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Honda Just Killed Off Three Highly Anticipated Cars Before They Even Had a Shot

The automaker is pulling the plug on a trio of long-promised vehicles that were set to bring big changes to the brand.

Rear view of a white Honda car with a black and red illuminated panel displaying the Honda logo.Honda
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By Gray Van Dyke

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If you’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Honda’s 0 Series platform, don’t hold your breath. The automaker has announced that it’s pulling the plug on the development and launch of the three vehicles slated for North American production.

Accordingly, this means that the highly anticipated 0 Saloon and 0 SUV, as well as the revived Acura RSX, are no more. Instead, Honda, like Ford, GM and Stellantis before, is washing its hands of its current EV ambitions and changing course in favor of other pursuits.

Two white futuristic electric cars with sleek designs displayed indoors against a purple gradient backdrop.
Honda brought near-production prototypes of the 0 Series Saloon and SUV to CES last year.
Honda

Over before it started

Now, it’s an understandable (and perhaps inevitable) move given the increasing hostility towards electric vehicles in the United States. Honda didn’t give the 0 Series vehicles a shot because, well, they really didn’t have one.

After all, between the culling of federal tax incentives and the lowering of emissions standards, EV demand is low, and market conditions are now far from ideal for segment growth. Add to that changes in tariff policies and increasing competition in Asia, and Honda finally decided that it was shaping up to be a pricey endeavor with little payoff.

Front view of a yellow Acura car with sleek, narrow LED headlights and a prominent Acura logo on the hood, partially illuminated against a dark background. The car features a modern, aerodynamic design with sharp lines and a black lower grille. The front right wheel is visible with a stylish, multi-spoke rim design.
The RSX was set to revive the nameplate for the first time in two decades.
Acura

Nevertheless, as a result of this pivot, the company is left footing a very expensive bill. Honda has poured resources into readying its stateside facilities for forthcoming 0 Series production.

As such, it’s set to eat significant expenses tied up in restructuring, and this means that the company is reporting its first loss since going public in 1957. Per the released statement, Honda projects that losses could reach $7.5 billion by year’s end and total $15.7 billion with time. 

Two silver futuristic electric cars, a sedan and an SUV, parked side by side with a large white Honda logo above them.
Honda even rebranded its H mark across the lineup following the reveal of the 0 Series.
Honda

A shift in priorities

Beyond the mammoth financial impact, the decision is a hefty blow to the Honda and Acura lineups. 

The 0 Series Saloon and SUV promised striking exterior designs and next-level tech features, such as eyes-off driving and bidirectional charging, unlike anything Honda currently sells. Such prospects were also reflected in Acura’s RSX. 

Sleek yellow Acura SUV with a black roof and tinted windows, featuring sharp, angular design lines and modern black alloy wheels with red brake calipers, set against a dark, industrial background.
Though it wasn’t set to be like the RSX that enthusiasts used to know, Acura nevertheless needed the option in its lineup.
Acura

While electric powertrains and autonomous provisions meant that they would have been the antithesis of enthusiast vehicles in a lot of ways, they nevertheless promised to be impactful on a brand-level.

In addition to being the first EVs for America that Honda had developed in-house, they were also set to be its first software-defined vehicles running the ASIMO OS system. Moreover, given Acura’s shrunken lineup, the RSX was shaping up to be an especially important addition.

However, instead of forging ahead with something new, Honda is doing what it does best and sticking to what it knows. Accordingly, you can expect plenty of four-pots and V6s in the coming years, and that battery resources will be applied to making new hybrids.

Front view of a beige Afeela electric car with a black roof and illuminated logo on a light gray surface.
How Honda’s decision will affect the Afeela 1 remains to be seen.
Afeela

What about Sony?

As the 0 Series Saloon and SUV were to be built in the United States, their release in other markets is thus currently off the table.

How this affects Honda’s commitment to its collaboration with Sony on the Afeela 1, only time will tell. At this stage, there’s no word, but if the automaker is looking to right the ship after this kind of gamble, it certainly seems like a tall ask.

About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

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