Have you ever stopped to wonder where the Acura that’s currently sitting in your garage was built? You might be surprised to learn that despite its Japanese heritage, your Acura was more than likely built right here in the United States! Since the brand was first introduced to the US in 1986, it has grown in popularity and is now focused primarily on the domestic market. If you’ve ever been curious about where Acura vehicles are sold, your reliable dealer, Pohanka Acura, is here to fill you in!
Currently, the majority of Acura models are assembled at plants in the United States. This is contrary to popular belief, which typically holds that both domestic and foreign automakers are fleeing the US in pursuit of cheaper labor in other countries. At the moment, the NSX, ILX, and TLX are built at the Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc., plant in Marysville, OH, while the MDX and RDX are constructed at the East Liberty Auto Plant of East Liberty, OH. Only the RLX is still manufactured in the company’s home country of Japan.
Despite Acura’s sufficient popularity in the United States, this isn’t the case for most of the world. In Japan, the only Acura on the market is the RLX, which is sold as the Honda Legend. Overall, North America made up 97 percent of Acura sales in 20141, with sales of approximately 195,000 vehicles. In comparison, China came in second with just 4,464 units sold. So while Acura isn’t solely constructed for the US market, it’s clear that this is where the majority of consumers are purchasing these models.
There are several theories as to why Acura isn’t a competitive global brand. Some executives within the company have stated that American engineers only focus on the domestic market and don’t design vehicles that satisfy customers across the world1. Furthermore, Acura faces an uphill battle against already-established luxury brands like Cadillac that have a long history of appealing to a wide audience. In the meantime, Acura lovers in the US can continue to enjoy these outstanding vehicles!
If you’ve ever wondered to yourself, “Is Acura only made for the United States?” now you have the answer! While these exceptional cars and crossovers aren’t exclusive to the US, they do have their biggest draw here and don’t garner much attention outside of North America. To view the latest options at your disposal, swing by Pohanka Acura at 13911 Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy in Chantilly, VA.
Disclaimer:
- According to Automotive News article “Is Acura too American to compete globally?” from February 21, 2015, by Hans Greimel.
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