Tag Archives: Acura

NEW CARS

Next-Gen Acura RDX Will Be the Brand’s First Hybrid SUV

Acura just pulled back the curtain—barely—on the next-generation RDX, and for a brand that’s often played it safe, what’s hiding behind that teaser is surprisingly bold. The fourth-generation RDX will become the first Acura ever to use a two-motor hybrid system, a move that signals more than just better fuel economy. It marks a philosophical shift for a company that built its reputation on clever engineering and performance-first thinking.

The new RDX is still a couple of years away from showrooms, but Acura is already laying the groundwork. Production of the current model will be paused later this year as the brand retools for what comes next. When it returns, the RDX will re-enter the compact luxury SUV fight with a new powertrain strategy—and much higher expectations.

Why a Hybrid RDX Matters

Let’s be clear: this isn’t Acura slapping a battery onto a gas engine just to satisfy regulators. The brand is using a two-motor hybrid-electric system, the same fundamental layout Honda has been perfecting for years. One motor primarily drives the wheels, the other manages energy and assists under load, allowing the gas engine to operate in its most efficient range. In real-world driving, that usually means smoother acceleration, better response, and far less time spent guzzling fuel in traffic.

That’s especially important for the RDX. In a segment packed with turbo fours and increasingly refined plug-in hybrids, Acura’s current powertrain has started to feel merely adequate. A two-motor hybrid could restore the RDX’s original mission: to be the enthusiast’s choice in a practical, compact luxury SUV.

Acura is framing this move as part of a broader strategy that includes gas-powered models, hybrids, and full EVs. Translation: the company knows not everyone is ready to go all-electric, but nobody wants to keep paying at the pump either.

Still Built in Ohio, Still an Acura

The next RDX will continue to be built at Acura’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio, alongside the MDX. That matters, not just politically but mechanically. The plant already produces some of Acura’s most complex vehicles, which suggests the hybrid RDX won’t be a half-hearted experiment—it’ll be fully integrated into Acura’s manufacturing and engineering pipeline.

Mike Langel, Acura’s assistant VP of national sales, called it fitting that the RDX would be the first Acura to get this new hybrid system. And he’s not wrong. Few nameplates in Acura’s lineup better represent the brand’s balance of performance, tech, and everyday usability.

Twenty Years of RDX, in Fast-Forward

The RDX didn’t just stumble into this role—it earned it.

The first-generation RDX, launched for 2007, was a breakout hit. It was Acura’s first compact luxury SUV and one of the first in its class to use a turbocharged engine. Paired with Acura’s torque-vectoring SH-AWD system, it drove like nothing else in the segment.

The second generation arrived in 2013 with a smoother V6, more space, and a clear focus on refinement. It was less edgy, but more mainstream—exactly what the market wanted at the time.

Then the third-generation RDX brought back the attitude in 2019. Turbo power returned, SH-AWD got sharper, and Acura loaded the cabin with modern tech and advanced safety systems. It was once again a driver’s compact luxury SUV.

Now comes the fourth generation—and with it, a hybrid system that could finally fuse all those past identities into one.

The RDX’s Next Chapter

With nearly 850,000 units sold in North America, the RDX is one of Acura’s most important vehicles. Going hybrid isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about relevance. Buyers want SUVs that feel quick, smooth, and technologically advanced. A two-motor hybrid could deliver all three.

If Acura gets this right, the next RDX won’t just be another compact luxury SUV. It could be the one that reminds everyone why Acura used to be the clever engineer in the room.

And for a brand celebrating its 40th anniversary, that kind of comeback couldn’t be better timed.

Source: Acura

Auctions

A Time Capsule on Wheels: 2005 Acura NSX-T Heads to Auction

Original Acura NSXs aren’t unicorns—you can still find them in decent numbers if you look hard enough—but every so often, one pops up that feels like it’s been trapped in amber. Case in point: this 2005 NSX-T now up for auction on Bring a Trailer, a car so well-preserved it might as well have rolled straight out of Honda’s Tochigi plant yesterday.

With just 4,300 miles on the odometer, this Long Beach Blue Pearl NSX has lived its entire life under the care of a single owner, who also happened to run Smithtown Acura of Saint James in New York. If you’re picturing a pampered existence filled with climate-controlled storage and meticulous service stamps, you’re exactly right. Maintained by Advantage Acura and Acura Honda, the car has been religiously kept up to factory spec, right down to a fresh timing belt, water pump, and valve adjustment.

And here’s the kicker: it’s still sitting on its original 2005 rubber. Yes, those tires. While any sane buyer intending to actually drive the car will swap them immediately, they’re proof of just how untouched this NSX really is. No aftermarket spoilers, no questionable exhaust swaps—just a pure, unfiltered late-model NSX exactly as Acura intended.

The visuals are classic NSX theater. The removable roof panel is painted to match the vivid Long Beach Blue Pearl body, offset by 17-inch forged silver wheels and gold-painted brake calipers that peek through with just the right amount of flash. Step inside, and the time-warp continues: Onyx leather seats show virtually no wear, the Bose audio system and six-disc CD changer remain intact, and even the original branded floor mats are in place.

Of course, what makes the NSX so revered isn’t just its styling or rarity—it’s the way it drives. Under the rear hatch sits the 3.2-liter naturally aspirated V-6, delivering 290 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. In the early 2000s, that meant Ferrari-like thrills without Ferrari-like maintenance bills. Today, it means an increasingly rare recipe: high-revving NA engine, stick shift, and a chassis engineered with Ayrton Senna’s fingerprints still in its DNA.

Bring a Trailer bidders clearly know what’s at stake. With nearly a week left on the clock, the price has already surged past $190,000. For collectors, this isn’t just another clean NSX—it’s as close as you can get to a showroom-fresh example, with provenance to match.

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a factory-perfect slice of Japan’s supercar heyday, this might be the one. Just don’t expect to steal it—rarity, condition, and nostalgia are a potent (and pricey) mix.

Source: Bring a Trailer

News

Honda Wants Your Acura to Keep the Lights On

Honda doesn’t just want to sell you an electric car—it wants to make sure that car pulls double duty as a power plant for your home. At RE+ 25, North America’s largest clean-energy trade show, the company is taking the wraps off a bold vision for the future of mobility and energy management, anchored by the sleek Acura RSX Prototype and a suite of vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies.

If you caught Monterey Car Week last month, you already know the RSX Prototype: a rakish, premium electric SUV built on Honda’s brand-new global EV platform. At RE+, the RSX isn’t just a showpiece—it’s plugged into a bi-directional home charging station concept, a setup that previews how future Acura and Honda EVs could power your house in a blackout, or even send excess juice back to the grid when demand spikes.

Cars as “Virtual Power Plants”

Honda floated this idea at CES earlier this year, describing its future EVs as “Virtual Power Plants.” Think of it like this: your car charges itself when rates are lowest (and renewables are plentiful), then kicks some of that stored energy back to your home—or the grid—when electricity prices peak. That could mean shaving money off your energy bill while helping utilities keep the lights on.

Gary Robinson, VP of sustainability and business development at American Honda, put it bluntly: “In the future, we want to make every Honda EV not just a vehicle but a home energy solution.”

That vision isn’t just vaporware. Honda recently inked a deal with Southern California Edison to begin testing V2H and V2G systems with future Honda and Acura EVs. The goal: let EVs act as backup batteries for homes, or as stabilizers for the grid during crunch times. ChargeScape—a joint venture between Honda, BMW, Ford, and Nissan—will provide the digital glue to make it all work.

A Booth Packed with Tech

Honda’s RE+ display isn’t just about the RSX. Here’s what else you’ll find at booth #V8659:

  • Fastport eQuad Prototype: A funky, pedal-assist electric quad targeting last-mile delivery drivers. It’s quiet, swappable-battery powered, and looks ready to elbow into the e-cargo-bike market. Deliveries start late 2025.
  • 2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV: A plug-in fuel-cell hybrid of sorts—29 miles of electric range plus 270 miles on hydrogen, with fast refueling for road trips.
  • Bi-directional Home Charger Concept: The lynchpin of Honda’s energy ambitions, allowing your EV to charge and discharge at will.
  • Home energy hardware: rooftop solar panels, home batteries, an Emporia Vue energy monitor, a high-efficiency heat pump water heater, and a Honda-branded fuel-cell generator designed to scale from 250 kW up to 3 MW for commercial facilities.

The message is clear: Honda wants to sell you not just an EV, but an entire electrified lifestyle. Acura and Honda already run online “Home Electrification” marketplaces where customers can order solar, batteries, and chargers, with plans to expand as their EV portfolio grows.

Looking Ahead

The Acura RSX itself is set to hit dealerships in the second half of 2026, the first Acura built on Honda’s in-house EV platform. Beyond that, Honda is betting that what sits in your garage will matter as much to your electric bill as what’s on your roof.

Southern California Edison’s Funmi Williamson summed it up neatly: “These technologies will not only let customers drive clean but will also help them use those vehicles to power their homes during outages and help the grid during times of peak demand.”

That’s a big promise. But if Honda pulls it off, the Acura RSX might just be the first SUV that looks as good in your driveway as it does keeping the fridge cold when the grid goes down.

Source: Acura