Honda’s Acura is hoping to narrow the sales gap with Toyota’s Lexus, which outsold it by almost 3-to-1 in 2025, by developing a large three-row hybrid SUV that will reportedly target the Lexus TX.
Based on the unibody Grand Highlander, the Lexus TX full-size crossover SUV is a more polished proposition featuring unique styling, upgraded interior materials, enhanced sound deadening and exclusive premium powertrains compared to its Toyota-badged sibling.
The Hybrid 3-Row SUV May Be Called The Acura XL
Acura
According to Automotive News, Acura may be going for a similar approach with its future three-row hybrid SUV, which will be positioned above the brand’s largest utility vehicle, the midsize MDX. Interestingly, the new model is currently referred to as the “XL” in internal documents, although it’s not yet clear if that’s a working name or the final designation.
Expected to enter production in September 2029 at Honda’s Lincoln, Alabama factory, the Acura XL could be made in an annual run of around 40,000 units, AN wrote citing people with knowledge of Honda’s production plans. The new model is projected to get a new hybrid powertrain.
Mind you, Honda does not currently offer a full-size crossover SUV either, with the midsize Pilot being its largest utility vehicle currently on sale in the United States. Does that mean Honda will also get a full-size model that will share underpinnings with the Acura XL?
The report does not mention that, so it’s just speculation at this point. Still, it will be interesting to see what platform Acura’s future flagship crossover SUV will use especially since U.S. dealers are pushing for a “full-fledged large SUV that gives us the ability to compete against Tahoe, Expedition, Escalade,” as one dealer told AN.
Likely Based On A Stretched Unibody Platform
Acura
In order to compete with the aforementioned models, Acura would need a body-on-frame platform, something neither it nor parent company Honda have—all the cars, SUVs, and pickups produced by the Japanese automaker use unibody platforms.
That said, Honda is reportedly looking at Nissan’s truck platforms, including those for the upcoming revived Xterra and next-generation Pathfinder, as potential donors for future pickups and SUVs.
If a deal is struck between Honda and Nissan on this matter, the first body-on-frame Honda products will likely be built by Nissan at its factories, which means the Acura XL will probably be a unibody SUV given the fact that it will be assembled at Honda’s Alabama plant that also makes the Pilot and Passport midsize SUVs. A stretched version of the PF7 unibody platform that underpins Honda's midsize models seems like the most logical choice at this point.
Acura badly needs new models as its lineup will shrink to only three nameplates—the Integra, the ADX and the MDX—following the cancelation of several planned electric vehicles as part of a strategic pivot toward hybrids. Acura’s XL SUV will not only help the brand compete with the Lexus TX but also provide a more affordable alternative to European flagships such as the upcoming Audi Q9, BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Note: Acura Precision EV Concept photos used for illustration purposes only
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