Acura isn’t finished expanding its SUV range. The Japanese luxury brand has outlined plans for three new models in the United States, including an eight-seat vehicle that will sit above the MDX.
That’s a sizeable step for a manufacturer whose largest current SUV already has three rows of seats.
The newcomer should give Acura more room to compete with vehicles such as the Lexus TX, particularly among families who regularly travel with six or seven passengers and their luggage.
An extra seat sounds useful, but the real test will be space in the third row. Getting adults comfortably into the back of a large SUV isn’t always as easy as the exterior dimensions suggest.
Acura hasn’t disclosed the new model’s measurements, engine options or price. Those details will tell us considerably more about its prospects than the seating capacity alone.
The second SUV is rather different.
Acura wants to enter the adventure-oriented market with a vehicle expected in early 2028. It’s a segment where appearance and actual capability don’t always go together.
Plenty of SUVs look ready for a mountain trail. Far fewer have the ground clearance, tyres and drivetrain needed to tackle one confidently.
Acura hasn’t explained exactly where its new model will fall between those extremes.
There is some history here. During the 1990s, the company sold the SLX, a rebadged Isuzu Trooper that offered more traditional off-road credentials than today’s typical luxury crossover.
Whether the upcoming SUV follows anything like that formula is still unknown.
Then there’s the RDX.
Unlike the other two projects, Acura doesn’t need to introduce customers to this nameplate. The compact luxury SUV already occupies an established place in the range, and a fourth generation is being developed.
The important change concerns its powertrain.
Acura plans to use a two-motor hybrid system based on Honda technology. For drivers who want better fuel economy without depending on charging stations, that could be a worthwhile addition.
It also gives Acura another option in a market where buyers aren’t all moving towards electric vehicles at the same pace.
Separately, the manufacturer is developing a performance-oriented V6 hybrid system for fut