2020 Acura ILX is the brand’s smallest and most affordable sedan. The upcoming car is based on the platform of the previous-generation Honda Civic. With the fresh exterior, excellent fuel efficiency and affordable price, the ILX will be a real competition to the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
The Acura’s compact sedan combines luxury and outstanding value, with a significant amount of active safety and driver-assistance features. The entry-level comes very well-equipped, but you can purchase some three available additional packages. The Premium, Technology, and A-Spec packages will add a lot of technology, equipment and unique design features to the vehicle.
2020 Acura ILX Changes
2020 Acura ILX comes with a redesigned front face and slightly refreshed rear exterior design. One of the significant changes is that all ILX models now include the AcuraWatch suite of safety and driver-assistance. Also, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility is standard through all trim levels.
The dual-screen infotainment interface is updated as well, to provide an even more user-friendly experience. This compact sedan is part of the first ILX generation, introduced in 2013. The 2020 version offers an excellent suite of safety features, good resale value, and reliability. If you are looking for a small luxury vehicle under $30,000, you should definitely check the full review.
Exterior Design
Crucial exterior update for 2020 Acura ILX is the introducing of Diamond Pentagon grille. All members of the Acura family carries this recognizable feature, one of the company’s trademarks. Moreover, the hood gets minor tweaks as well, to match with the rest of the exterior design language. The backside of the premium sedan gets a makeover. The licence-place holder relocation from the middle down to the bumper.
As a result, the whole vehicle is set a bit lower, with a sportier feel. All of the changes work very well with the upcoming model, now the new model looks like a smaller brother to the TLX. The A-Spec version offers even sportier touch, with unique 18-inch wheels, gloss-black decklid spoilers, and dark chrome grille. A distinctive feature of this model will be the darkened taillights and headlights.
2020 Acura ILX Interior
The 2020 Acura ILX can accommodate up to five passengers offering an impressive amount of quality interior materials. The highlights of this cabin definitely are very supportive well-bolstered front-seats, excellent driving position, and attractive color choices. The interior colors include a brand-new Espresso, Ebony, and Red, available on the A-Spec variant.
However, the plastic sections around the storage area and the navigation system are really outdated. The weakest point of this cabin, no doubt. So, if you don’t want to wait, a better solution is to just step up to the Premium model. The Premium brings a twin-screen setup, with the upper 8-inch that includes Apple/Android phone connection. The bottom screen controls climate, audio, and other info.
The front seats are very supportive, but the rear seats are not so space-wise generous. After all, by dimensions, this is a small vehicle. But, expect to see standard folding rear seat setup, to improve the 14.2 cubic feet of cargo space.
Standard Equipment and Packages
2020 Acura ILX comes with a decently equipped base trim level and offers three additional packages. Standard equipment includes LED head- and taillights, 17-inch wheels, heated mirrors, automatic headlights, a power sunroof, and dual-zone climate control. Furthermore, the ILX adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, faux leather upholstery, an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and heated front seats.
We mentioned that the Premium offers a twin-screen setup. But, for the base model, only single-screen infotainment with a 6-speaker stereo and Bluetooth audio streaming system is available. The AcuraWatch is standard on all trim levels. This suite of safety features and driver aids consist of forward-collision alert with automatic emergency braking and road departure mitigation.
Additionally, a rear camera with multiple views option, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control are available as well. Although, the adaptive cruise control does not operate under 25 mph. The Premium package, besides the second touchscreen, adds a subwoofer and genuine leather upholstery.
The Technology package adds navigation with real-time traffic and a premium 10-speaker stereo. Furthermore, dynamic guidelines for the rearview camera and AcuraLink services are available. The A-Spec package brings more visually striking features, faux-suede seat inserts, slightly wider tires, and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Engine
2020 Acura ILX will have only one engine option – a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder drivetrain. This unit makes 201 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. The EPA city/highway fuel economy is 24/34 mpg. Transmission is an old-trusty 8-speed twin-clutch. With this configuration, the ILX will surely stand out for the vehicles like Mercedes A-Class, that employs smaller turbo engines.
Acura’s 4-door sedan has an advantage in immediate power delivery and refined unit. Likewise, the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters are a standard feature and allow the driver to shift gears smoothly. Still, the ILX comes only with FWD. The company recommends using unleaded 91-octane gasoline.
Release Date and Price
The MSRP of the 2020 Acura ILX well-equipped base model is just under $27,000. But, we recommend the Premium trim. The starting price of this model is $28,700, but the amount of additional accessories is unmatchable. On top of that, the highly equipped Tech model cost slightly over the $30K mark.
Taking into account the prices of similar vehicles like Audi A3, the ILX is a really affordable car. In fact, even if you choose every affordable package, the price will not go above $33,000. That is lower than the starting price of the Audi A3. The 2020 version of Acura ILX will be ready for the streets in the first quartal of the next year.