The RDX hit the market in late 2018 as a 2019 model, and now we're nearing 2025—almost 7 years later. I watched an intriguing video last night from EV Pulse. It got me thinking that perhaps this will be the direction for the new RDX. I might be mistaken, but check out the video and share your thoughts. The RDX has been significant for Acura, and I seriously doubt they'll discontinue it or replace it by ADX. But after almost 7 years and two refreshes, there's still no sign of a new model? What do you all think?

 

Could it be closer to the a CUV/sedan blend to replace the old RLX? It could; but, I don't think this would be the ZDX EV Gen 2? It looks too expensive for MSRP to start at the 3rd Gen RDX level (depending on hp/tq and features).

 

It won't be ZDX - Gen 2! I see two possibilities:

1. 4th Gen RDX
2. RXL/TLX/Legend CUV (some weird combination of a sedan and SUV)

Let's see!

 

Is next gen RDX going to be electric only?

 

My guess is that the 25 ZDX had been planned as a the 4th gen RDX, but then Acura changed their mind. So I'd guess we'll have the RDX as is through 2027. My guess is that this EV concept will become a 27 ZDX or a 26 Legend.

Acura said all future models after the Integra will be electric only. They then leaked a few roadmaps saying one model a year would switch over starting in 2026 until the entire lineup was electric by 2030.

If charging was plentiful and quick in the USA, I might not care. They did a press event with the EV CRV and EV Accord, and they were visual twins of the gas models, so their new e-architecture really seems to be living up to their goal of having powertrain just be an option on what is otherwise the same car.

But over the last couple years Acura started to walk back the EV only promise. A few years back they trademarked the ADX name and said the Integra would no longer be their last gas model, and now the ADX is launching next month as ICE. And they just re-trademarked the RSX at the same time that they conspiciously omitted North America from the Hybrid Pelude launch regions, so I presume we will get the Prelude facelifted as a Hybrid RSX. So my hope is they are shifting and won't be all EV any longer.

 

Thanks for the info. Do you have the roadmap by any chance?

I highly doubt Acura will turn MDX to EV right now. They will convert all their vehicles to EV....one day but it won't be in the next 5 years. But RDX is a big question mark? Are we getting a new RDX & RDX TYPE S?

 

Soooo...Honda has plans to launch a new hybrid drivetrain that has eAWD (electric motor in the rear) like how Toyota handles things on its hybrids (see: https://www.greencarreports.com/news...nually-by-2030). This is suppose to launch as part of their 2027 lineup (or thereabouts). I would guess these new hybrid drivetrains will also finally support the large car platforms (Pilot, Odyssey, MDX etc) which leads me to guess that the RDX could take on this new drivetrain and Acura engineers could tune the rear AWD motor to have strong torque vectoring so we have a eSH-AWD system. I figure we're looking at 250-325hp for the large car system and 150-220hp for the small car one. A 4G RDX could start with the current drivetrain for base and tech trims and then offer 300hp hybrid drivetrain in the higher levels.

Honda's EV platform probably won't be ready for Acura to do much with unless they plan on having both ICE and EV cars in the same class (like a MDX and a MDX EV) at the same time.

I'm more curious if the new RDX will transition to a double wishbone front like the TLX and MDX - this could help address both ride compliance (the lack of it) while also making the car turn in better.

 

What were they smoking when they came up with that??? Ranks right up there with the negative reaction to the look of a certain wanna be battery powered truck and battery powered car!

 

The leaked roadmap was mentioned below:
https://carbuzz.com/news/acuras-most...e:Architecture


Their official roadmap says 2027 will have a large 3 row EV. My guess is that was an MDX at one point in planning but if EV sales keep plummeting they may launch it as a different model.

https://global.honda/en/newsroom/new...240516eng.html

 

I think they’re gonna keep selling the RDX with minor enhancements until people stop buying it. As I’ve said in other threads, just look at how Mazda and Volvo have kept their ICE moneymakers (CX-5 & XC60) in production well past the typical cycle.

 

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...-odyssey-test/

Makes me sad that for no particularly good reason that the RDX got the 2L turbo when the J35 (which was present in the 2G RDX) would have, along with the 10 speed auto, made the RDX a very quick SUV. The Odyssey at 4562lbs with the J35/10 speed auto does a 0-60 in 6.4s which is as fast as the 3G RDX (2019 tested at 6.6s for Car and Driver) - with a J35/10 speed and only 4000lbs to haul around it's probably a sub-6 second car.

Hopefully the 4G RDX fixes this by putting the J35 back in place (and with a double wishbone front suspension).

 

Straight line performance is one thing, being able to take a curve is another. The J35 is much too heavy for any decent handling in a vehicle the size and weight of the RDX and with literally every single competitor having a turbo I4 there is a snowball's chance in hell Acura is putting a naturally aspirated V6 under the hood of the RDX ever again. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the MDX and Pilot lost their V6 at some point in favor of an I4 like the Toyota counterparts.

If anything Acura made a massive mistake by putting the J35 in the RDX when literally everyone else was going to I4's.

 

Just hypothesizing but every car grows in size, while the automaker introduces a new smaller model. Eventually the Rdx is the size of a couple models ago mdx. they grow it to have a v6, and then the adx fills in the gaps left from the Rdx getting bigger. Maybe because the second Gen Rdx didn’t have a smaller 4 cylinder option/model, the Rdx model was reverted back to 4 cylinder until adx development was complete. And from a marketing angle, u need a couple years of the add to establish its brand before handing off Rdx sales.
Personally I did not like 2nd Gen with the v6 (and no SHAWD).

 

I'm not sure that's true - Wikipedia has the dressed weight of a J35 of under 400lbs (without transmission it's around 375lbs) and the dressed weight of the K20C2 (the CTR engine) at 400lbs (maybe with the transmission?). I can't find "official" measurements but what I can find suggests the two engines are around the same weight - we're not talking much more than 50-75lbs diff depending on how they are dressed.

re: MDX/Pilot losing their V6s - Honda's challenge here is the K engine is not fuel efficient enough because of it's square design so a turbo K24C (an updated K24A) would burn just as much fuel (or more in reality) than a J35. Honda just updated the J35 to DOHC so it'll meet 2030 emissions standards which tells me their plans are to keep running that motor out there till they transition to EVs/Hybrids.

 

I could definitely see the RDX growing a couple more inches seeing as how it is already at the very large end of compact and the ADX is only a couple inches smaller iirc. There definitely is some space in the Acura lineup for a proper midsize SUV considering the MDX (which is still considered mid-sized btw) is far too large for people like me who like compact-mid sized class vehicles.

With that being said I still do not ever see the RDX getting a V6 engine option except MAYBE the 3.0T in the Type-S model. More likely they would keep the 2.0T base engine and potentially add on some sort of hybrid tech for the more powerful version.

Also for what it's worth I also HATED the 2nd gen RDX. Terrible looks, terrible build quality, lacking many very important key features, handled like a boat and most egregiously was the absence of SH-AWD.


I read that too when looking for weight information and I would be shocked if the J35 weighed as much as the 2.0T. I don't think that information is accurate IMO.

With respect to keeping or removing the J35, Acura/Honda spent all that money developing the SH-SH-AWD technology only to use it for a handful of years and then shelf it. Acura/Honda isn't exactly the smartest when it comes to investing money into projects IMO. So them spending all that money to FINALLY come out with a DOHC J35 and then suddenly turning around in another direction wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.

As per fuel economy, look at all these companies dropping their V6's for turbo 4's that get better fuel economy on paper but dismall to the same fuel economy in the real world. A lot of these companies only care about looking good on paper and your average joe sees the 26 mpg city turbo 4 vs 25mpg V6 and acts like it's the biggest deal in the world.

 

Definitely they need to implement some kind of a mild hybrid in next generation engines to stay competitive in mpg department. Add touchscreen so all reviewers will stop complaining about it once for all but also keep touchpad since I like it.

 

It's an EV concept. My money is on Acura milking the current RDX by just providing minor tweaks until they transition to EV.

 

Acura will have some sort of news about RDX by early 2025.

Options:
1. Redesigned RDX with possibility of TYPE S
2. This concept will be the new RDX & TYPE S😂

The current RDX is due for a change. Acura did three refreshes to ILX before switched it to Teggy.

 

Seems to me Acura got into the image of being a trim level above Honda. So much Acura-Honda overlap in power train, tech, and features with different styling. Other than the sport hybrid and 3.0T seems to be the only power train options unique to North American Acura (exception could be the NSX is sold as the Honda NSX in Europe).

Whatever direction Acura goes in, I would prefer it to be unique to Acura only with no trickle down to Honda. I had an 08 RDX and loved the power + shawd handling; but, didn’t like the high teens combined mpgs on 91 octane. I always needed to be in boost mode to make power to keep up with traffic at +75 mph living +5000ft. Upgrading to my 19 MDX sport hybrid gave me the best of both worlds with power + shawd + 25-27 mpgs per tank average. I rather see the return of the sport hybrid power train along with EV.

The EV infrastructure sucks in southwest and add in 75-80 mph interstate speeds at elevations from sea level to +11,000 feet for 2-14 hours of driving to destinations does limits battery range. Spending +$50,000 for an Acura EV being stuck within city limits of 1 million doesn’t make sense to me; but, might be an option for others.

 

The mystery is resolved! the new concept will be RSX...I am not sure how do i feel about it but just wanted to share the news: https://acuranews.com/en-US/releases...testing-begins

 

Here are my thoughts:

From the rear picture only, it looks OK. Not good, not bad. Looks similar to the Q4 etron sportback, just not as sharp. However, the flush door handles are better than the Audi's more traditional ones.

Hopefully it will have decent range.

I couldn't care less about model name.

 

My issue is why RSX? Keep that name for a sedan or future products....Anyway, I wasn't expecting RSX for this EV tbh!

 

I read the 2025 Honda Outlook:

- ADX will be available by mid this year.
- RSX will be available at the end of the year.
- Teggy will get a refresh!

Missing!
- what’s the future of TLX?
- No updates about RDX!

 

The EV should have been callled an RDX-e or something.

As a current RSX original owner it feels like a slap in the face. I doubt any former Eclipse owners bought the SUV, it was just random new crossover shoppers who happenned to get a deal in a Mitsubishi dealer.

Similarly, despite how good it might be, I don't think I could ever buy the new RSX. I'd feel like I'm driving a fraud. If they sold a Prelude rebadge as an RSX I probably would have had to buy it despite having no need for one, purely because I couldn't resist the RSX name.

They lost so many potential RSX customers because of this naming choice. If they were too cheap and needed a badge they could reuse without a new trademark, they should have called it an Acura Insight or an SLX. There is a whole generation who loved the RSX, and all our kids are entering the car market in a couple years and are crazy over the RSX too. My daughter dailies the RSX and brings it to car shows with her friends at least once a month. They just offended a larger group of Acura loyalists than they realized.

 

Totally agree, the RSX name is a head scratcher. I cannot see anything remotely related to the OG RSX. 2G ZDX at least has similar styling elements as the OG one.

Having said that, I think RSX will be an easier love to loyalist than ZDX. In fact, the styling has grown on me, at least the rear half. Initially I saw hint of Ariya, but now I see iron man and quite like it.

 

The German brands appear to be moving away from that kind of naming.

 

They're just catching up to Ford and Mitsubishi with the way they shamlessly reused the Mustang and Eclipse name. What's that saying again, ACURA = Always Catching Up, Rarely Ahead?

 

Not to mention GM's Corvette SUV.

Personally, I would like to see the following e-SUVs:
Z from Nissan
Miata from Mazda
S2000 from Honda
Corvette from GM
Boxster from Porsche

 

Honda got you covered, just not in the form of SUV! I believe the two-door EVs will ride on the 2026 F1 comeback story. We should learn more towards the end of the year, just like the not-so-surprising arrival of ADX last year.

 

The 2.0T engine needs redesign, its been around since 2017-18.

 

The engine is OK I think. The problem is with the transmission. Look at how old the MDX engine is.

 

Sometimes.....When It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It. Both engines are fine. All the SUV makers Lexus, Infiniti, and many others are going to the 4 Banger Turbos in lieu of Tried and True V-6s (except Mazda on the CX-70/90). All the carmakers are at major crossroads. They all "drank the Koolaid " for EVs. Other than seeing Teslas on a growing basis in my neck of the woods (NY Suburbia), I don't see any ZDXs, or BMW EVs, Audi EVs, no Pickup Truck EVs, a few Volvos here and there, This Old Timer" is playing a much longer waiting game as far as EVs are concerned. My Acura dealer Salesman (talking about a new 25 MDX A-Spec lAdvance lease for a few months now to possibly replace my expiring 22 MDX Advance lease) took a ZDX out to drive on a trip to a Atlantic City weekend trip from here in Westchester County NY. After getting there and experiencing a draining EV battery, his Hotel had maybe 1 or 2 charging stations available with Huge waiting lines !! He plugged into his phone, where other EV charging stations were located in Atlantic City.... There were a few, all with waiting lines to charge their EVs. No Thanks. He was starting to experince Battery Anxiety. Gas/ Hybrds are the Way to Go for years until EV charging (especially away form home) becomes easier whicch will take Years. I also need more convincing to make me comfortable about sitting atop the batteries (that according to some elctro-magnetic engineers is akin to the electro - magnetic waves of sitting on 15 Microwave Ovens). And the tendencies of how they burn up if they get wet, especially with salt water like those in Florida after IAN hit a few years ago. Over 25 houses Burned to the ground after the EVs got wet with salt water flooding and then parked in their house, later erupting into fires that can't be put out! (naples Florida Fire Commissioner).

 

You say its not broken?
honda GDI engine is a big fuel diluter. It leaves 5%+ of fuel in gas, numerous people were able to confirm it with UOA.
Until this is resolved I will not buy another Honda 2.0t engine.

This needs to be redesigned and perhaps use similar technology as Toyota that uses both port and direct injection.
Toyota GDIs do not dilute oil with gas as much as this engine.

 

There is talk about bringing back the Honda Prelude in or as 2026 model? I can see the 2-door Prelude/RSX link as easy low hanging fruit like the Civic/Integra partnership. Trying to remember if there was ever a 4 door RSX compared to Integra having 2-dr/4-dr/sedan/hatch versions. The RSX would check that box; but, too many car makers for the North America market are reducing or stopping coupe/sedan/wagon models for CUV, SUV, and trucks

 

Acura Reusing The RSX Name For An Electric Crossover Is Fine, Actually

I am not impressed by the name and Acura could have simply opted in for another name but a the end of the day, this article explains it well. I don't think Honda/Acura is making RSX for a few enthusiasts. If the car is good and can compete in the current market. That's what matter. We were not happy with the new Integra name as well. With the current sedan's tough market, Integra is #1 seller in that segment!
https://jalopnik.com/acura-reusing-t...-is-1851742495

 

If this were such a big problem, how come people still get 250k+ miles out of their Honda GDI engines?

 

show me many Honda 2.0t engines with 250k miles…
maybe you will find few with people doing 40-50k miles per year on highway, which is not realistic for most people

 

I made my comments based on the 2.4 L. Engine in my wife's 16 CRV, totally trouble free and the 3.5 L V-6 iny 22 MDX, trouble free. I am aware of the oil dilution prob in the Honda 1.5L Turbo!! And other serious current recalls with CRVs catching fire from faulty steering gear boxes!

 

The issue with fuel dilution seems worse with Turbo. People finding 1qt extra at oil change…. Labs are flagging this as “severe”, industry norm is under 2% fuel, but these things run over 5%+

 

What is “ASIMO OS operating system”?