Despite declining sales in the sedan market – SUVs and CUVs are “it” for now – Acura is keeping its main focus on its luxury sedans. Three sedans underpin the Acura brand, including the entry-level Acura ILX, mid-range TLX, and high-spec RLX. The Acura ILX compact luxury sedan marked a several firsts when it was released in 2013. After the Integra was discontinued in 2001, ILX was the first compact luxury sedan that might be called a replacement, though that still meant a whole generation missed out on driving their first Acura (Acuras? Acurae?). ILX was also the first car Acura made available with a hybrid powertrain. What will the 2020 Acura ILX bring to the table?

Oddly, Acura took their sweet time bringing any improvements to the car for quite some time, and car buyers are a fickle breed. The 2016 Acura ILX received a minor refresh, new engine, dual-clutch transmission, LED headlights and taillights, and DRL piping. The new “A-Spec” trim was a breath of fresh air, indeed, bringing many back to the brand.

The 2019 Acura ILX did one better with an exterior redesign, most noticeable at the nose and tail. This drew much more attention than the previous refresh, mostly because it was more visible. The interior, on the other hand, hasn’t changed all that much: the seats have been slightly tweaked and the infotainment system is more responsive. The new grille and headlights are especially refreshing, and the aggressive “A-Spec” trim level is quite a looker. Interestingly, the new model is even more affordable, making it possible for even more people to get into the brand. A February press release notes the 2019 Acura ILX is the least-costly entry-level luxury car on the market, good news for cash-strapped car buyers.

As we near entry into a new decade, the 2020 Acura ILX isn’t expected to bring anything new to the table, as it just came out of a major exterior restyling. For some, this is good news, because new technology always comes with new bugs, and why bother fixing what isn’t broke. On the other hand, as other models continuously ramp up power and torque, 2020 Acura ILX’s 3,100 pounds are still toted by what many consider a barely-acceptable 201 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, put to the front wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, in use since 2016.

The 2020 Acura ILX is expected around the same time as usual, September or October 2019, and will likely be priced like the 2019 model. The new fenders, grille, Jewel Eye headlights, front and rear fascia, and rear diffuser will likely remain unchanged – they just got here, after all. Inside, the new seats, contrast-stitching, and upgraded dash trim are also unlikely to change. The new seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system is a little faster this year, installed in all trim levels, but buyers will need to spring for the Premium or Technology packages, and their higher prices, to get any of the latest active and passive safety features. Chances are good that, if you like the current ILX, you’ll be happy with the 2020 Acura ILX, though you might need to wait a couple more years if you’re expecting Acura to put a few more horses under the hood.