It's become a bit of a trend in the car world for automakers to use the name of a past or present model—usually one with a bit of pizzazz to it—on an electric vehicle in order to drum up excitement. The Ford Mustang Mach-E aims to transfer the McQueen cool of the muscle car; Chevrolet's Blazer EV looks to appropriate the burly character of a classic off-roader.
Now, Acura's next electric vehicle intends to do the same... with the help of a badge previously used on the 2000s-era RSX sport compact, which replaced the Integra in the U.S. lineup during the Dubya years.
The RSX seen here is technically called the RSX Prototype, but given that Honda has a history of using that term in relation to concepts that closely preview the final product (and the fact that the production car is barely a year away), we suspect the EV that reaches Acura showrooms will look an awful lot like this. In fact, we expect this design language will be showing up more in the future, too.
“Starting from this all-new RSX we will redefine the Acura brand around timeless beauty," Acura creative director and vice-president of American Honda R&D Yasutake Tsuchida said in a statement, "and a high-tech feel that is essential for a performance and unique brand.”
The new look works. The Prototype is quite the compelling-looking crossover, with a sharply pointed bow, a crisp two-tone appearance that helps disguise its height, and rear haunches and roofline that brings to mind the current Integra. Clad in the "Propulsion Yellow Pearl" paint seen here, it almost looks like a pint-sized version of the Lotus Eletre.
And like that electric Lotus, it should offer its driver a good time behind the wheel. Acura didn't mention what sort of power the RSX will make, but the brand says the SUV will boast dual-motor all-wheel-drive as standard, along with a double-wishbone front suspension and red Brembo brakes — the latter clearly visible behind the 21-inch wheels. The battery pack will also offer bidirectional charging and vehicle-to-load capabilities, from the sound of it, as the carmaker says it will be able to keep the lights on at your home in case of an outage or run appliances if needed.
The inside remains unseen by public eyes for the moment (we're hoping we'll catch a glimpse of it when we see it in person at Monterey Car Week) but Acura says the interior will feature the new ASIMO operating system first showcased at CES this past January, which will deliver the iPhone-like ability to run apps and enable owners to tweak and customize the EV SUV to their tastes. The ASIMO system—which is also named after a 2000s-era Honda product, this one being a pint-sized robot—also handles tasks behind the scenes, such as running the car's electronic control units and the automated/assisted driving tech; it will offer over-the-air updates, as well.
The Acura RSX will be the first product to roll out on Honda's new in-house electric vehicle platform that will also serve as the foundation for the production versions of the retro-futuristic 0 Series SUV and Saloon, with production kicking off at Honda's "EV Hub" manufacturing plant in Marysville, Ohio—a plant that, a little confusingly, will also continue to build internal-combustion cars like the Integra and Accord—starting next year. The automaker says the finished product is "expected to arrive" in the latter part of 2026.
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