The plan for MDX comes after American Honda Motor posted its second-best year ever in 2014.
Honda today said it would add a second U.S. production site for the Acura MDX SUV by investing $85 million in its East Liberty, Ohio plant to produce Acura MDX in Ohio beginning in 2017. New welding equipment, the extension of vehicle conveyors and other changes are required. Production of the MDX will continue at the company’s Lincoln, Alabama plant, which currently makes both the MDX and its V6 engine.
The Acura MDX is the best-selling three-row luxury SUV of all time and is now in its third iteration.
All 2016 MDX models have a new 9-speed automatic transmission, a push-button electronic gear selector that creates room above the center console, and a new all-wheel-drive system.
The plan for MDX comes after American Honda Motor posted its second-best year ever in 2014. Last week, the U.S. branch of the Japanese automaker set a new January record for Honda and Acura vehicle sales. U.S. sales of Honda and Acura light trucks were up 25.2% in January to 52,169 vehicles, a new January record. Acura light-truck sales rose 13.1% in January, while Honda brand light-truck sales rose 27.1% during the month.
The East Liberty Plant currently produces the 5-passenger Acura RDX sport-utility vehicle, the Honda Crosstour and the best-selling SUV in America, the Honda CR-V.
The Lincoln, Alabama plant is currently the only production location for the Acura MDX, Honda Pilot SUV and Honda Odyssey. The plant increase its light truck manufacturing when it resumes production of the next generation Honda Ridgeline pickup next year.
“Increasing our flexibility and fully utilizing available production resources is critical to our future growth, which will be driven heavily by our light truck business and new models like the Honda HR-V crossover and redesigned Pilot SUV,” said John Mendel, EVP of American Honda in a statement.
