The 2020 Acura ILX is pretty much unchanged from the previous model year, which received a freshening up with new front fenders and fascia, a muscular power-bulge hood, the brand’s now signature Diamond Pentagon grille, Jewel-Eye LED headlamps and tail lamps.
Acura’s premium small sedan was last updated before that for the 2016 model year, but now features more equipment than its predecessor. The look is sporty without going over the top with surface excitement and exterior add-ons. From the front, there’s a definite family resemblance to the brand’s best-selling sedan, the midsize TLX.
SPORTY EXTERIOR
The 2020 Acura ILX is a fantastic car to look at with the right lines and features in all the right places. An elongated stretched diamond shaped grille gives the front of the car a wide stance, while massive chrome lined insets within the front spoiler gives the impression the ILX was designed with real purpose.
Dramatic LED headlamps stretch around the front corners of the car, and a curved waistline down the side of the vehicle gives the rear wheel arches a much wider look than normal. From the rear, the 2020 ILX gets a Formula One-style splitter and a high bottled spoiler continuing the sporty feel of the design.
REFINED INTERIOR
The 2020 Acura ILX’s interior is refined and subtle without much embellishment. The compact dash and center console provide the front passengers with more leg and knee room, but an unfortunate result is a slightly cluttered dash when trying to fit all the controls in.
Although the build quality is top notch, the interior materials could use an upgrade to make the interior of the 2020 ILX stand out and belong in the premium vehicle segment. Dual displays are a nice touch for the dash and allow the controls display and information display to be split up, yet seen at the same time.
Top of the trims of the ILX have a sportier look with red and black leather seats and doors, along with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
ENGINE AND DRIVE
The 2020 Acura ILX’s 2.4L inline four cylinder offers up 201hp and 180 lb-ft of torque through its front wheel drive system. Sadly, there’s no 6-speed manual but in its place is an excellent 8-speed dual clutch automatic transmission.
The 8 speed, dual clutch comes together with the sport-tuned steering and engineered suspension to deliver a responsive and agile drive. Quick accelerations and confident handling definitely make the 2020 ILX a thrill to drive.
This zippy compact sports sedan can also deliver decent fuel economy when driven with a little less gusto. The 2020 ILX has a fuel economy of 9.9 L/100km in the city and 7.0 L/100km on the highway.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The 2020 Acura ILX continues to remain a top notch compact sports sedan, with a sporty drive and a refined interior. It also comes with the brand’s reputation for reliability and a care-free ownership. The 2020 ILX starts at $30,490 for a very well-equipped base model and ranges up to $35,890 for the top of the line Tech A-Spec model.
