Has anyone felt that the Acura image here in Canada seems to be not as "high end" as what the brand is in US.
For example, in Acura TL, my service in the dealership was so so... Also, the warranty for the Acuras are EXACTLY the same as the Hondas. What we get up here is (Acura) 3 years/60,000km bumper to bumper and 5 years/100,000 powertrain warranty. No difference from Honda! Also, I get a small spare (as opposed to a full size spare in US) and many small differences that makes Acura seem to be less of a high end (BMW/Benz) competitor.
What we get in Acura isn't consistent with the rest of the luxury Japanese brands... For example, Infiniti - 4 years bumper to bumper, full size spare, and their lowest model (G35) starts at around $40,000 Canadian dollars! Same with Lexus (ES300).
If someone can enlighten me in why this is so...I'll be grateful.
Well, if you don't know, the best selling acura in Canada is EL. (for US people, similar to civic ex fully loaded).
That would indicate price point Canada is ready to pay for.
I would agree that probably those EL buyers would not own an Acura if it was not for EL, but the fact that there is EL indicates that Acura in Canada wants to be more main stream and more volume oriented in this limited market.
I think that there is more money in numbers than exclusivity (sp?) and bean counters do not care about anything but $.
Your reply makes some sense. However, if that is really the case, why bother with the "Acura" brand/image at all? Why not just make Canada like the rest of Asia, have one brand and that is Honda. For example, Acura RL is Honda Legend and Acura TL is Honda Saber/Inspire in Asia and so on.
Maybe this is Acura's strategy in Canada...but then why is it unique? Why did Infiniti and Lexus continue with their up market trend? Hmm...
When my ITR was new, I was in White Rock, a fairly affluent community in the Vancouver area. I was stopped at a store or something, and an older lady (60 maybe) came out and was eying up my car exclaiming how pretty and sporty it looked (forget her exact adjectives) she then walked around back and her face lit up when she saw the Acura badge. Wow, its an Acura too!!
I think she was driving a lexus or something, and she looked pretty well off. In any case, the Acura badge meant something to her. I doubt a Honda badge would have evoked the same response.
I kinda see what you mean. However, my point is that it seems that Acura isn't backing up their claim that they are the Luxury division of Honda here in Canada...
I believe that there probably was some marketing blitz back when Acura was launched and trying to position it in the up market consumers. That must have had some measure of success. However, now, in 2002, Acura seems to be loosing (sp?) ground to say Lexus and Infiniti in terms of providing a "luxury" service and product.
Please note: I'm not saying that Acura is not successful in pushing out more cars...just that they are not living up to their Luxury image. As a matter of fact, I think Acura is probably one of the most sellable "luxury" cars here in Canada.
Thus, I cannot really see it competing at the same level as Lexus, Infiniti, BMW nor Benz here in Canada.... A shame really...
I think Honda's definition of luxury is a little different than other car companies. Instead of trumping up their image, providing sumptuous creature comforts or big torquey V-8s and RWD, they have focussed on providing reliable, competent, refined machinery which tend to remain driver's cars.
I'm not saying a 7 or 8 series bimmer isnt those things, but there is quite a price difference, and hence a different market.
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