- Acura is targeting a significant jump in its sales figures once it adds two key SUVs, to the lineup, a report from Automotive News details.
- The planned increase in sales hinges on the recently confirmed “Acura Passport” as well as the confirmed eight-passenger SUV the brand is currently developing.
- Both models will fill sizable gaps in Acura’s lineup, with the former finally giving the brand an off-road-focused SUV.
Burgers, baseball, and big SUVs. These are the things Americans like. At the moment, Acura doesn’t cater to any of the three. The automaker is hoping to change that in the near future as it expands its lineup from four models on offer to six. While it doesn’t have any plans (that we know of) concerning burgers or baseball, the automaker has confirmed plans for a new full-size three-row SUV as well as a new off-roader.
Acura confirmed the plans for both SUVs earlier this month, and now a new report from Automotive News gives more insight into the automaker’s expected trajectory. The off-roader, which the report says is being referred to internally as the “Acura Passport,” will, as the name implies, be based on the Honda Passport. Specifically, it will be based on the rugged TrailSport version of the Passport. According to the report, the Acura won’t just be a badge job. Instead, Acura plans to give the SUV unique sheetmetal, a more upright front end, knobbier tires, and more distinctive hood styling.
While it’s somewhat hard to believe that Acura hasn’t had an off-roader since the ’90s, it’s equally hard to wrap your head around the fact that the brand simply doesn’t offer a full-size three-row SUV. Fret not. Acura has plans to add a larger SUV to its lineup, and we finally have a few details.
For starters, the new SUV will reportedly measure around six inches longer than the MDX, and it will be positioned against the Lexus TX. It will be joined by a Honda variant, with both versions built on the same platform as a next-gen MDX. Dealers with information about the model told AN that, at least in its current form, the new Acura three-row sports an upright design reminiscent of a Range Rover. They detailed broad shoulder lines, a spacious cabin, and a light bar at the front.
The Acura Passport is expected to go on sale in mid-2028. According to the AN report, the larger Acura SUV is expected to enter production at some point in the third quarter of 2029, meaning it will likely arrive in early 2030. The new models will be joined by the next-generation RDX SUV, which is slated to debut Acura’s new design language and Honda’s updated hybrid system when it arrives as a 2028 model. According to the AN story, Acura also showed dealers special editions of the ADX and MDX and a limited-edition version of the Integra Type S.
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Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.