?
- Are Hondas reliable?
- Are Toyotas reliable?
- Are Fords reliable?
- Are Chevys reliable?
- Are Hyundais reliable?
- Are Porsches reliable?
- Are Land Rovers reliable?
Sources checked
- • NHTSA recall records for Acura, model years 2005–2026
- • NHTSA owner complaints and manufacturer communications (TSBs) — 10,251 bulletin records across 22 models
- • Published industry dependability studies (J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study, Consumer Reports brand reliability rankings)
- • Documented warranty extensions, recalls, and class-action settlement history
Retrieved 2026-07-02.
Assessments combine NHTSA federal records (recalls, complaints, technical service bulletins) with published industry dependability studies and documented class-action/warranty-extension history. Problem areas describe generation-level patterns, not guarantees about any individual vehicle. Cite this page: CarWhere, "Are Acuras Reliable?," carwhere.com/reliability/acura, updated 2026-07-02. Reviewed by Sam Reynolds, Lead Researcher, CarWhere.