A surprise announcement
Since its introduction in 2007, the Acura RDX has been a strong seller for Honda‘s premium luxury brand. Sales data from American Honda shows that the compact SUV was its second-biggest seller in 2025, behind the larger MDX SUV, with 31,627 units sold, representing more than a quarter of the brand’s total sales.
Despite this, Acura announced on January 14 that it would suspend production of the RDX “later this year,” as the brand prepares to unveil a next-generation version of the SUV within the next couple of years. The new, fourth-generation model is expected to be a groundbreaking introduction for Acura, as it confirmed that the new RDX will have a two-motor hybrid-electric powertrain, positioning it as a key model as it plans a diverse mix of gas-powered, hybrid, and EV models.
As part of the announcement, Acura released a cool teaser image showing a silhouette of what the future crossover could look like. While this may keep loyal fans and potential buyers looking ahead into the future, Acura dealers feel that the brand has made an ill-informed move that will drastically affect their business in the present day.
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Acura dealers: We cannot wait for the new RDX
According to a new report from Automotive News, Acura’s announcement regarding the end of RDX production has caught Acura dealers by surprise. According to the trade publication, dealers were notified on January 14 that RDX production would be halted this year at Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio due to “multiple parts shortages.” Notably, these shortages do not affect the similarly-sized Honda CR-V, which is made at the same plant.
In an interview, Acura’s assistant VP of U.S. sales, Mike Langel, told AutoNews that RDX production will cease in the spring, and that it expects its remaining inventory to last through the summer and potentially into early fall. He emphasized that the decision to end production came after it was left with no other alternative.
“We made every effort to extend [the RDX] as long as possible,” he said. “Some components are simply no longer available, and we’ve explored every avenue.”
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However, several Acura retailers told AutoNews that the nature of the multi-year hiatus of RDX production leaves them in a very precarious position, especially as it leaves a gaping hole in a very competitive segment in Acura’s lineup.
Andy Wright, a managing partner at Vinart Dealerships in Pennsylvania, called the decision to discontinue “premature,” given the timeline, and added that “not having an offering in a large and competitive segment for more than a year is definitely going to be a disadvantage.”
Ben Benstock, the VP of Paragon Acura in New York City, told the publication that “To cancel production on such short notice just leaves us hanging,” while also amplifying that Acura and its dealers could see customers defect to competitors like Lexus with the RDX temporarily gone. “This is a ‘now’ business,” he said. “You can’t sell customers on ‘two years from now.’ Nobody’s going to wait for that truck.”
2025 Acura RDX
In addition, an unnamed Acura dealer raised concerns that the temporary loss of the RDX has shrunk Acura’s model lineup, given that the automaker recently discontinued the TLX sedan and the ZDX EV. “We were promised Acura would be adding models, not subtracting,” they said. “Their selection is starting to dwindle to a minimal amount, which is a huge problem for dealers.”
In the meantime, Acura wants to push RDX buyers into either the MDX or the ADX
With the RDX gone, Acura dealerships will sell just three new models: the Integra compact sedan, the ADX compact crossover, and the three-row MDX. Langel told AutoNews that it has a plan to sustain its numbers until the next-gen RDX arrives. It plans to boost the supply of the larger MDX and increase production of the ADX to drive more volume to the brand, while launching the RSX EV crossover in the latter half of 2026.
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Benstock noted that there is a “certain demand” for the RDX, and as a result, he estimated that just 20% of RDX buyers will bite onto either the ADX or the MDX. However, this isn’t stopping Acura from trying to retain loyal customers.
The same day Acura announced the end of current RDX production and the new RDX, it unveiled an “aggressive” new loyalty program designed to keep Acura RDX owners in a new Acura. Current RDX owners will get discounts on the rest of the Acura lineup; $2,500 toward a new MDX, $1,500 for a new ADX and $1,000 on the Integra.
“The most important thing in this time of transition is we keep RDX customers in our lineup, and when it’s time for their next lease, our hybrid RDX should have arrived,” Langel said.
Final thoughts
Retailers noted that while Acura’s loyalty program indicates that it is serious about retention, they stressed that it may not be enough to cope with the larger monthly payment that some customers will incur if they step up to an MDX from an RDX. Benstock told AutoNews that while the program is “a good start,” in the end, “it’s all about the monthly payment.”
Dealers like Benstock denote that while Acura’s “politically correct” strategy of chasing EV production has dealers absorbing the blow, it does place increased emphasis on pricing for the rest of the Acura lineup. Time will tell if it means more or fewer incentives or increasingly competitive pricing.
