Acura Legend
The Acura Legend was a mid-size luxury/executive car manufactured by Honda. It was sold in the U.S., Canada, and parts of China under the Acura brand from 1985 to 1995. It was the first flagship sedan sold under the Acura nameplate (together with the Integra), until being renamed the Acura RL in 1996. The 3.5RL was the North American version of the KA9 series Honda Legend. The Legend was instrumental in establishing Acura’s reputation in North America. Its combination of performance, luxury, reliability, and relative affordability compared to European luxury brands was appealing to many consumers.
Acura Legend Brief Overview
The Acura Legend is a mid-size luxury/executive car manufactured by Honda and sold under its Acura luxury brand, primarily in North America. Introduced in 1986, the Legend played a pivotal role in the creation of the Acura brand and Honda’s entry into the luxury automotive market. Honda launched the Acura brand in 1986 to cater to the luxury car market in North America. The Legend, along with the compact Integra, were the first two models introduced under the Acura nameplate.
Introduced as both a sedan and coupe, the first-generation Legend was Honda’s first attempt to offer a luxury vehicle with V6 power. It came equipped with a 2.5-liter V6 engine, later upgraded to a 2.7-liter V6. The Legend emphasized performance, quality, and technological innovation, setting it apart from other luxury cars in its segment. The second-generation Legend which arrived in 1991 was larger and offered more advanced features. It was powered by a 3.2-liter V6 engine. The coupe variant, in particular, was seen as more performance-oriented and became quite popular.
In the mid-1990s, Acura shifted its naming strategy from unique model names to alphanumeric codes. As a result, the Legend was replaced by the Acura RL in 1996, which became Acura’s flagship sedan.
Acura Legend Sales Figures
Below we have the sales figures for the Acura Legend in the United States automotive market. The Legend received widespread acclaim for its build quality, reliability, and performance. Its success demonstrated that Japanese automakers could compete effectively in the luxury car market against established European and American brands.
Acura Legend US Sales Data & Charts
Annual Sales
Year | Sales Units |
---|---|
1986 | 25,060 |
1987 | 54,713 |
1988 | 70,770 |
1989 | 64,638 |
1990 | 53,666 |
1991 | 65,689 |
1992 | 49,926 |
1993 | 38,866 |
1994 | 35,709 |
1995 | 18,159 |
1996 | 629 |
1997 | 4 |
Annual Growth
Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC