Is Acura RL made in Japan?
Not exclusively. Early Acura RLs were produced in Japan, while later generations were assembled in the United States; the model line ended in 2012 and was succeeded by the RLX.
Manufacturing history of the RL by generation
Below is a concise breakdown of where each generation of the RL was assembled, reflecting Honda’s global production strategy over the model’s lifespan.
- First generation (1995/1996–2004) — Built in Japan for most markets, with U.S.-spec RLs typically imported from Japan rather than assembled in North America.
- Second generation (2005–2012) — Assembled in the United States at Honda of America Manufacturing in Marysville, Ohio, for North American sales; some international markets continued to receive imports from Japan.
The shift from import assembly to U.S. production mirrors Honda's localization strategy to support demand in North America and reduce shipping times and costs.
Details and context
The Acura RL served as Acura's flagship during its two generations. After 2012, Honda replaced the RL with the RLX (introduced for 2014), marking a continued emphasis on domestic production for the long-running North American market. For specific vehicles, VIN decoding can confirm the exact plant of manufacture.
Summary
The Acura RL's production origin is not fixed to one country. Early models were primarily built in Japan; later models were manufactured in the United States, with the RL line eventually evolving into the RLX. Checking the VIN provides the definitive production location for a given car.
