Acura is dropping the Acura MDX Type S after 2026. A company spokesperson confirmed it this week — production of the performance trim ends with the current model year. The standard MDX continues, and Acura says some Type S features and styling carry over to it, though exactly which ones haven’t been announced. More details on the 2027 MDX are coming later this year.
This is the fourth Acura model or trim to get cut in recent memory. The TLX sedan went first. Then the ZDX. Then the manual Integra. Now the top trim on the brand’s best-selling SUV.
Why the Type S Is Going Away
New EPA emissions rules come into force in 2027. The Acura MDX Type S runs a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 making 355 horsepower — an engine built specifically for this car and shared with nothing else Honda or Acura makes. Adapting that one-off engine to meet 2027 standards would cost money Acura apparently decided wasn’t worth spending on a single trim level.
The standard MDX uses a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 at 290 horsepower. That one stays.
What the Type S Actually Is
The current MDX generation launched in 2022. The Acura MDX Type S came with it from day one — a three-row family SUV with 355 horsepower, 354 lb-ft of torque, Brembo front brakes, adaptive suspension and SH-AWD as standard. Twenty-one inch wheels. Zero to 60 in 5.1 seconds. It starts around $74,900 — about $15,000 above the base MDX — and for that money you got a seven-seat SUV that could actually embarrass smaller sports cars off the line.
Acura MDX Type S vs Standard MDX
| Acura MDX Type S | Standard MDX | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3.0L turbo V6 | 3.5L NA V6 |
| Power | 355 hp | 290 hp |
| Torque | 354 lb-ft | 262 lb-ft |
| Brakes | Brembo front | Standard |
| Wheels | 21-inch | 20-inch |
| Drive | SH-AWD | AWD |
| 0-60 mph | 5.1 sec | 6.2 sec |
| Price | ~$74,900 | ~$60,000 |
What the 2027 MDX Looks Like
Acura hasn’t said much. No turbocharged engine, that’s confirmed. The naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 is the only option going forward. Acura says some Acura MDX Type S features and styling cross over to the standard car but hasn’t named them. Full 2027 details land later this year.
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Acura’s Lineup Getting Smaller
The MDX is the car that keeps Acura’s US operation running. It outsells everything else the brand makes. Cutting the Acura MDX Type S leaves the lineup without a performance flagship SUV and without any obvious replacement coming. The Type S badge lives on the TLX but that sedan is also on borrowed time. What Acura’s performance story looks like in 2027 and beyond is genuinely unclear right now.
Can You Still Buy One
Yes. Acura confirmed 2026 Acura MDX Type S inventory will sit at dealers for a while. Hundreds of new units are in stock right now on Acura’s official site. If you want one, this is the window.
FAQ
Why is Acura cutting the MDX Type S?
2027 EPA emissions rules. The turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 in the Acura MDX Type S exists nowhere else in Honda or Acura’s lineup — meeting new standards for one engine in one trim wasn’t viable.
Does the MDX continue without the Type S?
Yes. Standard MDX with 290 horsepower carries on. Only the Acura MDX Type S trim stops.
Will Type S features carry to the 2027 MDX?
Acura confirmed some Acura MDX Type S features and styling transfer over. No details yet on which ones.
Can I still buy a new 2026 Acura MDX Type S?
Yes — dealer stock available now. Acura says inventory will remain for some time.
How fast is the Acura MDX Type S?
0-60 in 5.1 seconds. 355 horsepower, turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, Brembo brakes, SH-AWD standard.
What else did Acura recently cut?
TLX sedan, ZDX electric SUV and the manual Integra — all discontinued ahead of the Acura MDX Type S news.
