Acura’s legendary RSX nameplate is making a comeback, but not as the sleek two-door coupe that you might have been expecting. In keeping with the times, the badge will soon sit on an all-electric coupe-crossover SUV, and you’ll see it for the first time in the metal at the upcoming Monterey Car Week.
The RSX follows Acura’s pattern of using the West Coast venue to showcase its EV future. In 2022, it showed off the Acura Precision EV Concept, and last year, the Japanese brand showcased the Electric Vision Design study and the ZDX all-electric concept on the same stage. That model went on to become Acura’s first production EV, but it rides on GM’s Ultium platform. This upcoming RSX, though, will be different.
Based on the Acura Performance EV Concept, which also broke cover at Monterey last year, the RSX Prototype will preview a production model slated to arrive at dealerships in the second half of 2026. Acura has confirmed production at Honda’s new EV Hub in Ohio, starting at the end of 2025.
This will be the first model built upon Acura’s new in-house EV platform. It will also debut Honda’s proprietary ASIMO OS, first shown earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, in Las Vegas, which Acura says can adapt to your driving habits and manage everything from range optimization to driver assistance.
Design-wise, the RSX retains much of the sharp nose from last year’s concept. The illuminated Acura badge has moved from the hood to the front bumper, whereas the daytime running lights now look sleeker, and the lower fascia appears more functional for battery cooling. Expect a coupe-like roofline, retractable door handles, a full-width rear light bar, and possibly wheels inspired by the teaser’s multi-spoke design.
Acura hasn’t released drivetrain details yet, but a dual-motor AWD setup with rear-biased tuning is highly likely, given the ZDX’s layout. The RSX will also support NACS charging, a nod to the growing Tesla Supercharger network.
For Acura, Monterey Car Week presents a chance to put its first ground-up EV in front of media, enthusiasts, and a well-heeled audience that could see the RSX as a tech-forward daily. Still, some brand loyalists are asking the obvious: Shouldn’t Acura bring back a real coupe alongside this SUV? The Prelude is returning with Honda as a hybrid, whereas Acura currently has no hybrid or performance coupe in its lineup, ever since the NSX Type S was discontinued in 2022.
The RSX might showcase a fully electric future, but the gap in hybrid offerings could cost Acura more in the near term. Will the RSX’s tech and styling be enough to shift that conversation? We’ll know more when the covers come off at Monterey, later this week. Watch this space.
Image Source: Acura
