3
0
Premium midsize car; Built in Japan
  • 2-door coupe
  • 4-door sedan
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,100 – $3,000*


1993 Acura Legend GS 4-door sedan


1991 Acura Legend L 2-door coupe


1994 Acura Legend GS interior


1995 Acura Legend LS 2-door coupe


1994 Acura Legend GS engine

Pros:
  • Acceleration
  • Antilock brakes
  • Instruments/controls
  • Passenger and cargo room
  • Steering/handling
Cons:
  • Automatic-transmission performance
  • Fuel economy
  • Rear-seat room (coupe)
  • Driver seating

Sporty manners, copious luxury (on LS), worthy workmanship, and stout construction help the Legend rival some more costly premium automobiles–including those from Infiniti and Lexus.

Overview

Larger than prior Legends, the second generation of Acura’s upmarket front-drive sedan debuted after the start of the ’91 model year. A coupe soon followed on a shorter wheelbase, in L and luxury LS trim. Sedans came in three trim levels: base, L, and LS. Exterior and interior designs were evolutionary, but outer body panels were thicker than before, and more were galvanized for corrosion protection. All models have antilock braking. Antiroll bars grew in thickness, engines now used hydraulic front mounts, and rear brake discs were enlarged. LS Legends for 1991 included a passenger-side airbag; other models had one for the driver only.

Yearly Updates

1992 Legend
L and LS models had both driver- and passenger-side airbags and seatbelt pretensioners for 1992. Cupholders found their way into the central console.
1993 Legend
The base sedan added a passenger-side airbag in ’93, making that safety feature standard across the board. Alterations for ’93 aimed at smoother automatic-transmission shifts. Coupes arrived after the start of the model year, gaining a 6-speed manual transmission and 30 more horsepower. Coupes also got Legend’s first traction-control system, plus 215/55VR16 high-performance tires. Sedans stuck with the less-potent engine.
1994 Legend
A high-performance GS sedan with a 230-horsepower engine and 6-speed gearbox joined for ’94, borrowing some features from the LS coupe, as the base sedan faded. All Legends got a freshening, including a restyled grille and front bumpers, plus a power tilt/telescopic steering column.
1995 Legend
The 1995 Legend was a carryover with minimal change.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

Second-generation Legends carried a larger (3.2-liter) aluminum V6 engine than their predecessor, with four valves per cylinder and sequential multipoint fuel injection. Now, however, it was mounted longitudinally instead of transversely. Horsepower rose by 25 percent, to 200, while torque output reached 210 pound-feet (a 30-percent gain). New distributorless direct ignition used one coil per spark plug. Legends may have a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission, which added momentary ignition-retard for smoother shifts. Coupe engines gained 30 horsepower in 1993, and a GS sedan adopted that engine a year later.

ohc V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.2/196
Engine HP 200
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 210
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		18/25
19/24 		19.2
ohc V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.2/196
Engine HP 230
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 206
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
6-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		18/26
18/23 		20.2

Road Test

The higher-powered V6 engine in these Legends yields quick acceleration, but gas mileage is no bonus. Our tests ranged from 16-18 mpg in urban driving to the low 20s on the highway. Despite the momentary ignition-retard setup of the automatic transmission, midrange downshifts in earlier models still border on harsh and can get rough under hard acceleration. Performance also slips quite a bit with automatic.

Ride quality is smoother and more absorbent than before. The taut ride is never harsh, but falls short of the suppleness displayed by some European rivals. Though stable, it can get harsh and abrupt over rough surfaces. Handling earns high marks, nearly like that of a sports car. Quick turns bring some body lean, but grip, balance, and control are laudable. Standard antilocking makes the brakes feel strong and secure.

Though roomier in back than before, this is still essentially a spacious 4-seater. Front-seat occupants might lack head room with the sunroof, or find that the early nontilting, telescoping steering wheel crowds one’s thighs. Leg room in the coupe’s back seat is scant, and long doors hamper access. Trunks are hardly huge, but have a flat floor and handy bumper-height opening. Instruments and controls are logical, with a feather-touch feel.

Ratings

Model Tested: 1994 Acura Legend LS sedan

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 7
70%
Fuel Economy - 4
40%
Ride Quality - 7
70%
Steering/Handling - 5
50%
Quietness - 7
70%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 7
70%
Room/Comfort Front - 7
70%
Room/Comfort Rear - 5
50%
Cargo Room - 4
40%

Other

Value - 8
80%

Total: 61

Specifications

2-door coupe
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
111.4 192.5 71.3 53.5
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
14.1 18.0 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
37.3 35.9 42.9 28.7
4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
114.6 194.9 71.3 55.1
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
14.8 18.0 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.5 36.5 42.7 33.5
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 1995 Legend 2-door coupe

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Front Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision 179
Injury 87
Theft 1347

Trouble Spots

Cruise control
Description: The cruise control may not engage due to a faulty actuator. (1994)
Engine noise
Description: Carbon buildup on the piston rings may cause piston slap. The fix is to clean the carbon using GM Top Engine Cleaner sucked in by way of a vacuum port on the throttle body. (1991-95)
Poor transmission shift
Description: Debris collects on the screen in the engine’s air intake causing poor acceleration (all models) or lack of upshift (automatic transmission) at full throttle. (1991-94)
Audio system
Description: If the remote volume control doesn’t work, or there is static when the remote is used, the volume control motor inside the radio is bad. (1991-92)
Security alarm
Description: The security alarm may not deactivate with the key in the driver’s door, which sets off the alarm. Turning the key again may disarm it. (1991-95)
Steering noise
Description: Telescopic steering columns may groan when the wheel is turned because there is not enough lubrication on the column. (1991-95)
Steering problems
Description: Steering may be difficult during parking maneuvers due to a problem with the vehicle speed sensor in the power steering unit. (1991-94)
Steering problems
Description: The vehicle speed sensor (VSS) tends to fail, but a repair kit has been released so that the whole power steering assembly need not be replaced. (1991-94)
Glovebox
Description: The glovebox light stays on because the switch plunger is too short, requiring an extension cap over the plunger to prevent a dead battery. (1991-92)

Recall History

1991 sedan
Description: Transmission-shift-cable bracket can be damaged and shift lever may not correctly indicate gear position.
1991-92 w/Bose audio
Description: A transistor in the speaker amplifier could overheat, resulting in smoke or the possibility of a fire.
1992
Description: Passenger-side airbag assembly in small number of cars was produced without igniter material, which would cause nondeployment or slow deployment in case of collision.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on May 9, 2014.
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