Acura vs. Lexus Comparison
The two biggest names in Japanese luxury cars are Acura and Lexus, longtime rivals that were made to provide an alternative to the German companies that dominated the market for so long. But how do they compare to one another? Motorcars Acura has put together this guide to examine some of the more important differences between the two.
American Made
Buying an American-made car is important to a lot of people for a wide variety of reasons. Supporting local communities, higher labor standards, or just cheaper parts for repairs are all valid reasons to spend your money on a vehicle built here in the US. But figuring out which vehicles are built here isn’t as simple as it used to be, with different parts or components made all over the world, and that’s why Cars.com has a ranking of the vehicles made using the most American labor1. This takes into account where individual parts are made, and where engines are assembled, and Acura is the highest-ranked non-domestic luxury brand on the list. The most recent ranking is from before the Integra debuted, but every other Acura model for sale in 2023 is in the top 20. In fact, much of the work done assembling Acura vehicles is done right here in Ohio.
Lexus, by comparison, has only the ES and ES Hybrid on the list at all, and both are ranked considerably lower than anything from Acura.
MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Awards
For the last 40 years, MotorWeek has given annual awards to vehicles that best exemplify their given segment. A number of factors are considered, including price, practicality, performance, and fuel economy. For 2023, the Acura Integra was named Best Sport Sedan2. Lexus didn’t win any awards in any category.
North American Car of The Year
The North American Car of the Year awards are a huge honor. Not a top 10 list, or a ranking where a brand can make a good showing. Only one car can be NACOTY, and for 2023 it is the Acura Integra3. This is Acura’s second time winning one of these awards, with the MDX claiming the first one when it was first introduced. Lexus has never won one of these awards, and hasn’t even been nominated for one since 1998. In fact, expanding to include parent companies of Honda and Toyota still only gives Toyota/Lexus one award to the seven won by Honda/Acura.
WardsAuto Engine Awards
WardsAuto takes a broader look at the automotive industry than a lot of other publications, and as such their awards are a little different from the rest. For example, they have an award for the Best Engines & Propulsion Systems, meaning that both internal combustion engines and electric drivetrains are eligible. Given at the end of the year, the 2022 awards named the 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine found in the Acura Integra4 as one of the only gasoline engines to receive an award. The announcement even used the engine as evidence that internal combustion engines in general shouldn’t be written off entirely just yet.
