Was the Acura TL made in Japan?
The Acura TL was not mass-produced in Japan; it was assembled primarily in Honda’s North American facilities for the U.S. market. Across its four generations, the TL’s production was centered in North American plants rather than Japanese factories.
Production footprint by generation
Below is a generation-by-generation snapshot of where the TL was assembled. Note that production locations can vary slightly by year and market, but the emphasis for North American sales remained outside Japan.
- First generation (1995–1998): Primarily assembled for North American markets at Honda's North American manufacturing facilities in the United States.
- Second generation (1999–2003): Assembled in North America at Honda of America Manufacturing facilities in Ohio.
- Third generation (2004–2008): Assembled in North America at Honda of America Manufacturing facilities in Ohio.
- Fourth generation (2009–2014): Assembled in North America at Honda of America Manufacturing facilities in Ohio.
Overall, the TL’s manufacturing footprint remained anchored in North America, aligning with Acura’s regional production strategy rather than Japan-based mass production.
Context and related models
Notes on Japanese-market counterparts
In Japan, the TL did not see mass production as a Japan-built model for the domestic market. Its closest Japanese-market relatives were built on related Honda platforms or offered through different branding, with Acura’s presence in Japan historically focusing on imports and a different lineup than the North American TL. The TL’s design and engineering trace back to Honda’s global engineering ecosystem, but the car itself was produced primarily for North American buyers.
Summary
Conclusion: The Acura TL was not made in Japan for the mass market. It was produced in Honda’s North American plants—most notably in Ohio—for the United States and other nearby markets, across four generations from 1995 to 2014. The TL was eventually succeeded by the Acura TLX, continuing Honda/Acura’s North American manufacturing approach.
