Acura’s RSX Prototype: A Bold EV or Just Another Trendy Gadget?

Acura rolled out the RSX prototype at Monterey Car Week as it tries to reinvent a once-cherished name for a new electric age, and Americans should take notice. This isn’t the little two-door tuner many of us remember — it’s a sleek, coupe-like performance SUV that signals Acura’s full-throated jump into EVs and software-first cars. The debut was staged as a major brand moment, and Acura itself framed the RSX as the next chapter in its design language and product strategy.

On the surface the RSX is meant to read as modern performance: a long wheelbase, muscular haunches, and a full-width taillight that tips a hat to the NSX era while the front lighting moves toward a minimal, grille-less look. Cosmetic flourishes like the new lighting signature and wide stance are meant to scream “premium,” but make no mistake — styling is also being used to justify higher sticker prices down the road. Acura’s design cues are polished, but polished packaging alone won’t substitute for real-world value for hardworking buyers.

Beneath the flash, Acura is pushing a new software ecosystem called ASIMO OS and pitching the RSX as a “software-defined” vehicle, which means your car’s personality will increasingly be dictated by updates and corporate platforms rather than simple, mechanical excellence. That may sound cutting-edge in a tech briefing, but it raises real questions about long-term ownership costs, control, and who gets to decide when and how our vehicles change. Americans deserve cars they can fix and trust, not rolling subscription platforms that demand constant online connectivity.

There is a bright spot: Acura says the RSX will be the first model engineered on its new in-house EV platform and the first EV to be produced at Honda’s EV Hub in Ohio, promising some domestic manufacturing and jobs. Building cars in Marysville, Ohio, is a welcome contrast to the offshoring of decades past, and conservatives should applaud any auto move that brings skilled manufacturing back to American soil. Still, the timeline points to dealers getting these cars in the second half of 2026, which gives taxpayers and buyers time to vet what’s promised versus what actually arrives.

On the performance front Acura is leaning into sporty hardware — dual motors, all-wheel drive, Brembo brakes, and a sport-tuned suspension are part of the RSX’s narrative — but the company has been wisely coy about real-world range, price, and battery specifics. Throwing Brembo calipers and flashy numbers into a press release helps headlines, yet it doesn’t protect buyers from unexpected costs or degraded range after a few winters. If Acura truly wants to reclaim its performance heritage, it must prove the RSX is durable, affordable to operate, and not just a concept-car dream turned expensive billboard.

Conservatives should welcome innovation and American jobs, but we should also be skeptical of Silicon Valley-style car rollouts that prioritize software over reliability and trendiness over value. The RSX prototype shows promise, and domestic production is a win — but the real test will be whether Acura delivers an electric vehicle that respects ownership, avoids price gouging, and gives the customer real choice. Until then, patriotic buyers should cheer the Ohio jobs and demand the common-sense guarantees that protect families who work for every dollar they spend.