Shockingly, there is a 2019 Acura ILX, and it's still the same old previous-generation Civic, but now it has a Superman grille

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 09/05/2018 at 10:44 • Filed to: None

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A little over a year ago, I !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! 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 !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! 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 !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! 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.

Derpwagon > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 11:23

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No manual.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > Derpwagon 09/05/2018 at 11:34

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in another universe it comes with the 2.0 turbo and stick.

404 - User No Longer Available > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 11:36

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At this pace I’m not sure if we’ll ever get a 2109  Acura.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 11:40

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ILX based on the new Civic hatch might be interesting. Chances of happening? NEGATIVE BIGLY

Arrivederci > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 11:42

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Their design language is so ugly.

Textured Soy Protein > 404 - User No Longer Available 09/05/2018 at 11:49

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Erp. Time to edit.

Milky > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 11:54

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I will happily take my “iPad” on a slim dash look over that hooded garage.

Textured Soy Protein > Arrivederci 09/05/2018 at 11:55

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I actually don’t hate it, even though the Acura logo emblem in the Superman grille is comically oversized. My wife’s CX-5 has a similarly huge grille emblem, but the grille is bigger, so the emblem doesn’t take up the whole height of the grille like it tends to on Superman Acuras.

Textured Soy Protein > Milky 09/05/2018 at 11:57

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The tacked-on iPad in my wife's CX-5 does take over less of the overall visual area in her car compared to the hooded iDrive in my E92.

Milky > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 12:06

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Not trying to call out all hooded screens, but Acura’s “premium” interiors in 2018(9) are bad. Audi and Land Rover  just figured out to make 2 stacked screens look okay.  

Under_Score > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 12:14

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My mom has a two-screens system in her CR-V. The top, little one always shows the date and the time, but the main screen is the one that does everything. Radio, LaneWatch, backup camera, and Bluetooth are controlled by the one screen. I don’t know what else the little screen does, as hers doesn’t have a navigation system.

Arrivederci > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 12:17

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The CX5 is cohesive, though. The Acura has too many angles, the badge is yuuuuuuuge , the headlights and taillights are droopy. None of it works at all for me on any of their models.

Textured Soy Protein > Under_Score 09/05/2018 at 12:18

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I don't know how the double screen setup is supposed to work now with Android Auto or CarPlay. The press photo above shows Android Auto stuff on *both* screens.

Textured Soy Protein > Milky 09/05/2018 at 12:22

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Apparently the UI and touch response on the Land Rover setup is trash.

What I don’t get is Honda has moved past the dual-screen nonsense and most of their cars now have a pretty decent infotainment screen that’s running custom software on top of Android, but most of the Acura lineup is still on the old dual screen system that Honda has abandoned.

Stapleface > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 12:24

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Seriously, Acura? I thought for sure that the 2019 ILX would be based on the current Civic. What gives? I’m trying to figure out why someone would pick this over a Civic. I mean, this one is better looking than the Civic , but it’s also riding on an 8 year old platform at this point. And, more importantly, it doesn’t look like it’s getting the engines of the current gen Civic either.  I don’t get it.  I guess this is for people that want a Civic Si with an Automatic?  

vicali > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 13:18

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Shift24 > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 13:20

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Nope no surprise here. Honda is still trying to push sedans as that is all one of their main plants (Marysville) does. Honda has always had a smaller Acura dating back to the Integra which had a 4 door option.

Rumor has it as well in 2 years it will be synced with the current with Civic update  and an optional 2.0 turbo from the Accord.

Shift24 > Stapleface 09/05/2018 at 13:28

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All this is, is a face lift with some interior bits upgraded. This is not a next gen of the car. This is an easier version for now as rumor has it in 2-3 years there will be a full update with the civic as the body style will be close 6 years old and a 2.0L turbo will be brought over from the Accord. Which I might add has a stick.

Under_Score > Textured Soy Protein 09/05/2018 at 13:28

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It’s a 2016, so before the time of all that.

Derpwagon > RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire 09/05/2018 at 15:17

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In another universe I'd buy it lol

average user > Arrivederci 09/06/2018 at 14:22

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I think the Mazda design language is better than Acura’s by miles.

Donald Gillies > Textured Soy Protein 09/07/2018 at 04:01

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Weird.  When the design gets stale, the Honda Civic design becomes an Acura.  Don't most brands do it the other way around?

blobpet > Textured Soy Protein 09/07/2018 at 09:02

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I sat in the current gen ILX at a car show once and the interior build quality was rubbish, which basically mirrored what some felt about that gen of the Civic as well.

Last year I briefly considered waiting to see if the ILX would get updated to the new platform. W hen it became painfully obvious that Acura wasn’t going to invest in it, I opted for a 10th gen Civic Si instead.

Maybe they feel that the TLX is affordable enough and they don’t want to hurt TLX sales if they make the ILX more compelling. The problem for me is that if I’m getting the TLX, then I want the the V6 with a dual-clutch or a manual. The dual-clutch is only available with the 4 cylinder and there’s no manual for either engine. Meh.  I wonder how many have opted for a new manual Accord instead or decided on a luxury sports car from another manufacturer.

geolemon > Textured Soy Protein 09/07/2018 at 10:10

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True story: my Optima lease was up and my GF has been thinking of replacing her aging 2005 TLS that she bought new.

We test drove an ILX. The power train felt rough and slow, and the interior felt cheap and didn’t even have cubbies sufficient for a couple pair of sunglasses.

We test drove a TLX. It was so nice, it made us hate the ILX even more. But it felt huge (neither of us need a big car) and was an unnecessary jump in price, for essentially an inconvenience.

We test drove the Civic Sport Hatch. THAT is what the ILX should be based on. The CVT is smooth, and that Turbo 1.5 pulls strong.

Bottom line:

I'm now driving a Civic Sport Hatch. And my girlfriend is still driving her TLS, awaiting something better than this ILX not-refresh.