Sometimes it takes Acura a little longer than the rest of the class. Sometimes, Acura fans just have to wait, and wait…and wait for their dear Acura to come out with a type of car that just about every other Tom, Dick and Harry automaker already has selling on its lots. But like a careful student who meticulously reads and thinks through every exam question, when Acura finishes, it usually gets an A. And as legions of fans can tell you, any "A" is well worth the wait.

That's likely the case with the Acura RD-X, the concept SUV debuted at the 2005 North American International Auto Show as a soon-to-be production vehicle. Though introduced as a concept, plans to build the RD-X are well along, to the point where the production version will take a bow as a 2006 vehicle. Built on a new light truck platform in Marysville, Ohio, the 2006 Acura RD-X will probably get the same engine that currently drives Honda's Ridgeline truck: a 255-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine. Count on all of the latest Honda vehicle control technology, including Acura's new Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system (SH-AWD), which debuted with the RL model earlier this year. This system distributes torque between the front and rear wheels, and between the left and right rear wheels. Along with the SH-AWD system, the RD-X offers fully independent front and rear suspension, Brembo disc brakes, and 19-inch, 5-spoke alloy wheels.