The Acura Model With the Highest Annual Maintenance Costs Isn’t the NSX
The sticker price isn’t the only dollar-and-cents factor to consider when purchasing a new or used car, as frequent or expensive maintenance costs can quickly negate any savings at the dealership. So, how do Acura models fair for their annual repair costs? One Acura model stands out as having the highest yearly maintenance cost among the brand’s offerings, and it’s not the NSX sports car, the brand’s most expensive car.
Acura models are rated high for reliability
Acura is one of the most reliable brands on the market on the market, according to RepairPal. The website ranks Acura No. 2 out of 32 automakers for its reliability rating, based on its models’ average annual repair costs, the number of visits to a repair shop per year, and the severity of such fixes. Acura is second only to its corporate cousin, Honda, in the overall ratings.
The average annual maintenance and repair costs for Acura models is $501 per year, and its products require an average of 0.4 trips to an auto repair shop annually. Where Acura models particularly stand out is their low likelihood, an 8% probability, of needing “severe” repairs. For context, Nissan models average about $500 per year in annual maintenance cost and require nearly the same amount of trips to a shop, but the brand’s models have a 13% probability of needing a severe repair.
Acura models’ annual maintenance costs of $501 are well below the average of $652 across 32 automakers.
The Acura with the highest maintenance costs is one of its most popular models
It is reasonable to assume that a brand’s most expensive model will incur the highest annual maintenance costs, but that’s not true for Acura.
The MDX is Acura’s entrant to the popular three-row, midsize luxury SUV fray and is one of its most popular models. It’s also the Acura model that carries the highest average annual maintenance costs at $571 per year.
RepairPal lists the MDX’s most common issues as the check engine light flashing, a shudder or vibration while driving between 35 and 40 mph, a failed torque converter clutch leading to debris in the transmission, and the check engine light coming on for running rough/difficulty starting. Another issue is a recall due to the MDX’s gas tank for models from the 2001-05 model years.
Still, the MDX can be considered cheap to maintain against some of its competitors. The BMW X5, for instance, has average maintenance costs of $1,166 per year, over double that of the MDX. The Infiniti QX60 has one of the lowest maintenance costs in its class but still requires an average of about $70 more per year than the Acura.
How does the MDX’s maintenance cost compare to Acura’s most expensive model?
The NSX is an iconic nameplate, debuting for the 1991 model year and serving as a serious performance car that could be driven daily. After taking a long hiatus, the NSX was revived for the U.S. market under the Acura banner as a hybrid sports car from 2017-22.
The Acura NSX left the market in 2022 with starting prices ranging from about $160,000 to $172,000 for its send-off model, over three times more than the base price of a 2023 MDX. However, the NSX has surprisingly low average maintenance costs of $354 per year.
It’s pretty safe to assume few are driving an NSX as frequently as a two- or three-row family luxury SUV, but those figures are still surprisingly low for such a tech-forward, hybrid performance car.
Just two commonly reported problems are listed for the NSX — the check engine light illuminating for issues with the Evaporative Emission Control System (EVAP) and the ABS leaking brake fluid.
