Small Sedan, Sharpened: 2019 Acura ILX

After years of wandering in the automotive wilderness, Acura has finally found its mojo again and returned to cracking out good-looking cars and crossovers. The latest salvo from its design and engineering team is the 2019 ILX, the company’s smallest sedan.

Calling it a “gateway sport sedan” designed to bring young buyers into the brand, the ILX trades its current front end – which looks for all the world like a chrome guillotine – for the company’s corporate Diamond Pentagon grille flanked by a pair of snazzy jewel-eye headlights. It’s a dandy style, one that translates well onto this four-door car. The rear gets an all-new decklid and LED taillights.

Inside, the 2019 Acura ILX receives more intricately styled and reshaped sport seats, available with high-contrast piping and stitching. All ILXs now feature power adjustable lumbar for the driver's seat. Additional interior enhancements include a silver-finished dash trim with a chrome insert and a machine-finished push-button start.

Infotainment duties will be handled by the company’s double-decker twin screen setup and not the new unit found in the 2019 RDX. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now on board, while the AcuraWatch suite of safety nannies are standard on every ILX, meaning these driver assists now appear on every vehicle Acura makes.



Customers can select from five new exterior colours, ranging from Canyon Bronze Metallic to Performance Red Pearl. Also making an appearance is the fabulous Apex Blue Pearl, a hue only available on the new A-Spec trim.

The A-Spec trim is a swell package, available as an option on high-spec trims. After making an appearance on Acura’s crossovers and TLX sedan, it now appears on the ILX. Eagle-eyed fans will identify an A-Spec by way of dark chrome trim for the front grille and lower fascia, darkened headlights and taillights, and a gloss-black decklid spoiler. Interior enhancements include distinctive metal trim, an A-Spec badged steering wheel, and aluminum sport pedals. Natty sports seats are part of the deal as well.

All ILX models, including the A-Spec, are front-wheel drive and powered by a naturally aspirated 2.4L inline-four making 201 horsepower. The eight-speed Dual Clutch Transmission is the lone gearbox option but is available with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. This combination will be familiar to ILX owners as it is essentially unchanged from last year.

Expect to find the American-built 2019 Acura ILX on dealer lots in October.

[caption id="attachment_124181" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Acura ILX Ups its Game with Major Refresh for 2019; New Styling, Improved Tech, and New A-Spec Treatment[/caption]

Acura ILX tops Segment in J.D. Power Ratings

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