Acura's next RSX crossover has broken cover. The automaker has used this year's Monterey Car Week as a stage to show off a bright yellow prototype—the color is called Propulsion Yellow Pearl—ahead of the production car going on sale next year. And unlike the current generation (which Ars last tested back in 2019) RDX, this crossover will be fully electric.
It will be built at the Honda Marysville Auto Plant that we checked out back in January. The 40-year old factory has been given a high-tech refit that has not only made the factory more energy efficient and a better working environment for employees but also prepared it to incorporate electric vehicles into the assembly line.
In recent years, Acura has grappled with its self-image. Although it's often perceived as a luxury brand, Acura has always been more of a North American performance arm of Honda, and the automaker wants to lean into that. Unlike the brand's first battery electric vehicle the ZDX, which is a rebadged General Motors EV, the RSX was designed entirely in-house.
"The Acura RSX has a sporty coupe style that expresses the performance that comes from excellent aerodynamics," said Yasutake Tsuchida, Acura creative director and vice president of American Honda R&D. "Starting from this all-new RSX, we will redefine the Acura brand around timeless beauty and a high-tech feel that is essential for a performance and unique brand."
I have to admit, when I saw a teaser shot a week or two ago, my first thought was that it looked like someone had taken a McLaren Artura and given it the Urus treatment, at least based on the nose. But Acura has also been using an arrow-like prow for some time, too. I'm also getting some Lotus Eletre from the other views, but as ever, looks are subjective.
When the RDX hits the street in the second half of next year, it will do so running ASIMO OS, the new software-defined vehicle operating system that Honda announced at CES earlier this year. Among the things ASIMO OS can do is learn a driver's preferences and driving style "to deliver an ultra-personal in-car experience," Acura says.
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