- Acura already has the Type S as its performance trim, but how about a Type-Trail.
- The patent filings include the model names TDX and LDX, which could be the new vehicles coming in 2028.
- With EV plans on hold, the new vehicles are getting new hybrid powertrains, one of them a V-6.
Acura has big plans for its SUV lineup in the coming years, with three new models bound for North America starting in 2028. Two of those models will be expanding the current range, and a new patent filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) hints at what those vehicles could be called.
Earlier this month, Acura filed patents on four trademarked names: TDX, LDX, TYPE-TRAIL, and TYPE T. Based on the company’s current usage of Type S, it stands to reason that the latter two trademarks refer to potential new trim levels for existing Acura products.
Honda Passport TrailSport pictured.
Parent company Honda has been having success with its TrailSport lineup of products, and Acura is likely looking to build out its own off-road-oriented offerings. Along with an all-new replacement for the current RDX, it has also said that a more adventuresome SUV will be joining the fleet in 2028, with a larger eight-passenger SUV sitting above the MDX as the largest Acura ever built.
Acura’s naming structure is pretty clinical, setting aside the Integra hatchback. If the company ends up going with Type T as a trim for a more off-roadish MDX, then the new off-road-oriented SUV is probably going to be the TDX. And considering that Acura’s flagship sedan used to be the RL, the LDX will likely be the eight-passenger machine.
Powering these vehicles will be a couple of new hybrid engine offerings, one of them a new V-6 hybrid intended for the larger SUVs. There’s also a two-motor hybrid that’s set to debut in that next-generation RDX.
All of this gives Acura an answer to some of rival Lexus’ more rugged offerings, like the Land Cruiser-based GX. Acuras have historically been more about on-tarmac performance, but the market has an appetite for light off-roaders. There probably won't be an Integra Type-Trail anytime soon, but a chunkier RDX is probably on the horizon.
➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.