On the Dash:
- Acura pauses the MDX Type S after 2026 with no timeline for its return.
- The trim is under 10% of MDX sales but delivers outsized margins.
- Emissions uncertainty drove the call as EPA weighs delaying Tier 4 rules to 2029.
Acura is planning to pause production of the MDX Type S after the 2026 model year. The company hasn’t said when the high-performance crossover could return, but the decision follows Acura’s move to drop the manual-transmission Integra A-Spec for 2027. Both decisions stem from uncertainty over U.S. emissions regulations, according to Automotive News.
The Type S sits atop the MDX lineup with a 355-hp, 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6. It accounts for less than 10% of U.S. MDX sales, which topped 24,000 units in the first half of 2026. The trim still delivers outsized margins.
The pause extends a broader contraction of Acura’s portfolio, as the brand discontinued the TLX midsize sedan and ended ZDX production in 2025. Honda also canceled the Acura RSX EV in March and has pushed the next-generation MDX to 2030 at the earliest. Acura paused RDX production in April, and the model is expected to return in 2028 as a hybrid.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized its Tier 4 criteria pollutant standards in 2024. They take effect with the 2027 model year. They tighten limits on non-methane organic gases plus nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and other pollutants. They also add stricter onboard diagnostics requirements that weigh heavily on specialized, low-volume powertrains.
In May, the EPA proposed pushing the Tier 4 phase-in to the 2029 model year. Current standards would stay in place until then. Major automakers backed the delay at a public hearing in June. A final decision is expected in February 2027.
Rather than wait, Acura is sidelining the MDX Type S for the foreseeable future.
