A little over a year ago, I predicted that Acura would stop making the ILX, since it’s now noticeably worse than a Civic Touring, and that it would live out its few remaining days with the old Acura de-beaked beak grille. But here comes the 2019 ILX to prove me oh so wrong.
Because the only emotion I can conjure in response to this news is shock, here’s some stuff from Acura’s press release to bring the excitement!
- The headline refers to this as not simply a refresh, but a “major refresh.”
- “The refreshed and significantly updated 2019 ILX” is “Acura’s gateway sports sedan.”
- “Acura ILX serves a unique and important role as the gateway vehicle to the Acura brand, bringing in the most first-time Acura customers and youngest buyers.”
- “With the application of Acura’s signature Diamond Pentagon Grille to the 2019 ILX, the transformation of the brand’s design language, inspired by the Acura Precision Concept, now stretches across its line-up.”
What exactly is new about the 2019 ILX, anyway?
- The styling: fascias, lights, etc.
- Supposedly more-premium interior materials.
- New seats.
- More color choices.
- Standard AcuraWatch safety gizmo suite.
- The available (not standard) infotainment system is updated with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and new UI graphics with supposedly 30% faster response.
- Available A-Spec trim package that’s sportier looking and can be had with very red upholstery.
Acura’s press release claims that the ILX is sorta kinda improving sales, well actually market share, which only added to my sense of shock.
“ILX also remains a top choice in the entry luxury segment, gaining more than four points of retail market share in the first half of the year and capturing the highest percentage of millennials of any model in segment, something it has done in every year since 2013.”
What about those sales numbers though, huh?
Clearly, that trendline is one worth reinvesting in!
I know the rest of you are probably just as surprised as I am that the Acura ILX not only will survive for at least one more model year, but now probably more because Acura actually spent money on updating it, so to bring things home, here’s a promo video with lots of lens flare, for excitement.