The 2016 Honda HR-V isn’t even on sale in the US yet, but the Acura division is already eyeing it as a starting point for a small crossover of its own.
While the TLX has helped and a facelifted (and more “premium”) ILX should provide a boost, Acura remains more of a crossover luxury brand than anything else – the MDX and RDX providing the bulk of the sales.
Speaking to Wards Auto, American Honda Executive Vice President John Mendel says the Acura team is studying the idea of an HR-V-derived model, calling it, “potentially the only place you could go” in terms of new SUV territory. Remember the ZDX? Acura probably prefers you didn’t.
Weird as it sounds, the HR-V already makes a convincing Acura. At the HR-V’s LA Auto Show debut, I thought interior was by far Honda’s best effort in an SUV in years, with lots of soft padding and nice touch points. And the Honda’s super-clever seat folding arrangement gives it space that bests much larger premium crossovers, let alone little ones like the Audi Q3, Buick Encore and Mercedes GLA.
Where Acura would really have to step up the game is in horsepower, because the HR-V’s 1.8-liter four is barely adequate for its own class. This is where those turbo VTECs we heard about more than a year ago would come in handy.
But otherwise, another, smaller, crossover sounds like exactly what Acura needs to boost sales. And the brand new NSX? Well, that boosts its image.
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