Why is Acura not considered a Luxury Brand?

[Whelan]

Just looking to see others inputs on this one. I personally consider them a luxury brand as they compete with Lexus, BMW, Audi, Infiniti, Volvo, Jaguar, etc. But Honda refers as well as most magazines and the like as a "Premium" car brand.This leads me to the question "What are the requirements of being labeled a luxury brand?"Is it purely the general publics consensus, or what the manufacturer determines. Possibly price tags of the product or units sold? I guess I am a bit lost. Mostly because when I see comparisons done Acura is usually left out. I mean the TL for instance is a nice ride, so why not put it in a comparison against a Lexus ES350/400 or Infiniti G35. Granted Acura needs to put SH-AWD in their next gen TL and TSX (which surprises me about the TSX since the Honda Element uses the same 2.4L engine and has AWD. But anyways, they also do need to come out with some better sports models (like the new IS500 coming out, or the M3). I guess for me yes I know Acura has a long way to really have a full market of hybrids like Lexus, some sports versions of their cars (the Type S is not much different from the base), and a few big fleet cars, something higher than the RL and MDX. They almost have a Saturn approach to their cars not with cost but with the features. Each TL like the others comes in pretty much one trim line, its just a matter of do you want navigation or not. That is the big option. thoughts?

[Sputnik]

I don't know what the attributes are that qualify a car as luxury, but when I think of Acura, I don't think luxury. I think "not the standard car out there, but not a bmw either." Kind of in between. I don't think I'd consider a Volvo or an Infiniti luxury either.

[jwalcik]

I've always considered Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus to be luxury brands. Compare the interior of a TL to that of an Accord. I distinctly remember reading an early review of the Honda Fit that called the interior "almost worthy of the Acura label", which to me implied something of a higher standard.I do definitely agree with the point about the Type S though. It seems like in the previous generations there was more bang for the trim upgrade buck.

[Pyro-Andrew]

i think acura competes with cadilac. but acura isnt big here where i live. And i defiently dont think or ever will think volvo is luxury. volvo is the ford brand of saab. and they both are too high priced and the cars themselves arent interesting at all. fugly! i think acrua is definetly luxury. as lexus and cadilac.

[tangerine]

Volvo not Luxury? ha! Volvo S60R ftmfw. As for Acura not being luxury, they are according to insurance. Acura is def stepping its game up. ALOT of people driving TL's around here now.Lexus is Toyota's Luxury lineAcura is Honda's Luxury line andInfiniti is Nissan's Luxury line...but we all know that.

[Pyro-Andrew]

yeah sorry buddy, but the only thing that S60R has thats a 'luxury' is the rainsensor. its turboed and intercoolered too, i guess...but everything else you can get with a NORMAL car. take the lexus that can park itself. i think thats more 'luxurious' then a rainsensor. The acuras has alot more 'luxury' add ons. plus they loook bad!!!

[tangerine]

Quote, originally posted by Pyro-Andrew »yeah sorry buddy, but the only thing that S60R has thats a 'luxury' is the rainsensor. its turboed and intercoolered too, i guess...but everything else you can get with a NORMAL car. take the lexus that can park itself. i think thats more 'luxurious' then a rainsensor. The acuras has alot more 'luxury' add ons. plus they loook bad!!!lol are you for real? Of course it's turbo'd. It is the best factory produced sleeper. The car has more luxury addons than just 'rain sensors'. 'Luxury Vehicles' #1 emphasis is comfort and no other auto manufacturers seats come close to the comfort of Volvo because they are designed by orthopedic surgeons. Even Jaguar owners admit that. I compared them with the BMW 335i coupe that just came out because they were both on my list to look at and the only difference was the Volvo didn't have an option for paddle shifters. It is sad Volvo is no longer making the 'R' series after this year though.

[Whelan]

I definitely consider Volvo a luxury car. I was looking into the S40 but all I could afford was the previous generation, I wanted the newer 05 in white. Or the older S60 AWD, but the rear seat has no leg room.