Acura RSX Prototype Gives Us a Pretty Good Look at the Real Thing
Acura
The Acura RSX prototype gives us a pretty good idea of how the upcoming production version will look.
Based on the Performance EV Concept, the prototype RSX is a compact EV SUV with assertive bodywork and a fastback roofline that ends with a ducktail spoiler.
The production-spec RSX isn’t just Acura’s second electric vehicle; it’s also the first EV the automaker has developed in-house, and it’ll debut ASIMO OS.
Remember the original Acura RSX? The sport compact replaced the Integra nameplate at the beginning of the 21st Century, but the two-door hatchback only lasted a handful of years before it was retired. Gone but not forgotten, Acura is ready to bring the RSX out of retirement, and today it revealed an undisguised prototype that basically depicts what the production model will look like.
The RSX’s Rebirth
By now, anyone who has fond memories of the old RSX coupe might be grumbling about how Acura has turned their favorite tuner car into an electric SUV. That frustration might be justified if the company hadn’t already resurrected the Integra, complete with an honest-to-God Type S variant. So, with that out of the way, we can now discuss the RSX prototype, which is considerably more significant than even Acura’s first-ever EV, the ZDX.
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Acura
Unlike the ZDX, the RSX wasn’t created in a partnership with General Motors. Nope. The new RSX has a proprietary platform that is the first EV architecture the automaker has developed entirely in-house, which will be shared with Honda’s upcoming 0-series EVs. It’s purebred Precision Crafted Performance.
Of course, we’ll have to wait a while for the production version to debut before we know specific technical details. Along with a standard NACS charging port, we are told the RSX that reaches showrooms will have vehicle-to-load capability, meaning it can be used as a mobile power source. Acura also says the production-spec SUV will have “powerful” dual electric motors providing all-wheel drive. But total output, estimated driving range, and charging speeds remain a mystery for now.
What’s not a mystery is the SUV’s exterior design, which was influenced by the Acura Performance EV Concept that—like the RSX prototype—was revealed at Monterey Car Week. While the former concept had some more exaggerated elements, its beak-like nose is very similar to the prototype’s. The two also share pointy, high-mounted daytime running lights, and a light-up logo smack dab in the middle of the RSX’s face acts like Acura’s rendition of Rudolph’s nose.
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Acura
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Acura
Another detail that was faithfully translated from the concept to the prototype (and next to the production model) is the fastback roofline that gives the four-door SUV a coupe-like look. Automakers lobbing off a section of an SUV’s roof for the sake of looking sporty isn’t anything new, but it looks really good on the RSX, especially with the black-painted A-pillars and roof that blend into the rear bodywork. The edge of the rear hatch also extends into a ducktail spoiler that looks more dramatic in the side profile, and it sits above a full-width taillight that Acura says is an homage to the second-gen NSX (but the facelifted Tesla Model Y sort of stole its thunder). Instead of the brand’s traditional caliper-style logo, the RSX also features “Acura” spelled out on its rump.
Along with short front and rear overhangs, the prototype’s intricate 21-inch wheels are pushed out to the corners, giving it a sporty stance. It has an eye-catching paint color too, which Acura calls Propulsion Yellow Pearl. And while the flush door handles and body-side vents will all likely appear on the production model, the camera-fed exterior mirrors are among the few fanciful features that are reserved for the prototype.
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Acura
ASIMO Is Coming
The RSX’s interior is also left up to the imagination, protected by the prototype’s completely tinted windows. When Acura finally does pull back the curtains, we’ll get our first look at its new ASIMO OS. This next-generation operating system was discussed during CES earlier this year as part of Honda’s prototype 0-series EVs. Well, it looks like ASIMO will debut on an Acura, which the company says is the first step towards creating a software-defined vehicle.
Basically, the system’s over-the-air updates will help extend the vehicle’s shelf life with its ability to add new features in the future. ASIMO will use machine learning (a subset of AI) to understand an individual driver’s behavior and preferences. Worried about Big Brother riding shotgun? Think of it more like Richard Simmons in the passenger seat as he tries to develop the best version of yourself.
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Honda
The Real RSX’s ETA
How long do we have to wait for the RSX prototype to turn into the RSX production model? The latter will be revealed sometime next year, with production slated to begin in the second half of 2026.
Along with becoming the first EV built at Honda’s EV Hub in Ohio, the 2027 Acura RSX will share an assembly line with the Integra. Who would’ve thought we’d see the day when an Integra and RSX would coexist? That definitely wasn’t on our bingo card a few years ago.
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2027 Acura RSX: What We Know So Far
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Eric Stafford
Managing Editor, News
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.
