Honda abandons diesels in favor of hybrids

Thanks to stricter emissions regulations in the United States and Japan, Honda has officially canceled its future diesel plans. The Japanese automaker had planned diesel powerplants for a number of its Honda and Acura vehicles, but will now focus on hybrid technology.

Honda President Takeo Fukui says the decision to abandon diesels was largely based on the cost of making the oil burners compliant with regulations in the U.S. and Japan. "Even for larger-size vehicles, we think it's more realistic to think about hybrids," Fukui told Automotive News. "Therefore, we have changed our thinking." Honda hasn't made a large hybrid since the Accord Hybrid ended its production run in 2007.

Hond's decision to abandon clean diesels has already become apparent in one production model. The Acura TSX was slated to get a diesel option this year, but Honda ultimately decided to go with a larger gas V6 engine to avoid any emissions headaches. The Honda Accord and Pilot were also slated to receive a diesel option, but those plans are likely DOA at this point.