Acura EVs will be performance-minded

Acura's electric vehicle rollout is underway, and its performance chops are at the forefront.

In the spring, the premium brand welcomed its first EV to the lineup — the ZDX, which offers a 499-hp Type S model. Like Honda's Prologue, the midsize electric crossover is based on General Motors' Ultium platform, but Acura says the ZDX's intent to deliver a more exhilarating driving experience makes it unique to the brand. Its design is also distinctly Acura.

The ZDX paves the way for Acura's second EV in 2026. It will be the brand's first on Honda's e:Architecture platform. Last month at Monterey Car Week, Acura pulled the veil off a sleek electric crossover called the Performance EV Concept. The design will likely be the blueprint for a compact crossover that could ultimately supplement the popular gasoline-powered RDX.

Another electric vehicle, likely sized comparably to the top-selling MDX, is expected later in 2026.

The ZDX's arrival has helped Acura add incremental volume to slumping sales across most of its lineup. Overall Acura sales were down 12 percent through the first seven months of the year.

Through July, sales of the Integra decreased 19 percent, and the TLX was down 57 percent. Acura said production of the sport sedans has been interrupted by construction at the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio, which is being upgraded to build EVs.

A sell-down of the top-selling MDX three-row crossover, just freshened for the 2025 model year, also has burdened overall growth. Sales were down 19 percent through July.

The RDX, also just freshened, is helping to offset the MDX's volume, however, with sales up 27 percent in the same period. In its first three months on the market, the ZDX logged more than 1,000 sales.

But Acura is tempering expectations as it navigates a gasoline-to-electric transition that will transform most of its lineup by the end of the decade. It expects to end the year flat against 2023, with sales of about 150,000 vehicles.

Three-row electric crossover: A three-row electric crossover is expected to go on sale in late 2026. It could wear the MDX badge or be a standalone model and share space in the segment while the gasoline MDX sells down. Dealers said Acura previewed an all-electric MDX at its national meeting in April.

ZDX: Acura's debut electric crossover went on sale in May and is part of a collaboration with GM. It uses GM's Ultium battery-powered platform and is built at the Detroit automaker's factory in Spring Hill, Tenn. It stretches 197.7 inches, just shy of the 198.4-inch MDX three-row crossover. It has a low and wide stance with a sleek silhouette and long 121.8-inch wheelbase. It comes as a single- or dual-motor A-Spec or as a 499-hp Type S that delivers up to 544 pound-feet of torque in Sport mode. The ZDX will have an single life cycle and be retired early in the next decade. A freshening in 2028 is likely.

Compact electric crossover: An electric compact crossover built on the e:Architecture platform is expected in early 2026. This will be the first EV on Honda's in-house platform and could be a direct replacement for the RDX. A freshening of the RDX for the 2025 model year could extend the gasoline-powered version beyond the likely start of this EV, so they could coexist until the market transitions.

Electric sports car: Honda executives confirmed at Monterey Car Week that an all-electric sports car will arrive in 2027 or 2028. It would be a low-volume halo vehicle resembling the Acura NSX hybrid supercar that was retired in 2022. The new sports car is expected to use the same architecture as the Honda 0 Series midsize electric sedan that is planned to launch in 2026.

MDX: Acura's freshened fourth-generation 2025 MDX went on sale in May. The previous two Type S trims were streamlined into one fully loaded offering, and the A-Spec was split into two variants. More aggressive front fascia styling, including a frameless diamond pentagon grille with a redesigned mesh pattern, is now shared between the Type S and A-Spec models.

Acura added a Bang & Olufsen premium audio system to all trims, but the Type S gets a robust 31-speaker system. Acura dropped its touchpad technology in favor of a touchscreen, and it repositioned the center display so it's within reach of the driver. Product planners also redesigned the center console for more functionality, space and USB-C ports. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as Google Built-In are all standard.

The AcuraWatch 360 suite of advanced driver-assistance safety features was enhanced with more cameras and better radars. The gasoline version of the MDX could end in mid-2026, making room for the three-row electric crossover.

RDX: Acura's No. 2 seller was freshened for the 2025 model year with sportier styling and an updated interior. It went on sale in August. The RDX front end has a new frameless diamond pentagon grille with a more striking mesh pattern. It also has gloss black exterior trim and 19-inch black wheels. Inside, the revised center console has increased storage and larger cupholders. A compact electric crossover modeled after the Performance EV Concept that debuted at Monterey Car Week could replace the RDX in 2026.

ADX: The ADX subcompact crossover will slot below the RDX and serve as gateway to the brand. It will likely go on sale in mid-2025. A freshening in 2028 is likely. The next-generation ADX is expected to be an EV. It will arrive at the end of the decade.

TLX: The second generation of Acura's midsize sport sedan was freshened for the 2024 model year with the frameless diamond pentagon grille, larger 19-inch wheels and tech enhancements such as standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as Amazon Alexa. Acura could end TLX production in late 2025. It's unclear whether there are plans to replace it, as the sedan is a slow seller and there aren't many buyers in its price range.

Integra: Acura's resurrected compact sport sedan carries over unchanged for the 2025 model year. The Integra is likely to undergo a midcycle freshening in the second half of 2025. Acura could stop production of the Integra in mid-2027. It's unclear whether there are plans to replace it.