Acura just told the world it’s building an off-road SUV and a full-size eight-passenger three-row, two vehicles that address what has quietly been the brand’s biggest problem for years. The lineup is so thin it practically dares customers to shop elsewhere.
The off-roader, expected in 2028, appears to ride on the bones of the Honda Passport. Acura’s teaser imagery strongly suggests the Passport platform, which is fresh off updates for 2027. That’s not a knock.
MotorTrend has praised the Passport’s on- and off-road capability, noting it only lost a comparison to the Subaru Outback Wilderness because of pricing. An Acura version with the brand’s upcoming V-6 hybrid powertrain could land in a sweet spot between the Lexus GX and Land Rover Defender, two trucks that have proven wealthy buyers will pay handsomely for rugged luxury.
Acura won’t be alone in chasing that market. Lincoln is reportedly developing a Bronco-based SUV, and Genesis has its own off-road ambitions. The land grab for affluent adventurers is getting crowded fast.
The eight-passenger SUV might be the more urgent play. Acura has bragged for years that the MDX is the best-selling luxury three-row of all time, but anyone who has actually tried to sit in its third row knows the claim comes with an asterisk. The space back there is brutal.
A proper large SUV, likely badged MDX+ or something similar, would finally give Acura a credible answer to the Lexus TX and Audi Q9. Those are vehicles that have been siphoning buyers who simply need more room.
Expect both seven- and eight-passenger configurations, with captain’s chairs available for the second row. A standard V-6 should keep the entry price competitive, while the V-6 hybrid could serve as the premium option.
Both trucks lean on the platform-sharing strategy Honda has perfected over decades. Build it once in-house, dress it up for the luxury showroom, undercut the Germans and Volvo on price. It’s worked before with the MDX and Pilot.
The question is whether Acura can differentiate enough in materials, technology, and driving character to justify the premium over a well-equipped Honda. That has always been the razor’s edge for this brand.
The timing is curious. Acura recently delayed the next-generation ADX and Integra, leaving its car and small crossover lineup looking stale. The SUV announcements feel like a redirect, giving enthusiasts and loyalists something to talk about while the smaller models sort themselves out.
A new RDX hybrid is also in the pipeline, which means the near-term future is almost entirely SUV-driven. That tracks with where the money is. Sedans and small crossovers generate buzz, but large SUVs generate margins.
The off-roader is the riskier bet. Acura has zero heritage in that space, and the brand’s identity has always leaned toward pavement performance. Convincing trail-hungry buyers to cross-shop an Acura against a Defender or GX will require more than plastic cladding and all-terrain tires. It will require conviction.
The big three-row is closer to a sure thing. The demand exists, the platform exists, and the only real mystery is why it took this long.
Acura says both SUVs are coming by the end of the decade. Whether the wave they’re building actually breaks with force depends entirely on execution, something this brand has struggled with as often as it has delivered.
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