Is Acura RSX front or rear wheel drive?
The Acura RSX is a front-engine, front-wheel-drive sports coupe produced by Honda's luxury division from 2002 through 2006. All RSX models used FWD; there were no factory all-wheel-drive versions. The lineup included a base RSX and the higher-performance RSX Type-S, both built around the same front-drive architecture.
Drivetrain profile
The RSX follows a traditional front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout common in compact Hondas of its era. This packaging supports a low center of gravity and efficient space use, but it also means the front tires take more load during acceleration and steering. There was no AWD option from the factory, even on the higher-performance Type-S version.
Variants and power output
The RSX was offered mainly in two trims. The base RSX used a 2.0-liter K-series engine producing about 160 horsepower, while the RSX Type-S used a higher-output version of the same family delivering around 210 horsepower. Both variants use a front transaxle and front-wheel-drive configuration.
Models and specifications
To give a clear picture of what the driveline means for owners and buyers, here is a concise rundown of the two primary RSX variants and their drivetrain traits.
Before listing, note that these figures are typical US-market specifications during the RSX's production years.
- Base RSX: Front-wheel drive with a 2.0-liter engine delivering about 160 horsepower.
- RSX Type-S: Front-wheel drive with a higher-output 2.0-liter engine delivering about 210 horsepower.
In short, every RSX model uses front-wheel drive, with the Type-S offering a higher power output while maintaining the same FWD drivetrain.
Practical driving characteristics
As a front-drive sports coupe, the RSX emphasizes accessible handling and strong on-road performance for its class. The front wheels handle steering and most of the acceleration loads, which contributes to predictable understeer behavior in aggressive cornering. The Type-S version, with its higher power, is more prone to torque steer if grip is insufficient or launch conditions are suboptimal. A six-speed manual is favored by many enthusiasts for its engaging, sporty feel, though automatics were available in some years.
Summary
The Acura RSX is unequivocally front-wheel drive. All US-market RSX variants—the baseline model and the higher-performance Type-S—shared the same FWD layout, with the Type-S stacking more horsepower on top of a shared drivetrain. No production AWD RSX was offered, making the car a classic example of early-2000s affordable, sporty FWD engineering.
