Acura, the marque created so Americans would accept the once-wild notion of spending $20,000 on a Honda, is coming to Japan. In a strange reversal of product flow and 40 years after the luxury brand’s launch, Honda will now be shipping Acura vehicles built in the US across the Pacific and selling them in Honda’s home country.
There are two Acura models that will start the brand off in Japan. The first is the new Integra, which may confuse some Japanese buyers as the old Acura Integra was sold in Japan as the Honda Integra. Japan will only get the Type S, equivalent to Civic Type R but cushier. Though US models are spec’ed at 315-horsepower, the Japanese version will reportedly have 320.
Japan will also receive the new Acura RSX, an electric SUV that’s not to be confused with the former RSX sold in the US from 2002-06. Confusingly, that model was also named the Honda Integra in Japan.
Honda also plans to introduce the US-built Passport SUV to Japan. Again, it’s only the top-grade Trailsport trim that will make it over. Given the current exchange rates that are very much in favor of the US dollar, both cars will be quite expensive in Japan. As such, a low-spec car probably wouldn’t be very competitive.
Both the Integra Type S and Passport Trailsport were previewed for Japanese audiences at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Interestingly, Best Car says that they will be imported in their LHD configuration, which is legal in Japan. It’s not clear yet whether Honda will set up dedicated Acura dealers or not. Given the cost, it’s likely these cars will be sold out of Honda stores.
Back in the 2000s, Honda toyed with the idea of introducing the Acura brand in Japan. The 2008 global financial crisis put an end to that plan. In this case, there is some talk that Honda made the decision because it wishes to minimize perceptions of a trade imbalance between the US and Japan.
Toyota has also announced it will import the US-made Camry, Highlander, and Tundra to Japan, and Nissan is considering doing the same with the Murano. Toyota introduced the Lexus marque in Japan in 2005, complete with its own dealer network, and it has largely been a success. It’ll be interesting to see how these upcoming USDM cars fare in the Japan.
