Honda Motor Company established Acura in 1986 as a production unit for luxury and high-performance cars. Like most luxury cars, they come with a hefty price tag. This is why many people are skeptical of the fact that do Acuras hold their value.
In this article, we will provide all the information encompassing this question. At the end of it, you would be certain which Acura models you should buy and which models you should refrain from.
Do Acuras Hold Their Value?
Acuras are not the worst when it comes to holding their value, but they are certainly not the best also. Acuras hold 47% of their value after 5 years of operation. This is low by universal standards but welcoming among luxury brands.
The following illustration shows the average depreciation of an Acura model over 12 years.
5 Popular Acuras and Their Depreciation
Let us take a look at the depreciation of rates of the 5 most popular models of Acura.
Acura ILX
Initial Selling Price: $32,000
Average Yearly Depreciation: 6.5% or $2,080
12-Year Depreciation Projection:
| Vehicle Age | Residual Value | Depreciation | Vehicle Worth |
| 1 | 78% | $7,040 | $24,960 |
| 2 | 73% | $8,640 | $23,360 |
| 3 | 60% | $12,800 | $19,200 |
| 4 | 49% | $16,320 | $15,680 |
| 5 | 45% | $17,600 | $14,400 |
| 6 | 39% | $19,520 | $12,480 |
| 7 | 36% | $20,480 | $11,520 |
| 8 | 34% | $21,120 | $10,880 |
| 9 | 32% | $21,760 | $10,240 |
| 10 | 29% | $22,720 | $9,280 |
| 11 | 26% | $23,680 | $8,320 |
| 12 | 22% | $24,960 | $7,040 |
Also read: Are Acuras Expensive to Maintain? (Cost Calculation)
Acura RDX
Initial Selling Price: $51,000
Average Yearly Depreciation: 6.4% or $3,273
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12-Year Depreciation Projection:
| Vehicle Age | Residual Value | Depreciation | Vehicle Worth |
| 1 | 79% | $10,710 | $40,290 |
| 2 | 74% | $13,260 | $37,740 |
| 3 | 66% | $17,340 | $33,660 |
| 4 | 60% | $20,400 | $30,600 |
| 5 | 53% | $23,970 | $27,030 |
| 6 | 44% | $28,560 | $22,440 |
| 7 | 40% | $30,600 | $20,400 |
| 8 | 35% | $33,150 | $17,850 |
| 9 | 30% | $35,700 | $15,300 |
| 10 | 28% | $36,720 | $14,280 |
| 11 | 26% | $37,740 | $13,260 |
| 12 | 23% | $39,270 | $11,730 |
Acura MDX
Initial Selling Price: $60,950
Average Yearly Depreciation: 6.9% or $4,216
12-Year Depreciation Projection:
| Vehicle Age | Residual Value | Depreciation | Vehicle Worth |
| 1 | 80% | $12,190 | $48,760 |
| 2 | 74% | $15,847 | $45,103 |
| 3 | 64% | $21,942 | $39,008 |
| 4 | 58% | $25,599 | $35,351 |
| 5 | 46% | $32,913 | $28,037 |
| 6 | 39% | $37,180 | $23,771 |
| 7 | 36% | $39,008 | $21,942 |
| 8 | 28% | $43,884 | $17,066 |
| 9 | 25% | $45,713 | $15,238 |
| 10 | 22% | $47,541 | $13,409 |
| 11 | 19% | $49,370 | $11,581 |
| 12 | 17% | $50,589 | $10,362 |
Also read: Is Acura a Luxury Brand? (5 Reasons Why it is)
Acura TLX
Initial Selling Price: $53,100
Average Yearly Depreciation: 5.7% or $3,009
12-Year Depreciation Projection:
| Vehicle Age | Residual Value | Depreciation | Vehicle Worth |
| 1 | 77% | $12,213 | $40,887 |
| 2 | 73% | $14,337 | $38,763 |
| 3 | 62% | $20,178 | $32,922 |
| 4 | 58% | $22,302 | $30,798 |
| 5 | 52% | $25,488 | $27,612 |
| 6 | 47% | $28,143 | $24,957 |
| 7 | 40% | $31,860 | $21,240 |
| 8 | 38% | $32,922 | $20,178 |
| 9 | 36% | $33,984 | $19,116 |
| 10 | 35% | $34,515 | $18,585 |
| 11 | 33% | $35,577 | $17,523 |
| 12 | 32% | $36,108 | $16,992 |
Also read: Does BMW Keep Value? (8 Models Depreciation Charts)
Acura NSX
Initial Selling Price: $157,500
Average Yearly Depreciation: 6.8% or $10,631
12-Year Depreciation Projection:
| Vehicle Age | Residual Value | Depreciation | Vehicle Worth |
| 1 | 75% | $39,375 | $118,125 |
| 2 | 66% | $53,550 | $103,950 |
| 3 | 61% | $61,425 | $96,075 |
| 4 | 58% | $66,150 | $91,350 |
| 5 | 55% | $70,875 | $86,625 |
| 6 | 50% | $78,750 | $78,750 |
| 7 | 42% | $91,350 | $66,150 |
| 8 | 35% | $102,375 | $55,125 |
| 9 | 29% | $111,825 | $45,675 |
| 10 | 23% | $121,275 | $36,225 |
| 11 | 21% | $124,425 | $33,075 |
| 12 | 19% | $127,575 | $29,925 |
Why Do Acuras Depreciate so Fast?
You cannot say that Acuras depreciate too fast. Believe me, I’ve seen worse with luxury cars. They are unlikely to hold onto 50% of their value after 5 years. But with Acura, the Japanese reliability kicks in and you get longer lifespans.
This fact helps in keeping the resale value of Acuras considerable.
Almost all luxury cars are guilty of depreciating too fast. The reason behind the fast depreciation of luxury brands is their soaring high initial price tags. You might be losing the same amount per year in percentage but in dollar terms, you would be losing way more.
Why Does Acuras Depreciate the Most in the First Years?
It is as simple as the supply and demand principle. There are almost no customers of Acuras younger than 3 years. Because the people who are willing to spend $60,000 on a car are unlikely to choose a second-hand vehicle that costs them 15% or 20% less. It’s their mentality.
So, when demand is low and supply is high, the rates are bound to drop. That’s why we see that Acuras and other luxury cars lose 20% or even more in some cases during their initial years.
Also read: Japanese vs European Cars Comparison (Reliability, Price, etc.)
How Old Acura Should You Buy not to Lose too Much Money?
You should not buy an Acura younger than 3 years. It will help you save a lot of money. The reason why we are saying this is that if you follow the depreciation trend of Acuras you would know that years 1, 2, and 3 are where they lose the biggest chunks of their values.
Let us put it this way to make it slightly more understandable:
- You purchase a brand new Acura MDX that costs: $60,950
- You sold it after 3 years for: $39,008
- You lost: $21,942
As opposed to that
- You purchase a 3-year old Acura MDX that costs: $39,008
- You sold it after 3 years for: $23,771
- You lost: $15,238
See the difference you lost almost $7,000 less.
How to Slow Down Your Acura Depreciation?
Following are some universal and some brand-specific tips to slow down the depreciation of your Acura:
- Never buy brand-new cars, they tend to depreciate the most during the first 5 years, after that the depreciation graph becomes flat.
- Maintain your car well, this is the only way to keep its value higher.
- Buy cars with low mileage to avoid huge losses while reselling.
- Don’t sell your car before 5 years. The inflation will do the rest and make sure that you are getting the best value for your car.
- Acuras tend to run into major problems after 7-8 years. Make sure that you sell it before that period to avoid inconvenience.
How Well Do Acuras Hold Their Value Compared to Similar Car Brands?
Below is the comparison between depreciation rates of Acura and other brands of a similar segment:
- Acura vs Lexus
Lexus depreciates a lot slower than Acura. Where Acuras tend to lose 55% of their value within the first 5 years, a Lexus would only lose 44% of its value after the same period. The reason behind it is the higher reliability ratings and low maintenance costs of Lexus.
- Acura vs Infiniti
This is the most suitable comparison, as both brands come from Japan and struggle to provide affordable luxury. Infiniti and Acura have an almost similar trend when it comes to resale value. Bot brands retain 45% of their values after 5 years of operation.
- Acura vs BMW
Though the comparison between Acura and BMW is unjust, still we need to get an idea about where these brands stand in terms of depreciation. Again, we see that both brands have quite similar depreciation rates. Both brands lose 54% of their value after 5 years.
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