Earlier this month, Honda executive vice president John Mendel suggested that Acura->ke10 is considering its own version of the small HR-V crossover, which would slot beneath the RDX.->ke483 However, Mendel didn't exactly confirm the HR-V-based model is actually underway. Now, Auto Guide reports that Honda has filed a trademark for the CDX name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under "automobiles and their structural parts" category. Given the name has a common structure with the brand's SUV->ke145 nomenclature, the most likely candidate to assume it's for is an Acura-badged crossover.->ke288 With an HR-V-based Acura already in the rumor mill, it's safe to assume Honda's luxury brand is indeed working on a mini SUV.
Further backing this scenario is the fact that the compact crossover market is arguably the hottest in the auto industry right now, with more and more automakers going for a piece of the action. I don't expect to find the Acura CDX in showrooms by the end of the year, but it could arrive sometime in 2016. For now, the brand is probably still studying the feasibility of selling a smaller crossover, while also trying to figure out whether the HR-V needs a more powerful drivetrain to go with the trademark Acura beak.
Note: 2016 Acura RDX pictured here.
Click past the jump to read more about Honda's new CDX nameplate.
Why it matters
In 2014, Acura sold nearly twice as many crossovers as sedans. That fact alone is a strong argument in favor of an HR-V-based CDX. And with crossovers selling like hotcakes the world over, Acura should be more than anxious to add a third SUV to its lineup. The CDX would not only allow the brand to deliver a competitor for the Buick Encore, which posted impressive sales numbers since its launch in 2013, but also improve its status as a luxury brand by competing against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLA and the BMW X1.->ke2474 Of course, going against the Germans won't easy, but then Acura has the RDX, which led its class in 2014 with more than 44,000 units sold.
Keep it locked here at TopSpeed for further news on the upcoming Acura CDX.