Acura Types: Every Acura Model Available and Planned for the Future

Key Points

• Acura, established in 1986, is the luxury and performance division of Honda and focuses on North America, Panama, and Kuwait.
• Acura’s Integra, brought back in 2021, is a more premium version of the Honda Civic and offers a starting price of $31,500 MSRP.
• The TLX sedan competes with BMW, Audi, and Volvo, and offers a sportier design and competitive pricing starting at $40,500 MSRP.
• The MDX flagship SUV is considered a great value compared to competitors like BMW and Audi, with a starting price of $49,550 MSRP.

Established in May 1986, Acura is the luxury and performance division of one of the biggest automobile manufacturers in the world, Honda. Today, some 37 years after its founding, Acura continues to deliver its vehicles with a focus on North America, Panama, and Kuwait. Acura’s initial attempts to bring its lineup to the Japanese market were scrapped due to economic headwinds as a result of the global financial crisis that began in 2007. 

Even without the Japanese market, Acura has carved out a nice little niche inside North America thanks to solid marketing and a reputation for providing a lot of value. One of the best aspects of the Acura brand that helps differentiate it from other premium luxury manufacturers is that Acura provides a large set of standard options in its base model trim levels. 

Read on to learn more about the current models available in Acura’s lineup as well as its plans for the future. 

Currently Available Acura Models

Acura Integra

Initially available as part of Acura’s lineup in 1985 all the way through to 2006, the Acura Integra was one of the company’s best-known vehicles. The 1995-2021 Acura Integra Type R is considered one of the best front-wheel drive cars of all time and saw a huge jump in popularity thanks to the early Fast and the Furious movies, where Acura had a staple presence. 

After going on a 16-year hiatus, Acura brought back the Integra brand in 2021 as a replacement for its entry-level ILX model in what is basically a five-door liftback vehicle. What many people do not know, or do not immediately recognize, is that the Acura Integra is essentially a more premium version of the popular Honda Civic. The 2024 Integra has seen some slight updates across the board, though it retains a welcome starting price point of right at $31,500 MSRP. 

Available in five different trim levels, you can quickly bump the price up to the premium Acura Integra Type S, which has a starting MSRP of $50,800. The biggest difference between the Type S and the other trim levels with the Acura Integra, Integra A-Spec, A-Spec with Technology CVT, and A-Spec Technology six-speed manual, is that the former offers the vehicle’s lone 2.5-liter engine.

The other models in the Integra lineup offer 1.5 liters, so if you want the absolute best performance out of the Integra, it’s the Type S for you. 

Acura TLX

A four-door luxury sedan sold by Acura, the TLX is a combination of the company’s previous TL and TSX models. Today, the TLX serves as the flagship of Acura’s luxury lineup after being introduced in 2014 as a mid-range model beneath the Acura RLX, which had previously served as the flagship. 

The TLX is a sharp-looking sedan that competes against the likes of the BMW 3-series, Audi A4, and the Volvo S60. With a starting MSRP of $40,500, the Acura TLX is competitively priced with front-wheel drive trims, including the A-Spec performance trim, which can increase the MSRP price to $46,800. Also available as an all-wheel drive model as well, including AWD bumps the starting price of the TLX up to as much as $56,500 on the Type S trim. 

Overall, the TLX continues to exude quality and has a design that catches the eye as it flies down the road. The interior is typical Acura busy with buttons aplenty but touches like red seats help differentiate the TLX from its competition. Unlike Volvo and BMW, which aim for a more refined luxury look, the Acura TLX offers a sportier design that feels as if it’s faster and better handling than its competitors. 

Acura RDX

The smaller of Acura’s two SUVs, the RDX serves as Acura’s compact luxury crossover SUV that competes directly with the Audi Q5, Cadillac XT5, and the BMW X3. First released in 2006, the RDX quickly made a name for itself by including options than similarly-priced luxury competitors.

After undergoing a facelift in 2021, the RDX is yet another Acura model that offers a bevy of different trim levels, including the basic and Technology trims plus more premium A-Spec and A-Spec Plus trims. 

Pricing for the RDX starts right around $41,750, with the AWD A-Spec Plus earning a starting price of $53,750. Regardless of which trim you choose, the Acura RDX continues the brand’s signature look of being ready to race on a moment’s notice. The interior of the RDX is not too dissimilar from the TLX with buttons aplenty, but also a large 10.2-inch display that includes standard CarPlay. 

Through the display, you can quickly shift the RDX into any of its four driving modes including Snow, Comfort, Normal, and Sport. As is the case with all Acura models, the RDX is all about being aggressive, and this leads to one of the most responsive rides in its class. Other highlights include a standard panoramic moonroof, premium leather, upgraded materials, and up to 79.8 cubic feet of storage with the rear seats folded. 

Acura MDX

Acura’s flagship SUV, the MDX has long been considered one of the best values in the SUV space. When compared to the BMW X5, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, and Audi Q7, the Acura undoubtedly offers more bang for your buck. With a starting price tag of $49,550 MSRP, Acura has priced the MDX competitively, often starting thousands below the likes of BMW and Audi. 

As part of the company’s lineup since 2000, the MDX has gone through a number of changes and refinements including a refresh in 2022 that brought through a more aggressive exterior look. As is the case with the RDX and other Acura models, Acura offers a standard power sunroof, leather interior, and high-intensity headlights. 

The latest update to the MDX also introduced a standard 12.3-inch infotainment system plus 16-way power front seats and one of the best features in any SUV, a removable center second-row seat. Upon removing this extra seat, the middle row instantly becomes two captain chairs, which makes getting into the third row more manageable for all ages. 

At its absolute best, the SH-AWD MDX in the Type S Advance trim can hit a price tag of $73,200, which is no small change for an Acura vehicle. Even so, given the level of standard options, the MDX is a standout choice for anyone who wants to look outside the BMW bubble. 

Future Acura Models

Acura ZDX Type S

Acura’s first all-electric model will hit company showrooms in 2024, beginning with the all-new ZDX Type S. Coincidentally, the ZDX name isn’t new to the Acura brand as it was previously available from 2010-2013 as a mid-size luxury crossover SUV that drove like a coupe. However, starting in 2024, the ZDX name will be revitalized to help usher in Acura’s electric age. 

While there are still some unknowns around trim levels, it’s expected the ZDX will have between four to five different trim levels. The entry-level ZDX is likely to roll up to a Type S model that should offer the fastest speed and strongest performance. Each model is also likely to offer an increasing level of technology, though it remains to be seen which trim levels will get the most range. 

What Acura has committed to is that the 2024 ZDX will be the first in the company’s lineup to utilize a full integration of Google services. This is likely to include an enhanced version of Google Maps for EV drivers that shows optimized routes to the nearest available charger. 

Acura is expected to use the same battery technology as the Cadillac Lyriq with a 102kWh battery. This same battery is able to provide the Cadillac with up to 312 miles of range, a number that isn’t out of the realm of possibility with the Acura. Current concept models also show that a two-row layout and a premium-looking interior and upgraded materials are expected. 

Acura Precision EV

While no date has been promised for the Acura Prevision EV concept vehicle, it is clearly the company’s vision of what its EV lineup will look like in the future. Everything from the aggressive design, which includes 23-inch wheels to the “Particle Glitch” lighting screams concept, but Acura is okay with giving that impression. Whether the Precision EV will hit showrooms in its current form or if it will scale back on the futuristic lines and aggressive demeanor is unknown. 

Regardless of a growing list of questions, Acura isn’t shying away from highlighting the Precision EV on its website with bold claims about this vehicle being a driver-first experience. Should the Precision EV become a reality, buyers should expect next-generation technology with a haptic touch-based interface and transparent display. The latter will help drivers feel more in touch with their vehicles. 

Like other EVs coming to the road that offer mood lighting, the Acura Precision EV is also exploring how to transform the cabin of the vehicle into a fun, colorful lounge. The idea behind this is that Acura hopes to transport you away from your expectation of what a typical driving experience should be.

Ultimately, Acura is making a lot of bold promises with the Precision EV, but they just aren’t saying how soon any of these promises might become a reality. 

Wrapping Up

Acura has a short but storied history of providing drivers with luxury vehicles that are unlike its competitors, from offering more standard features for a competitive price to aggressive redesigns that look as fun as they drive.

As it stands today, the Acura name continues to look for new ways to gain market share in an ultra-competitive luxury market.

Looking toward the future, Acura is hoping its ZDX model (and potentially the Precision EV) ushers in a new generation of customers looking for a feature-rich Tesla Model Y competitor.

Summary Table

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