Is Acuralink Worth It And What Does It Cost?

We’ve written extensively about luxury Acuras, their features, and their capabilities on this blog. Today, we will talk about a feature that newer Acuras have as a standard: Acuralink. What is this program, how much does it cost, and is it worth investing money in? Let’s have a look:

For most Acura users, Acuralink is not entirely worth the charged price. We found that half of Acura users seem positive about the remote start & stop and the remote lock function. However, many other features of the packages aren’t used, and the concierge package appears to have little value by itself and is therefore rarely chosen.

However, that certainly doesn’t tell the whole story. Below, we’ve included an explanation of the four different packages of Acuralink that are available and what they contain. We’ll also discuss the pricing for the various packages, and finally, we have researched many forums to find out if Acura owners think this feature is worth it. Read on!

Also read: The Complete Cost Of Maintaining An Acura

What's Inside show

What Does Acuralink Include?

First of all, it’s essential to know what Acuralink includes and how it works. Therefore, you need to know that Acuralink consists of three or four packages that each have its unique features. These packages are the Basic, Security, Remote, and Concierge. In some Acura, the Security and Remote packages are combined and form the ‘Connect’ package. Also, in some Acura, the Concierge package is referred to as the ‘Premium’ package. Acura did its best to make it confusing.

Acura Basic

A digital version of your owners manual
Automatic information about recalls for your vehicle if they’re needed
Service reminders
24/7 assistance for towing services, jump-starting, tire changes, fuel delivery and more. Available as long as the warranty of the car is valid.
Check the mileage, fuel range, and oil life right from your Acuralink app when you’re not in the car.
Monthly reports of the health of your vehicle in you inbox.
If the vehicle has a in-vehicle navigation system, you can send destinations from you phone right to the navigation.
A feature called ‘Last Mile’ which gives you walking directions to your final destination when you exit your vehicle.

Acura Security

An Acura representative will reach out to you and request help in the event of a collision
That same agen will reach out to you and stay on a call in the event of an emergency
Option to resotre the navigation system to factory settings via the app on your phone.
Get towing and repair services using the LINK button on your vehicle

Acura Remote

Remote Start & Stop that allows you to heat up or cool down the car ahead of time
Receive alerts if vehicle security alarm is triggered
Send commands to your vehicle with Alexa
Remotely lock or unlock the car doors using the app
Get the location of your vehicle from your app
Get a notification in the event your car leaves or enters a region set by you
Receive a notification when your car exceeds a speed limit set by you
Voice controled system and navigation
If your car is stolen, the car will send information to local authorities, helping them find it

Acura Congierge

Enjoy the luxury of a concierge to make hotel, restaurant, or airline reservations, and send confirmation and navigation information to your vehicle.

If you want a quick overview of the critical features of Acuralink and what they look like, check out the video below!

Do All Acura Have Acuralink?

Not all Acuras that have been and are manufactured have Acuralink as an option or are compatible with it. From 2019 onwards, most Acura have Acuralink compatibility. Earlier models of Acura also had Acuralink (from 2014 onwards), but many 2014 – 2017 Acura were affected by network changes from telecom providers (not all of them, it’s essential to check this per car). Therefore, only models from 2019 onwards have Acuralink as of right now.

What Are The Cost For Acuralink? Is There A Free Option?

On the website of Acura, they currently list four models that are available in the 2022 lineup. These are the ILX, RDX, MDX, and TLX. Pricing for the RDX, MDX, and TLX looks as follows:

Basic: complimentary for all vehicles, although Acura reserves the rights to cancel this at anytime
Security: 12 months complimentary, $89 per year after that
Remote: 6 monts trial, $110 per year after that
Congierge: 6 months trial, $260 per year after that

Pricing for the ILX is different and looks as follows:

Basic: complimentary for all vehicles, although Acura reserves the rights to cancel this at anytime
Connect: $159 for one year commitment, $259 for two year commitment, $359 for three year commitment. $208 per year for each year after three years.
Premium: $249 for one year commitment, $397 for two year commitment, $566 for three year commitment. $298 per year for each year after three years.

Is Acuralink Worth It?

Whether or not Acuralink is worth it is going to depend on a few factors. First of all, it depends on what you’re looking for in a vehicle. Secondly, it’s the value that the system provides compared to what you spend on it. We’ve gone through several forums to see what owners of Acuras think about the system.

First of all, we noticed that many Acura owners consider the Basic version of the service to have very little value. This is how one 2017 MDX owner described this free version.

Without paying, the app is basically useless.
Source

We have to be honest, when we take a look at the basic version of Acuralink, that’s complementary in many vehicles, it is indeed quite useless. A digital owner’s manual is nothing to write home about. The most exciting feature seems to be the ‘last mile’ feature. However, that one is quickly replaced by Google Maps. It’s nice it’s all included, but it’s nothing special.

But what about the paid versions of the app? Are these features worth the extra money you have to spend on them? We found mixed reviews for the paid Acuralink packages. Some owners stated that they found little use in them, as explained by this 2018 TLX owner:

Not worth it to me. I was curious what it was so I called to set it up and they put me on a trial. It’s not something I would pay for.
Source

However, there are also some positive reviews about the Security and Remote packages. Some people like having the remote lock function:

I love that I can check to make sure I locked my doors!
Source

Whereas others are positive about the remote start function:

I use it for keyless start when I’m inside the work building and my key fob is too far away from the car.
Source

Furthermore, there seemed to be very few reviews about the emergency call options and the concierge package. This has us believe that these functions aren’t widely used. Furthermore, the concierge package seems to be a very exclusive package that’s not needed by many people (honestly, do you need a butler to book your plane tickets or make reservations at a restaurant?)

Does Acuralink Include A Wi-Fi Hotspot?

It’s important to know that Acuralink has very little to do with turning your Acura into a Wi-Fi hotspot. Instead, turning your car into a Wi-Fi hotspot depends on if your car is compatible with this feature and if you are willing to pay for it as a separate option. The following Acura models are compatible with the Wi-Fi hotspot.

Year	Model	Trims
2019-present	RDX	All
2021	TLX	All
2022	MDX	All

Furthermore, you’ll have to download the WarnerMedia RIDE app and start a subscription with AT&T (look for the ‘AT&T unlimited In-car Wi-Fi’ package’). When you find that package, you’ll need to enter your VIN to see if your car is eligible. The subscription starts from $20/month, and there may be a signup fee in the range of $30.

Sources

Stefan K.

Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.

I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.

Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!

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