The 2021 Acura TLX will go sale in the United States next week and be followed by a Type S variant in the spring.
However, that won’t be the only Type S as Acura Brand Officer Jon Ikeda has revealed all future models will get a Type S variant.
Speaking with Motor Trend, Ikeda said “that’s the plan” as “we want to put Type S on everything, starting with the TLX.” He went on to say the company needs to focus on Type S variants and the “equity we want to put on Type S is huge.”
Also Read: The Acura Type S Is Back, But The Manual Gearbox Isn’t
Besides talking about Type S models, Ikeda said the redesigned MDX is coming soon. While he didn’t give an exact date, the crossover is coming “right behind” the TLX and will arrive before the TLX Type S is launched next spring.
Ikeda also said the company is committed to entry-level models such as the aging ILX. As he explained, Acura needs an entry-level model and there’s room for one beneath the TLX.
Interestingly, Ikeda stated “We have the ILX and we have other things that are going to be coming as we transition to cover that area.” The “other things” remark could suggest the company is eyeing an entry-level crossover to slot beneath the RDX. Acura already sells a smaller CDX in China and, given the appetite for crossovers in general, it’s somewhat surprising a smaller offering hasn’t been launched in the United States.
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The company is also slated to launch an ILX successor before the end of 2022. A purported roadmap showed plans for a “new compact sedan” and indicated it would be joined by a Type S variant. It’s expected to be based on the redesigned Honda Civic which is currently under development.
While Acura is committed to the entry-level segment, they’ve given up on large sedans. Acura announced the RLX would be discontinued in the United States after the 2020 model year and Ikeda said the company isn’t planning anything larger the TLX.
