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Acura is working on a new three-row flagship crossover positioned a notch above the MDX, according to Automotive News. The model is reportedly slated for around 2029 and would become the largest SUV in the brand’s history. Internally it carries the working name Acura XL, and it would compete in the segment currently occupied by the Lexus TX, BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS and Audi’s upcoming Q9.
Production is planned at Honda’s assembly plant in Alabama, with a targeted output of up to 40,000 units a year. The headline feature is described as a new hybrid powertrain engineered specifically for large vehicles, rather than an adaptation of an existing Acura or Honda hybrid system.
The project points to Honda betting on hybrids rather than battery-electric power for its largest SUVs, a segment where demand keeps growing even as the company pulls back EV investment elsewhere in its lineup. Acura currently tops out with the three-row MDX, a gasoline model available with a 290 hp 3.5-liter V6 or a 355 hp turbocharged V6 in the Type S; a flagship above it would give the brand a second, larger three-row SUV rather than a replacement for the MDX.
Acura has not officially confirmed the project. Automotive News, Autoweek and Carscoops all report that the model is already part of the company’s internal production planning, though none of the outlets have seen an official timeline or specification sheet from Acura itself.
