07/21/2026
Acura targets Lexus TX with spacious 3-row flagship utility coming in 2029. Acura intends to revive a decades-old ambition with a three-row utility vehicle that would anchor the top of its North American lineup.
The flagship, positioned above the midsize MDX, is scheduled to enter production in September 2029 in Lincoln, Ala., according to people with knowledge of Honda’s plans. The automaker is projecting annual volumes of up to 40,000.
The model, referred to as the “Acura XL” in a Honda document, is expected to feature a new large-vehicle hybrid powertrain to deliver premium performance and efficiency.
A Honda spokesperson declined to comment on future product plans.
The new model is sorely needed. Acura’s U.S. lineup will shrivel to only three nameplates, with Honda scrapping several planned electric vehicles as part of a strategic pivot toward hybrids.
Even so, Acura jumped ahead of Cadillac and Audi in the first half of the year to become the fourth-largest luxury brand in the U.S.
Lexus TX fighter
U.S. sales of large premium crossovers have risen three consecutive years, to a record 194,910 in 2025, according to the Automotive News Research & Data Center. The segment, led by the Lexus TX, was 51 percent larger last year than in 2020.
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The vehicle, positioned above the midsize MDX, is scheduled to enter production in September 2029 at a plant in Alabama, people with knowledge of Honda’s production plans told Automotive News.
