(first posted 8/19/2015) You’ll be entirely forgiven if this car escapes your memory – it sometimes does mine, and I’m admittedly a huge Acura enthusiast. Introduced at a time when Acura was replacing memorable model names like “Legend”, “Vigor”, and “Integra” with alphanumeric nomenclature, as well as being a coupe-only model, the first-generation Acura CL was sold for less than four full calendar years. Despite a rather beautiful design and elegant interior, in its short time on sale, the 1997-1999 Acura CL did little to make a lasting impression.
Assuming Honda had huge sales expectations for the CL is naive. After all, it was exclusively a coupe model, and one competing in a premium segment at that. Nonetheless, considering Honda’s investment for a unique body, as well as the decision for North American sales only, the automaker likely had higher hopes for the CL than what it ultimately achieved.
Entering production in early-1996, the CL was the first Acura created exclusively for the North American market and the first Acura to not have a Honda-badged sibling sold overseas. The CL was also the first Acura designed and manufactured in America, respectively at Honda’s design studios in California and East Liberty plant in Ohio (second generation CLs would be assembled at the nearby Marysville, OH plant).
Although it shared its underpinnings with the Accord and TL sedan (itself based on the JDM Honda Inspire), the CL’s sheetmetal were nearly entirely unique. While the Accord coupe had a decidedly upright look to it, the CL boasted much sleeker styling, with a far more rakish profile. Even though the CL and TL shared little in terms of styling, given their mechanical relations and closeness in size, the first generation CL is commonly considered the “coupe version” of the TL.
Up until this point, Acura designs had been attractive and well-received, yet were largely conservative and similar to designs of North American Hondas. This is naturally understandable as all previous Acuras themselves were rebadged Japanese domestic market Hondas. The CL represented the first break from this practice.
Drawing inspiration from the 1995 Acura CL-X concept car, the production CL featured very sleek “wind tunneled” styling with a low hood, rakish windshield and roofline, tapering decklid, and many upswept curves throughout. At the time, the CL was distinctive, but for better or worse, it shared very little visual resemblance to any other Acura.
Among its most striking styling feature was its trunk design. Attenuating rather quickly, its slanted V-shape with sharp center line evoked the rears of iconic coupes from decades past. In a world where most other coupes and sedans sported high decks, the CL’s design stood out, even if few cared to take notice.
A similar rear end design would be used again by Acura, right down to the taillight shape, on the 2009 TL sedan. Far more people took note of this Acura, though unfortunately, to voice criticism for its very subjective front end treatment.
The CL’s interior was also unique in design, but familiar in its logical layout to other Acuras and Hondas. Characteristic of most Acuras, both then and now, all CLs came with a generous level of standard equipment. Every CL featured attractive wood tone accents, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power moonroof, premium sound system with in-dash CD player, and fully automatic climate control.
Front seats were thickly bolstered, with the driver’s seat gaining eight-way power adjustments and manual lumbar support. Initially, both models featured premium cloth as the standard upholstery. A “Premium Package”, the only major option for the CL, included leather upholstery in both models, and two-stage front seat heaters in the 3.0 CL. By 1999 however, leather was standard across the board.
Unlike the second generation Legend coupe, whose departing occurred right around the same time as the CL’s introduction, Acura marketed the CL strictly as a comfort-oriented luxury coupe with no high performance aspirations. Some sources will cite the 1996 CL as the 1995 Legend coupe’s replacement, but in many ways the CL was really more of an appropriate successor to the first generation Legend coupe, which shared the CL’s emphasis on comfort over performance, as well as closeness in size and price. By contrast, the second generation Legend coupe was up a class in size, price, and performance.
The first generation CL was available in four- and six-cylinder models throughout its run, initially in form of a 2.2L I4 and a 3.0L V6. Both shared with the Accord, the 2.2 CL made 145 horsepower and 147 pound-foot of torque, while the 3.0 CL’s V6 was rated at 200 horsepower and 197 pound-foot of torque. Beginning in 1998, a new 2.3 liter I4 replaced the 2.2, resulting the model’s name change to 2.3 CL.
Even though output was only marginally greater, at 150 horsepower and 154 pound-foot of torque, acceleration was better and with the automatic transmission, it was the first gasoline engine to qualify as an ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV). All 2.2 CLs and 2.3 CLs came standard with a 5-speed manual, with a 4-speed automatic as optional. The 3.0 CL was available only with automatic transmission, a nod to its comfort emphasis.
Given the forces it had working against it, the CL actually sold in quite reasonable numbers, accounting for approximately 15-20% of total Acura division sales for 1996-1999. Although Honda’s sales figures are not broken down by generation, from late-1995 through 1999, total CL production at Honda’s East Liberty facility totaled 100,555 examples. During those years, the CL was usually Acura’s third-place seller, behind the Integra and TL, and ahead of the RL and NSX. It should also be noted that CL sales consistently topped those of the similarly-priced Honda Prelude coupe.
The first generation CL was by no means a failure, but it never gained the notoriety and following which other Acura coupes achieved. This can be attributed to several factors. First, the CL was positioned primarily as a comfortable luxury coupe, lacking a performance model or performance upgrades. Although the CL boasted a silky smooth appearance with a distinctive rear, its overall design didn’t make many lasting impressions, nor did it convey the power and presence of the Legend coupe.
Second, and likely more germane to the CL’s “invisibleness” was that it really didn’t have any direct competition. Priced very reasonably in the mid-$20,000s, the CL was significantly less expensive than other luxury coupes. Adding to this, coupes like the BMW 3-Series, Lexus SC, and Mercedes-Benz CLK placed a greater emphasis on performance, while American luxury coupes such as the Buick Riviera, Cadillac Eldorado, and Lincoln Mark VIII were considerably larger. With comparable CL models running only about a $2,000 premium, this car probably competed with the heavily-related Accord coupe more than any other vehicle, especially once the improved 1998 Accord coupe arrived.
Skipping the model year 2000, the CL would be redesigned for 2001, visually bringing it more in line with the second generation TL. Although this generation would see even fewer sales during its three-year run, due to its more aggressive styling and a higher-performance Type-S model, the second generation CL gained greater attention among enthusiasts and is better-remembered today.
The 1997-1999 CL was a well-rounded luxury coupe, but its well-roundedness was likely the CL’s greatest downfall, as the car didn’t prominently stand out in any particular area. Combined with its general lack of any true competitors and relatively short production span, the CL failed to gain much notoriety and was quickly forgotten. On the positive side, these factors are likely the reason that most CLs today don’t sport lowered suspensions, goofy paint jobs, enormous wing spoilers, and clumsy body kits, in the way cars like the Integra do. If you bother to look, there are actually a surprisingly high number of CLs still on the roads today, quietly roaming in their understated elegance and beauty.
This is the best looking Acura I’ve ever seen. It’s better looking than anything produced under the Acura name today.
It’s also a great daily GT. I have a ’98 5mt and drive it 50 miles per day, while averaging 29mpg. You’re probably questioning the GT claim. Well, I installed front rotors and calipers from the V6. Rotor size goes from 10 to 11″ for an approximate 10% increase in front brake torque. I also increased rear sway from 16 to 19mm, which makes it twice as stiff. All sway attachments received urethane bushings. For the struts, I used Koni orange and kept the factory springs for ride quality and clearance. You never know what will be lying in the road and ground clearance is important on a daily. I also kept the original Enki 16×6.5 wheels. They are lightweight, strong and look nice painted arctic silver. With the mentioned upgrades, this car handles like a Prelude, yet has room for adults in the back seat.
The cabin is quiet and comfortable at 85mph and the climate control still works great. At the time of this writing the car is 26 years old.
What a fantastic car and I fully expect it to run to 400k miles without significant issues.
No formal roof, are you sure it was designed in the US? It looks remarkably like a normal coupe that would sell to sighted people, Seems like it was filled with all the creature features found on JDM Hondas though it didnt sell there, good effort.
Bryce, there have actually been multiple coupes designed in the U.S. without formal roofs. Shocking, I’m sure, but the formal roof coupes are in the minority.
Formal roof coupes? Jason, don’t know what Bryce is talking about, but this guy comes to mind. 🙂
In my mind, Im already resto-modding that car in Inferno Red, slicktop, California rake, Cragar SS mags, steamroller tires out back and a worked over 360 under the hood….
I’m with you on that one, Mopar. 🙂
Something along the lines of this? It’s the Mexican market Dodge Magnum.
Factory equipped with a built 360 V8
That one might have given the Monte SS and Olds 442 a run for their money and gotten 350s back where they belong in the GM offerings. I also like it being just a mid size two door instead of a converted personal luxury coupe. It might even have got the Tbird to give up on the compromised 2.3 turbo and find a 351 Cleveland.
The gorgeous Lexus SC300/SC400 coupes were designed in California.
Formal roofs, Bryce? Is that REALLY how you guys view American cars? I would hope visions of the ’68 Charger, ’71 Barracuda, ’66 Fury, or your own Valiant Charger come to mind… Yeesh….
I think the Americans finally got over their formal roof fetish about thirty years ago, Bryce.
Memorable names like Legend and Integra, YES… Not the stepchild, awkward Vigor. Hahaa. Not many people outside of this forum remember that oddball.
The Vigor was more memorable in Japan, where it had more history, as a few generations.
You very rarely see a Vigor driving around… I still see tons of these 1st gen CLs driving about, albeit lowered and sporting the almighty fart cannon.
Why is it everytime, I see em posted on Craigslist, a majority have auto tranny problems?
That’s right, duh, they were made around the Hondacrapmatic years of bad trannies… 1999- 05. Worst years for a Honda automatic. These CLs are good cars with a 5 speed manual.
These 1st gen CLs looked great, they had a style all their own… Much better than the bland, bloated 2nd gen version that replaced it. It looked like a geriatric Accord coupe.
Although, these CLs have one annoying trait, I always thought was awkward… That sloped- down ass. It reminds me of the Infiniti J30, for some reason. Ugh.
Vigors Rafagas etc are fairly common here all exJDM but there are plenty about I was parked next to one at the supermarket today, didnt take any notice of it though just another Honda.
These are the Vigors, I remember as a kid, when I went to Japan on vacation in the 80’s… Which I owned two of the US Accords of this generation, a grey 82 sedan and tan 85 sedan.
It had a huge market share among truck drivers ?
Say what?
You sure your on the right topic?
Johannes is referring to the big rig like JDM mirrors.
Ohhhhh…
Thanks for translating. 😉
Sorry, I forgot the bus drivers.
Wow, those make the JDM mirrors look sexy.
What the???
Those mirrors are actually very common on buses. Below a complete set.
Thanks to their forward position the driver can see the sides of the bus plus, very important, the corners and front.
Wow, those things are HUGE.
For a minute there, I thought those were the pincers of a giant, mutant Stag beetle. Lol
The ricer crowd that fetishizes JDM styling absolutely LOVES those fender mounted mirrors. Ill never get that. To my eye, ANY side mirror is an eyesore and should be as minimized as possible. Sticking them on the fenders makes it look like handlebars. Might as well get some streamers on them too, Big Wheel style.
One of my favorites is the 1st gen Toyota Harrier (Lexus RX), with the dual left mirrors.
Yikes…
What about this JDM Land Cruiser?
With that far out extended mirror, it looks like Vanity Smurf, trying to catch a glimpse of himself. Lol
Vanity Smurf… Separated at birth, from the JDM Land Cruiser
Now that is really weird. Is the second smaller mirror for passing pedestrians to check their makeup curbside.
CC effect, sorta – I saw a Honda Airwave yesterday. Camera wouldn’t cooperate though.
1st gen CL, J30, 98-02 Accord coupe – that was all the proof that I needed that the Japanese knew how to design beautiful cars from the front to the rear doors then went on vacation and let the interns design the last 1/4.
Of course the last gen Prelude took that rule and reversed it.
I have to disagreed with the replacement – I thought it was one of Acura’s better designs, especially in -S trim. Of course the related TL sedan was their best designed car of all; I have to go back to the 2nd gen Legend and Integra to even think of a decent Acura design after those.
Thanks for shedding some light on a car I knew little about! I didn’t realize how small the price differential was between this and an Accord coupe/Prelude. I imagine a lot of people would have gone with the Acura merely because of the greater snob appeal, although that being said Acura doesn’t really have a super prestigious image. It almost feels like a Japanese Oldsmobile.
Wow, from:
“Precision Crafted Automobiles. Acura.” In the 80’s to…
“Japanese Oldsmobiles.”
What a BIG fall from grace. 🙁
Maybe the snob appeal is not there but people know Acuras are not cheap cars. I know. I sell them for a living.
Olds in it’s heyday were upscale, well differentiated from their platform mates by powertrains, a unique ride tuning philosophy, and a cut above dealer experience. Not too different a model from Acura.
Acuras are very nice class cars without the German “look at me!” If I ever end up going for something entry level luxury, Acura is my first choice.
No, they’re not… Cheap, that is.
My mom just sold her Cadillac CTS, and bought a 2015 Acura MDX… It retailed for over $50,000.
I like it. A lot.
I never really liked the original CL myself and preferred the second generation model.
That 1995 CL-X concept car looks identical to a 2005 Acura RL in coupe design. Much more than a concept car would normally predict a production car ten years in the future.
I’ll always remember this as being a car that photographed much better from the rear than the front. While the rear had a rather dynamic look to it, the front was incredibly “meh”. Park it in a crowded parking lot and you’d never notice the car from the front.
Have ridden in them – a very nice car. My motorcycle mechanic has one, picked up cheaply with supposedly terminal transmission troubles that were more adjustment than overhaul. He loves it.
These have an air of empty nester about them. I liked the look of them but don’t think they differentiated enough from the Accord coupe, especially being off the previous generation at the end. The premium warranty of Acura also matters less when there mostly leased and not likely to have troubles any way. Japan seems to have a way with bland coupes at the time M30,Solara, Accord, MX6, at least the first one.
Thanks Brendan for the well researched writeup.
I kind of liked these when they came out, but remember that they seemed expensive for what you got.
I don’t think this car had a niche. It wasn’t luxurious, wasn’t sporty, wasn’t inexpensive.
A co-worker had the hots for one of these and was ready to trade his Integra for one, but they were just out and the dealer was not offering much of a deal. Shortly after, someone he knew called it a chick car, and he fell out of love with it. I never did see many around here.
I could swear that I remember that when these came out, they were equipped with that oddball Honda 5 cylinder engine. Am I imagining this? If so, this would have been one of it’s problems in appeal department, in a price class where a V6 was becoming the minimum acceptable standard.
I believe you’re thinking of the 1992-1994 Acura Vigor, which indeed was powered by Honda’s 5-cylinder.
I actually spotted a 1994 Vigor a few weeks ago, which I’m planning to write up soon. They’re very rarely seen in my parts. Just under 44,000 were sold in the U.S. from 1991 to early 1995 (leftovers).
Acura fan Tyson Hugie recently added a 1994 Vigor with 5-speed to his growing stable of Acuras. He is documenting its history, condition on purchase, driving experiences, and improvements in his blog:
https://drivetofive.wordpress.com/2015/07/05/new-addition-1994-acura-vigor-gs-5-speed/
Thanks! I’m glad to say I follow his blog quite regularly, and have enjoyed reading about the Vigor so far. So beautiful in Arcadian Green!
Here’s my TSX and the Vigor I recently spotted. A full-CC on it to come along soon:
THe Vigor badge seems to appear on later model Hondas from this century or are fanbois just getting badges for their creations, I dont know not being a Honda fan but I followed a speeding lowered stanced black Honda on the motorway he was perfect radar bait I was 25kmh over the limit when he overtook me however when the traffic snarled at a roadworks it turned out the black rocketship wore a Vigor badge, very loud exhaust sounded like a six and slurred upshifs so likely an automatic but a body style I didnt recognize,
I also see RHD Acura badged Hondas here so some must be on the JDM Infiniti badges appear here on Nissans is this fanboi rebranding like the Chevy bowties on Holdens or is the real thing being brought in?
The CL was never offered with the five — the 2.5 TL was, but the coupe had either a four or a V-6, later just a V-6.
I really like these cars, and consider it to be one of the best designs of the 1990s. Simple and clean, yet distinctive. And it’s one of the few cars that looks better in the rear than in the front.
The tail reminds me (marginally) of a Boattail Riviera, but less obvious by several orders of magnitude. This particular car really does its design a disservice by having the spoiler on the trunk lid, which masks the best part of the car’s appearance.
When the CL came out, I really hoped it would be popular, to give the coupe market a breath of fresh air, but that was not to be. The design, combined with the smooth drivetrain, and build quality from Honda’s best years make this a very appealing car.
Nice looking car, much better than Acura’s current offerings.
I suspect that it would be a car thief magnet though, all the chopshops looking for the larger Honda I4s for the Civic ricer crowd.
I have always liked the looks and size of the Acura CL. I’ve driven a few Hondas and always found them to be comfortable and capable. I would suppose a new CL would have been a nice choice for a more upscale commuter. It certainly would have fit my needs but by 1999 I was already under the spell of the three-pointed star.
A bit of weird first-gen CL trivia: I believe these were the first cars sold in the U.S. lacking a key hole on the trunk lid. The interior release and remote keyless entry were the only means of opening the trunk.
I’ll believe it.
While we’re on that subject, my Acura TSX has a hidden external trunk release button. It’s a penny-sized square located between the two license plate spotlights, that requires just a very gently push. Took me several months after I bought the car to discover it, but I prefer using it to the interior trunk release or the remote.
That switch is a welcome “crossover” from the minivan/CUV segment. My ILX also had it, as does my current GLI. Once you learn where it is (somewhat difficult on the Acura as the square is small) it works much better than a key lock ever did.
Nope, the Audi Coupe GT 1981-1987 didn’t have a keyhole either. Small knob/toggle in the door jamb instead.
This is a nice contrast with yesterday’s Cougar showing two different approaches to luxury coupe design.
The CL looks a lot sleeker than that ponderous rear-drive cat. I love the two-door profile and the low beltline, almost unheard of today. I like the bulletproof front-drive Honda mechanicals (automatic transmission notwithstanding) and the luxurious interior. I like the fact that this was a unique model with a bodyshell not shared with other Hondas and Acuras. So, to say that I like this car is a foregone conclusion.
Yet it still feels a bit staid. Maybe it’s the color…generic Honda silver-beige never seemed exciting. Some of the details look a bit awkward…the grille inside the hood lip, the single-color lights, the solid flank of near-vertical metal making up the trunklid…and if I were designing the car, I would have changed them. If I had a choice between this and a loaded Integra hatchback, I would have picked the latter.
But it almost feels like splitting hairs to complain.
It is always nice to see the distinctive rear styling of a CL in Albuquerque rush half-hour traffic.
You can start to see the “beak” idea forming in the heads at Acura on this model , a model that screams “Mercury” when placed next to an Accord Coupe. What Happened? Acura dropped the names, (Legend comes to mind first) and went with letters. Letters that to this day make no sense and bring nothing memorable to mind. Stupid. Now that Honda is going to sell SUV’s under the Honda banner that don’t look like a square box , there’s really no reason for Acura to hang around anymore.
The idea was planted back in 1984, before the 1986 debut of Acura… At the time that guy was an intern. When he moved up in the ranks, his idea became the corporate beak(uh, face) of Acura.
This guy was his inspiration… 🙂
A thorough look-back at an oft-forgotten car. While I still prefer Acura’s earlier sport coupe, the Legend, the CL had its own odd appeal for me. I wouldn’t mind snagging one in 5-speed configuration.
Thanks Tyson! I do like the CL very much, but it’s got nothing on your Legend(s).
Oh my, this car represents the era when I felt Acura really dropped the ball. When the Acura brand was introduced, I was an enormous fan, appreciating the high quality, excellent performance and fun-to-drive factor, along with understated good looks and tasteful luxury. The bold, memorable model nomenclature just sealed the deal. I lusted after Acuras, my wife’s first new car was an Integra, we seriously considered getting a Gen2 Legend Coupe… we were fans, and bought into Acura’s slogan of “Precision Crafted Performance” as an excellent counterpoint to both the German makes and the other premium Japanese offerings.
Then, they threw it all away and the cars turned to bland mush. The names were gone, the precision was gone. Softness crept in, styling fell asleep. I’m not sure who Acura had decided to target, but as William points out above, it seems like they suddenly became a Japanese Oldsmobile. Inoffensive, somewhat nice, not inspiring anyone’s lust (or fury), and thereby just… fading… away… Like Olds, I feel Acura lost sight of what made them great initially and tried to satisfy too broad an audience with products that no longer excelled in any one area.
Funnily, the CL-X concept car pictured reminds me of the current Mercedes S Class Coupe, especially from the rear. Funny that Benz dropped the CL nomenclature right when the car started looking like a bit like a CL 🙂
Boring, generic, forgettable.
These 3 words sum up the 97-99 CL. It could not hold a candle to the Legend coupe in the looks department. It is like Honda took a 94-97 Accord and gussied up the front end and hoped folks would line up to buy it like they did with the Legend. Instead folks ether opted for a Integra or took a deep sigh and bought the TL or RL sedan
I agree. From the front or sides, without that badge it’s hard to differentiate this from any other run-of-the mill Honda. The taillights are the only thing that give it any character. And I find them more awkward than attractive. Same with the interior. Without the wood grain it’s very generic.
Still, at least it’s functional with good visibility.
Thanks for the very informative article, Brendan. I always liked these, although more from the rear than the back. The interiors look extremely well-finished, too, and I realize I’ve never had a ride or drive in one. I had never noticed the similarity with the rear styling of the 2009 TL, but it’s definitely there. Maybe not to everyone’s liking, but at least its distinctive! Thanks for pointing that out.
And I just might be one of the only ones who actually likes the 2009 TL. I’m not saying it’s the most attractive Acura ever, but it definitely has a high level of fierceness, which I find very appealing.
Yes it does. I think I’ll like the 2009 TL better as it ages than I do now. The TLX is very nice but it’s easy to mistake for a Lexus from some angles (*yawn*). That’s a mistake you wouldn’t make with the TL!
Exactly! I like the TLX a lot, and I really want to love it, but from the side and back, it’s just too plain and similar to other cars. What bothers me the most is that the beltline at the rear doors looks an awful lot like a Corolla. I haven’t crossed the TLX off my list for my potential next car, but I just wish it could be love at first sight.
Compare the fuel filler fit! Or has the second one been photoshopped?
I remember reading reviews when this car first hit the market. The one thing that stood out for me, because it was mentioned a few times in various articles, was that this was the first car to not have a lock cylinder on the trunk lid. Since it came standard with a remote trunk release, Acura didn’t put a key lock on the trunk lid.
The rare times I see one of these out on the road, that thought immediately pops into my brain.
Nice writeup on what I consider a disappointing car in Acura’s history. That original concept car is still on display in Honda’s US museum. Striking but ultimately condensed to fit the Accord chassis. I believe Honda was going in the direction of the Infiniti J30, a sort of ‘designer’ car in the personal luxury vein, although this was the first Acura with no overseas equivalent.
I love Acura and drive a 1994 6 speed Legend coupe (the last to have drop-down rear windows). The Legend, and subsequent RL are made in Japan and of a significantly different approach to engineering. I see at least 2 CL’s a day and when I see those fixed rear windows I think of how Acura was losing its way then.
The 2001 CL is the worst looking Honda of the era in my opinion. Based on the rather attractive 98 Accord coupe and yet stripped of all the sporting style cues. A static, drooping belt line, bulbous rear end and benign front end expression has never endeared it to me despite the reputation as one of the best FWD Hondas.
Happy to hear from a fellow Acura owner, no less a Legend owner. While I like this first gen CL, I agree that it pales in comparison to the Legend coupe.
As a kid, I looked upon the second generation Legends with great admiration and lust. To this day, the 1991-1995 Legend (in both coupe and sedan) is one of my favorite cars ever. I still hope to pick one up some day in the near future.
My Legend coupe. I wish Honda had the motive to make a third generation instead of this Accord.
Very nice! Don’t see too many in black, and I love the GS wheels!
I really never saw what Acura was thinking turning the Legend into the RL. Maybe they thought they had a shot to convert older, big American car owners annoyed their models were being allowed to slowly die on the vine. I wonder how much the average age of the owners went up.
Ditto. Seriously, that’s something I’ve never understood on any level. It would be really interesting to hear from any Honda/Acura executive(s) at the time to hear their reasoning behind this decision, other than the unbelievable “People have only heard of the Legend and Integra, not Acura”. I’ve struggled for years trying to see a viable explanation, but of course, I don’t think I ever will.
Not to mention that yearly RL sales never topped 18,000. In its best year, the second generation Legend sold over 65,000. Beginning with the second generation, the TL would in some ways would more effectively fill the Legend’s shoes. It offered similar levels of luxury, performance, and size (4th gen was virtually as long as the 2nd gen Legend), and it consistently sold above 55,000 units annually from 1999-2007. Only the economic downturn beginning in 2008, and of course the 2009 redesign, which turned off many potential buyers severely hindered its momentum.
I still wish Acura would bring back actual names, at least “Legend” and “Integra”. Despite some time since they’ve existed, they still clearly resonate with a lot of people who were once owners and fans of the brand. The ILX would obviously become the Integra, but I actually think the TLX would make a more appropriate Legend than the RLX. Besides the very expensive and exclusive SH-AWD Sport Hybrid, I don’t feel the fwd RLX offers much over the TLX besides its larger size. Plus, the TLX offers SH-AWD and is clearly a higher-volume model. I think “Legend” would give it a lot more cache.
The irony of this is that Lexus was doing a great job of sweeping up all the disenfranchised domestic luxury owners, while Acura had really established itself at the younger “hipper” end of the market. When I was a twenty-something in the early 90s, Acura was an “it” car with my demographic. Integras obviously skewed younger (we had one) while the Legend seemed perfect for someone in their 30s-50s. Talk about a demographic sweet spot! That’s the Acura I miss, and I can’t help seeing the “alphabet” cars as the tipping point where they took a bad wrong turn. I assume it was competitive envy with Toyota that drove them in their misguided direction. No matter, it was a shame and I’d argue that Audi (still recovering from unintended acceleration) was able to step into the void left behind by Acura. And that chasing Lexus bit didn’t work out so well either…
The original RL styling wise owed something to the LS400. I could see why Acura would lust after the LS400 prestige and transaction prices. But FWD and a 90 degree V6 is just not at the same level. To have successful models and say, we don’t need an Integra, the Civic is being deconteted so will be harder to keep up a good Integra, and the Legend, well old people won’t like it as it sounds urban. Sounds like Oldsmobile at their worst not there best.
In Japan, it was still called the Honda Legend… Way, way after the US Legend became the RL.
The Legend has been produced in Japan since 1985.
The Honda Legend is still in production in Japan… It is, or is very similar to the Acura RLX.
We had the Honda Legend too. It was withdrawn from the Euro-market circa 5 years ago. The last model available here (picture below) had a 3.7 liter V6
More recently the curtain fell on the Honda Accord too.
The updated RLX is still here in USA but sells only modest numbers even if the 2005 and later got a little smaller and more Legend like.
The rationale was that the people were more familiar with the model names than with the brand name (Acura). The goal was to raise the profile of Acura.
It ultimately backfired, as the move marks the beginning of the downturn of Acura’s automobile business. The brand is trying to rebuild its car line-up, but crossovers have been keeping the brand viable.
I was seriously considering a new 97 CL 3.0 back in 97, I was driving a 92 Integra I had purchased new. Ended up getting a 97 Nissan Maxima SE instead. Loved that Max, but after 3.5 years I replaced the Max with a new 01 TL, sold it after the 4th tranny failure.
I can’t forget this car because a good friend still has one and I rode in it a few weeks ago. Purchased used from friends around 2000, it is a 1998 2.3. I believe the mileage is close to 300K at this point. The automatic transmission was replaced but otherwise the car has required little other than usual maintenance, despite a few years of rough care and driving by her daughter.
She reclaimed the car from the daughter when she retired last year and turned in her leased Civic in order to no longer have car payments (she now uses Uber a lot here in the city). The Acura soldiers on, the A/C still works, the leather looks good, and the car is reasonably quiet and comfortable. Acura was really building cars for the long haul in those days. I still love the sculpted rear but only without the spoiler, which ruins the overall effect. Good cars.
A supervisor at work had one of these about 15 or so years ago
In no way was the CL supposed to be a Legend Coupe replacement. It was made simply because Honda’s Accord Coupe was a very good seller and Honda had the underpinnings to make a more luxurous version they could sell under their Acura nameplate.This gave Acura a coupe to sell at a price point several thousands less than the Legend.
To me, and having seen this car only in pictures, the roof looks a little too tall and rounded.
These cars arent ‘bad’ in and of themselves but I think you can point to this basic formula for why coupes have been on the decline. ‘Built for comfort, not speed’ is fine for a sedan. The reason for choosing a coupe SHOULD be for cutting edge style and superior performance, as that bodystyle is the best platform for those attributes. These cars look ‘nice’ but as others have said its just kind of inoffensive. Not great, not bad. And the performance is underwhelming, based on my one ride in a 3.2 CL that my sis’ ex b/f had. The later model upped the ante in style and performance, but still for a midsize coupe fwd v6 doesnt cut it.
The main thing I remember about this car was it was (possibly) the first to get rid of the exterior trunk lock, for a cleaner appearance. I recall that feature being highlighted in the advertising.
More likely done to save a few pennies. Early 80’s Audi Coupe GT didn’t have an exterior trunk lock either.
Japanese-generic, but the veneer is nicely figured and, being a Honda, the smoothness of the engine will offset the fidgety ride.
Never did like the look of these cars, and I have been a lifelong Acura fan. They’re not quite Camry Solara ugly, but man.
A lot of people get the impression, I’m sure, that I don’t like Hondas or Acuras. Thats not entirely true. Under Mr. Honda, Honda was an amazing company. Their cars were incredible, their engineering nonpareil, and their build quality a cut above everything not coming out of Stuttgart. But then Mr. Honda died. And everything changed. Since his death they have divested themselves of every last thing they had going for them over a period of about 15 years. Their last great car was the second generation RL, and even that was poorly positioned and badly marketed.
The first gen CL and even more so the second gen TL are the exemplar of what Acura does best- an upmarket stepping stone for Honda Accord owners looking to move up in the world. That’s what the first gen Legend was, and thats what the second gen TL was literally.
The second gen Legend was the first indication that Acura was never going to be a first cut luxury car company. Not because Honda was incapable as a company, but because they did not, and do not, understand luxury car buyers at the top of the market. They designed their cars with a practical, logical, what people really need mindset then. So the Legend, while offering similar luxury and space to the Lexus LS400, cost less, and had a V6 and front-wheel-drive giving similar performance due to its lower weight. With better fuel economy and a lower price, to boot.
Logical. Practical. Exactly what the reasoned mind would choose. Or not. Because the reasonable, logical, practical, economical mind chooses the Honda Accord. I want a luxury car. I want a V8, I want rear wheel drive, I want to tell my neighbors how much money it costs, show off how much money I can spend. Trust me, if I can spend $50k+ on a car easily, I don’t really care too much about practical considerations like fuel economy. I remember some toyed with prototypes for the second gen Legend way back when featuring a V10 engine and RWD. When Honda decided that the practical V6, FWD Legend they built was the best answer to the LS400, that was proof positive they didn’t have what it took… and the first gen RL, also originally considered for a RWD V8, made it definite. They don’t understand the customer… and now the brand doesn’t have what it takes image wise.
The CL was a mistake, but not a stupid one. It is a beautifully styled car. It was a market-trend prediction car, taking statistics and logic to custom design a product for a market segment their logic saw developing. When the CL came to market was roughly when the Baby Boomers started to have empty nests, and were approaching their peak earning years. The Toyota Solara was created with the same logic.
Middle aged, empty nested parents, no longer needing the practicality of a sedan, reaching their peak earning years, though not rich, buying a slightly impractical, somewhat luxurious coupe that was still sensible from the company they had been buying mid-sized sedans from. It was a logical and intelligent observation. It was a market that should have been developing. It just didn’t happen.
Mercedes-Benz and Lexus, and to smaller extent, Lincoln, came in and ate their lunch. That market bought something in that vein. But what they bought were Mercedes-Benz ML320s, Lexus RX300s, and Lincoln Navigators. They went higher in price than Honda estimated (illogical), they bought a bigger car that had more practicality than they ever needed (oddly, thats called being impractical), and they no longer cared about Honda reliability as much.
The wealthier and older you get, the less reliable your car has to be. When my dad was young, commuting 50 miles to a hospital where he was a simple resident shrink, his car had to start every morning, he was overextended buying an expensive house he struggled to afford, he would drive to work in anything short of a blizzard or hurricane. As he grew older, developed an established practice of his own, and started developing savings… well, he doesn’t go to work if there is anything beyond a dusting, now. His car not starting isn’t so important anymore. Not that he’d like it or anything, but its no longer the end of the world.
This is Honda in a nutshell. They consistently develop, for all their divisions, logical, economical products. In yesteryear, they were also well engineered and well built, too. But they were never flashy. Never sensual. Never sexy. (The NSX and S2000 are glorious, glorious exceptions.) Civic Sis were sporty and fun, capable, and tunable to immense capability. Maybe you find a ricer version sexy, maybe not… but the basic Civic has never been sexy. They were never cars of aspiration. Upgrading to an Acura from a Honda is a logical choice for the upwardly mobile. But its not something people generally LUST over.
A persuasive argument, but I’m not sure I buy it. How do you account for the continued rise of Audi? No big RWD V8 sedans there. Well, yes, they have the AWD A8, but I’m not convinced that the reason folks gobble up A3s, A4s, and BMW 3-Series because of the big sedans at the top of the line-up.
I think they could have succeeded ok without a RWD V8 sedan.
Acura’s problem is two-pronged. The blew the opportunity they had with the Legend (gen1&2) by not making a compelling gen3 Legend (in name and form). And they were too slow to fill the middle of the line with a strong product (the Vigor was not a vigorous competitor to what the Germans
By they time the TL came along, the Acura brand was already somewhat weakened. And then the rise of the German brands became inexorable, both in the US and Europe. Look what happened to all the other premium brands in Europe other than the Germans: they all wilted.
It’s a combination of product and momentum. Aspirational brands are like all upscale consumer goods; if the product isn’t just right and the momentum isn’t there, folks shun it because these brands are all about “fitting in” and showing the world you’re part of the up-and-coming set. Acura just didn’t quite make the cut.
Lexus did, on the momentum of their more consistent and expansive (they pioneered the modern CUV with the RX, and they have SUVs too) product line-up as well as their impeccable dealer experience, etc.
The fact that Acura is weak in sedans is increasingly becoming less of an issue, as the market shifts to CUVs. Acura has done quite well in that category, and continues to. Their CUVs are always top-notch in terms of the competition, and they have loyal customers. Acura is hardly a failed brand, thanks to the demise of the sedan.
Obviously, a more competitive sedan to compete with the 3-Series and such would be nice, but Acura can’t afford to do what Lexus did with the IS. So they just focus on what works well for them, keep development costs low, and rake in healthy products, given the Honda underpinnings. Things could be much worse (think Cadillac and Lincoln).
I’m convinced that having a top-dog uber-sedan is increasingly irrelevant in this market. I don’t think Audi buyers could car less if there was no A8 for some reason.
I’ve been giving what you are saying a lot of thought. I think I disagree. To a degree, anyway.
No, I don’t think Audi is rising directly because it has the A8 in its lineup. But I also think that it probably wouldn’t have made it if the overall strategy that insisted that sedan be in that line up was not utilized. Audi’s rise in the market is the result of them producing consistently compelling products, pushed on the basis of technical superiority, as a brand on an increasingly equal level to the other two big German luxury brands.
I wouldn’t buy an A4 because of the A8 (actually, I personally wouldn’t buy an A4 because my mothers A6 was a constant mechanical nightmare backed by a dealer who would be an abject case study in how not to handle customer service, but thats me personally). But my mother bought that A6 because she felt that the product, and more so the brand (my mother isn’t a car person, but she does like to display her so called “status”) was the equal of the other car under consideration at the time, the BMW 528i.
Audi is seen on that level because for the most part at all price points, in all segments, Audi fields a comparable car to that Mercedes and BMW: A3=CLA=1-series, Q3=GLA=X1, A4=C-class=3-series, Q5=GLC=X3, A5=E-coupe=4-series, A6=E=5, Q7=GLE=X5, A7=6 GT=CLS, and A8=S=7. Lexus is seen as above the other Japanese brands, largely because they serve the IS, GS, and LS. Even if they don’t sell, they elevate the brand. Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and even Lexus start at about $32k out the door, and top out north of $100k, with a fairly complete staircase from bottom to top.
Acura is not a full luxury brand. The ILX starts at $28k and isn’t really competitive at all with the CLA, A3 or 1-series, being as it is a not well gussied up Civic. It several cars and SUVs going up the price ladder, at varying levels of competitiveness, up to the RLX which terminates at $65k fully loaded.
Acura has also made the mistake of aligning itself far too closely with Honda. In fact, as we know, many early Acuras had engine covers identifying them as Honda motors. Much of their product lines are very clearly gussied up Hondas with a lot of Honda parts bin pieces throughout. Hell, the Acura logo looks like a Honda logo thats been pinched.
Mercedes and BMW don’t do parts bin, obviously. They are independents. Audi, while sharing a some tech with VW group products, are clearly their own. MMI is not shared with lesser brands, for instance. Their design language is very distinctive- and except for sausage-length problems can’t be confused with other VW brand cars.
So perhaps it is not that they don’t have an RWD V8 sedan, as Acura has never let itself run far enough afield of Honda. Honda has consistently chosen not to extend Acura the resources to develop product that is really DIFFERENT from the Honda lineup. Up until last year Acura consisted of a gussied up Civic, a gussied up CRV, a European Accord, a gussied up American Accord, a gussied up Pilot, and the RL (which was, as I mentioned, a technically impressive product wrapped in a Generic Honda wrapper).
The extent to which Hondas builds good cars is up for debate- I think they stopped a long time ago. And thats the real problem Nowadays, Lexus is made by Toyota, but Lexuses are not Toyotas. Audis are a Volkswagen group company, but Audis are not Volkswagens. Hell, even Cadillacs are GM products, but they are not Chevys or Buicks- on any level. But Acuras ARE Hondas.
And that is why Acura has no clear competitor to the S-class or even, quite frankly, the E-class. It might not be the direct cause, but it is a proximate cause, the direct cause being a corporate attitude that tends not to make it so.
i had a 97 5 speed 2.2, black on black with in dash phone and premium package. I loved the looks but never really bonded with the car and kept it less than a year. The only Honda product I have ever owned, they just dont do it for me.
As I recall, this was the first car to have the trunk lid cleanly slice the taillight diagonally, so it really stood out. A few years later, everyone from Mercedes to Chevrolet was doing it, and the distinctiveness disappeared.
I wonder if Cadillac noticed the center trunk crease when developing the first CTS, or if they took it directly from their own cars like the ’67 Eldorado.
Not a bad-looking car, except for that rear spoiler – which kinda shows why they’re called spoilers. I’d lose the side mouldings too; make it look more like the concept.
Even since Acura went to alphabet-soup labels instead of names, I’ve had trouble keeping straight which one’s which (like, ‘which Honda is this?’). But the they aren’t in my country anyway so I guess it doesn’t matter, and I know we only get a small proportion of Honda’s range here in Australia.
In the six years since this was posted, a couple interesting developments worth mentioning;
1.) The Lexus LS dropped it’s V8 engine for a turbocharged V6, which kind of shows Honda did get the last laugh in steadfastly committing to a six cylinder flagship, although the RLX is gone from our shores now too. But FWIW both cars offered hybrid V6 power trains at the high end together.
2.) At an Acura press event last week the Integra, yes the Integra, was announced to be coming back in 2022! There was not much revealed but it is likely that it will be an honest, ICE powered coupe or hatchback. I am quite keen to see what we will end up getting 🤞🏼
For an Acura model that was forgotten it sure drew a lot of reaction in the feature.
Not a model that turned my head back when it was new, however I know a lawyer who has one he has pampered for many years. Checking it out in the building parkade one day, close up it looked okay. The interior very nicely designed. That said the concept that preceded the CL would have been better received back in the day.
I think these are really nice tidy looking cars, and very well differentiated from their mainstream Honda platform-mates. I know coupes simply don’t sell (and increasingly, sedans), but these old Acuras, the 2nd gen Legend Coupe, the TL coupe, the CL are so much more interesting and respectable cars than the forgettable ILX, that to me kind of smells of Cimarron.
As someone who traded a 1994 Accord Coupe for a new 2000 Prelude in 1999, I personally found the initial CLs to be more upright than that generation of Accord coupe, the Accord’s C-pillar in particular had a less upright slope. And I was no fan of the rear end. Maybe the subsequent generation of CL was a little more anonymous, but I felt it was a better “Member of the design family” and certainly more suited to the role of ‘next step up’ from that generation of Prelude. Had they kept it in production– and specifically with a manual transmission — for a few more years that might’ve been the next car purchase.
“Nobody’s buying Coupes”
“Because you stopped building them!!!”
I really feel the Gen 2 CL and TL were Acura’s styling high points after the original Integra and a Legend. And I’m not sure any of today’s Acuras stylistically stand out whatsoever with the exception of the NSX.
These are really hard to find in the yards–not a good thing for us CB7 Accord owners who want to get rid of its exceedingly stupid HOR front suspension. This is the car that supplies the parts to swap over to a sane ROH front.