1994 Acura Vigor Review: What You Need to Know Before You Buy
Japanese imported vehicles have been called by many names over the years: high quality, well-engineered, and fuel-efficient. However, an adjective that has not been used very often is luxurious.
The Acura Vigor is certainly a vehicle that strives to change that perception, combining many of the best elements of a sports coupe and touring sedan.
It also featured a number of technical marvels, most notably a 2.5-liter, 20-valve five-cylinder engine that delivers a level of performance that competing four-cylinder import sedans would be hard to match.
Unfortunately, the Vigor GS falls short of the top echelon of luxury sedans because its interior is too small, inches from what its main competitors offer.
Our Vigor GS exterior ride meets our expectations for impeccable fit and finish, in the legendary Japanese tradition. However, we find little in its styling to suggest a kinship with earlier and smaller Japanese imports.
Rear fenders and a raised decklid highlighted the rear styling treatment. Oversized red and white taillight assemblies wrapped around the rear fenders. An identical molding to the one on the side of the car protected the body-color vinyl bumper; this trim lined the bumper and extended to the rear of the rear wheel wells, giving the trim a uniform look.
Well organized and stylish are terms that come to mind when describing the interior of this fully equipped sedan. Visible through the thickly padded steering wheel was a neatly arranged instrument panel containing speedometer, tachometer, fuel and temperature gauges, all with white needles and graphics against a round black back for maximum readability. These readings were accompanied by a series of warning lights.
Particularly compared to earlier, smaller Japanese imports, the Vigor GS would tick any buyer’s wish list in terms of ride, handling, sound insulation and performance. None of those old four-cylinder jobs could match the response we unleashed from the Vigor GS’s 176-hp, 20-valve five-cylinder engine. Our tester went from 0 to 60 mph just as a true sports sedan should. When it accelerated from 60 to 90 mph in fifth gear, the Vigor GS dwarfed our highway passing requirements by a comfortable margin.
Shifting was smooth and effortless with the five-speed manual transmission. Even driving slowly through a parking lot was fun thanks to the inclusion of a wide-range second gear. Cornering and maneuvering were quick and stable with the Vigor GS’s sophisticated double-wishbone four-wheel independent suspension smoothing things out.
Wind, engine, and road noise did not penetrate the interior of our test vehicle at any speed. And potholes, jolts, and road shock were all but non-existent during our two days of testing, and we traveled through some rough and bumpy city streets and hilly highways.
Team Acura accomplished an important part of its mission with the Vigor GS sedan: it gave owners of older, smaller imports a comfortable, stylish and responsive step up to a midsize sedan.
Acura also created a marvel of technical sophistication with the Vigor GS and packed it with thoughtful extra touches, like a small visor over the rearview mirror to reduce headlight glare. However, this car fell short of becoming one of our favorite midsize sedans because of its sleek but overly comfortable interior.