Acura is atypical in that it is difficult to define. A cut above parent company Honda’s mainstream models, Acuras are more sophisticated and, as of late, stylish while offering higher levels of content, quality, and performance capability. For example, the 2021 Acura RDX is a compact SUV that shares nothing with Honda’s popular CR-V, a change from the past when the two models sprang from the same roots.
At the same time, and despite the existence of the six-figure NSX hybrid sports car, Acura isn’t considered a full-fledged luxury automaker. Aside from the NSX, Acura offers two cars, two SUVs, and that’s it. The company’s bench simply isn’t deep. But as Bob Dylan penned almost 60 years ago, the times they are a-changin’. Starting in the summer of 2021, Acura will return the Type S nameplate to true twin-turbocharged performance variants of the redesigned 2021 TLX and 2022 MDX. And rumor has it that a plug-in hybrid version of the MDX is also planned. While we wait for these new Acuras to arrive, the brand’s most popular model, the 2021 RDX, proves itself a compelling choice in one of the hottest market segments in America: the upscale compact crossover suv.