Sleek, clean and almost elegant, the Acura RSX is designed to exude performance. Its lines are understated. It doesn't look boy racer, though it is less conservatively styled than most Acuras. It looks contemporary and aggressive, with short front and rear overhangs and a cabin-forward silhouette.

It almost looks like it was carved out of a solid block. The expansive rear glass sweeps fastback-style toward a high rear deck. A smoothly integrated liftgate raises easily to reveal a spacious cargo hold. Acura design cues can be seen in the grille, in the cutouts under the cylindrical tail lamps, and in the headlamp design. The front end looks bland, however, resembling some kind of Honda Civic when seen in the rear view mirror.

Acura's attention to detail can be seen in the precise exterior fit and finish, but cannot be seen in things such as the extensive sound insulation, including melt sheets added to the floor to reduce interior noise.