Acura RLX luxury sedan shown the door after this year
The RLX will be discontinued in the US, but it'll live on as the Honda Legend in Japan and elsewhere.
So long, RLX.
The Acura RLX will exit the US at the end of 2020 as the brand reassesses its future lineup, the company confirmed on Friday.
Automotive News first reported Acura had informed dealerships that the RLX would not return after this year. The brand told Roadshow, "With SUVs leading the luxury market, the highly successful RDX and MDX now serve as the volume leaders of the Acura brand." The brand also suggested the MDX would pick up the torch as a flagship vehicle for the Japanese luxury marque.
"The next-generation Acura MDX will elevate its role in leading the Acura lineup," the brand's statement added.
Although the RLX is out, it'll stick around in other countries, specifically Japan where it's sold as the Honda Legend. For the US, Acura will focus on the TLX , which has started to inch into the RLX's shoes in recent years as it's grown in size. Acura added that it "will soon reveal" the 2021 TLX with a "performance-focused" ethos. The next TLX will also revive the Type S badge at the brand and create a new era of Acura performance.
While we can't wait to see how the new TLX and a new Type S turn out -- especially after seeing the gorgeous Type S concept -- the RLX's departure continues to underscore that sedans are no longer a bread and butter business.
