Which Acura is made in Japan?
The direct answer is that only the original first‑generation Acura NSX was manufactured in Japan; today’s Acura lineup is produced primarily in North America, with the current NSX assembled in Ohio. This distinction often leads to questions about where Acura models are built and which ones trace their roots to Japanese factories.
Historical note: The original NSX was built in Japan
When Acura launched its iconic NSX in the 1990s, production was carried out in Japan. The first‑generation NSX (1990–2005) was assembled for global markets in a Japanese facility, helping establish Acura’s performance halo in its early years. The craft and engineering surrounding that model were closely tied to Honda’s Japanese manufacturing ecosystem.
Before listing the current production picture, it’s important to acknowledge that the NSX’s fate in production location shifted with the model’s generations. The evolution from aJapan‑built supercar to a North America–built successor reflects broader shifts in Honda/Acura manufacturing strategy over the past two decades.
Current production footprint for Acura
Today, Acura’s lineup is largely assembled in North America, with the notable exception of the original NSX’s legacy. The present NSX is built in the United States, at Honda’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. For other models in the current range, manufacturing is concentrated in American and Canadian plants, rather than in Japan.
- The current NSX (introduced in 2016) is assembled in Marysville, Ohio, at Honda’s Performance Manufacturing Center.
- All other contemporary Acura models are produced at North American facilities, with production spread across U.S. and Canadian plants rather than Japan.
Concretely, this means modern Acura buyers typically encounter vehicles manufactured outside Japan, while the historical link to Japanese production lives on chiefly in the NSX’s original generation and its early era.
What this means for buyers and markets
For consumers, the takeaway is that a Japanese‑built Acura is mostly of historical interest, tied to the original NSX era. If a buyer seeks a “Japanese‑built” badge in today’s lineup, the search will not yield a current model produced in Japan, but rather will point to the NSX’s early‑generation origins. Market strategies have favored North American production to meet regional demand and logistics, while maintaining Honda’s global manufacturing network.
Summary
In sum, the only Acura model historically built in Japan is the first‑generation NSX. Since then, Acura’s modern lineup has been manufactured primarily in North American facilities, with the current NSX produced in Ohio. This reflects a broader shift in the brand’s manufacturing footprint while preserving the NSX’s legacy as a product of Honda’s Japanese roots.
