- Acura will suspend RDX production this year as key suppliers exit.
- New SUV won’t arrive for at least two years after production ends.
- Teaser image hints at sleeker styling and sharper proportions.
The Acura RDX is heading into hiatus, but not without setting the stage for a sharper return. Honda has confirmed that production of the current-generation RDX will wrap up later this year. A new version is on the way, though it won’t arrive for at least a couple of years, and when it does, it’ll be powered by a twin-motor hybrid system for the first time.
Acura dropped a single teaser image of the fourth-generation RDX during a recent press briefing. While it doesn’t show much, it does reveal the new model will adopt a distinctive silhouette that appears a little sleeker than the outgoing Acura.
Read: Acura Shifts Strategy After Realizing EVs Alone Just Won’t Cut It
Some key features are visible despite the shadows: slim LED headlights, wide rear haunches, and a prominent roof spoiler that stretches over the back glass.
Curiously, Acura didn’t offer a specific release date for the new model, only stating that it will reach dealerships within the next “couple of years.” It also did not explain the two-year-plus gap between the end of the current RDX and the arrival of its successor.
That said, the company noted the production stop was already planned, citing supplier limitations as a factor. Several of the RDX’s component suppliers are no longer able to provide parts for the current version.
A Hybrid First for Acura
“For nearly two decades, RDX has been one of the most popular Acura models, so it’s fitting that the upcoming fourth-generation RDX will be the first Acura to feature our two-motor hybrid-electric system,” said Mike Langel, assistant vice president of Acura National Sales.
“The RDX hybrid is expected to arrive at dealerships within the next couple of years, and we’re thrilled to share this news as Acura celebrates its 40th anniversary—making this milestone even more special.”
While Acura hasn’t yet introduced a hybrid of its own, Honda has no shortage of experience with them. The automaker’s current twin-motor hybrid setup, now in its fourth generation, is already used in the CR-V, Accord, and Civic.
The system pairs one electric motor that acts as a generator for the hybrid battery pack with a second motor that drives the wheels directly. A compact 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine supports the system and can either power the battery or send torque to the wheels via a lockup clutch.
