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A 2023 Acura ILX was awaited by the enthusiast last year. Unfortunately, it has been confirmed recently that the nameplate is going to leave the company’s lineup.
Back when the 2022 Acura ILX was rolled out without any significant upgrades, everyone thought it will come with an updated version—derived from the all-new Honda Civic—to debut as the 2023 Acura ILX. However, it has been confirmed earlier this year that the production under this nameplate is going to be ceased, which is quite unfortunate, considering the last model year of the ILX offered among the best deal package among other subcompact upscale sedans.
A Short Insight into the Acura ILX
The Acura ILX, or marketed as Honda ILX outside North America, is a sub-compact high-end 4-door sedan manufactured by Honda under their premium and performance division brand, Acura. All variants under this model are derived from the 9th generation of Honda Civic. It is also the first vehicle from the brand that brings hybrid vehicles to the lineup.
The ILX concept was revealed for the first time at the North American International Auto Show in 2012, while the production version was displayed at the Chicago Auto Show in the same year. The premium sedan remarks the debut of a new design called ‘Aero-fused dynamics’ by the manufacturer. The units were assembled at Honda’s Greensburg, Indiana manufacturing facility. The mass production began in April 2012 and the sales followed in the next month.
The last facelift for the Acura ILX was given in the 2018 calendar year. It follows a new design language by Acura and brings the famous ‘Diamond Pentagon’-shaped grille. At the front, it features sleeker headlights and a revised bumper, while in the rear, it sports more angular taillights and a moved license plate to the rear bumper instead of the trunk like it previously did. In terms of the interior, most parts of the designs stay the same even though it does bring new seats and a 30% faster-claimed AcuraWatch infotainment system as a standard feature.
Is the 2023 Acura ILX Release a Possibility?
The 2023 Acura ILX release seemed to be visible on the horizon for the enthusiast and industry watchers, at least until earlier this year. A representative from the company reportedly disclosed to one of the flagship automotive business platforms, that the 2022 ILX is going to be the last model year for the model, in preparation for an all-new 2023 Acura Integra launch.
Despite offering a cost-effective solution for consumers who desire a premium vehicle, the ILS has never been a massive hit all these years. Statistically, the annual sales number of the Acura ILX barely reached 20,000 units from 2014-to 2021. As a comparison, the compact executive car Lexus IS which falls into the same class and is the main rival of the ILX could sell more than double the amount of that number in the same period.
Perhaps if there’s anything that could be blamed—and hopefully addressed if the 2023 Acura ILX will be released for true—then the outdated technology sported by this premium sedan is the problem. As mentioned above, it was built based on the 9th generation Honda Civic, which in 2021 is still powered by a 2.4L powertrain instead of the turbocharged engine used by the current 11th generation Civic.
The 2023 Acura ILX will have plenty of things to catch up on. The dual-screen infotainment featured in the 2022 model also uses the older interface and navigation system. Back in 2015, it might appear fresh and advanced, but won’t be so much in 2023.
The 2023 Integra as the ILX Replacement
A possibility of a released model year of the ILX is quite low—even close to none at this point, considering the manufacturer already started to focus on the new generation of the Acura Integra.
So, if you are interested in buying the newest ILX but disappointed to find out that it was axed recently, you may consider the Integra. From what’s known by the public so far, it will be powered by the same 1.5L turbocharged engine as the current Honda Civic. That way, at least you can get an updated car in terms of the powertrain. Whether the new Integra will generate a similar power output is still unknown.
While waiting for the 2023 Acura ILX—or honestly any plan of an upcoming model year—to be dropped, let’s honor the ILX for the time being. It performed decently as a luxury sedan during its service time.