The introduction of Acura’s latest Integra left a big question in the minds of the brand’s fans: With a new entry-level sedan on the horizon, what would become of the compact ILX? Many assumed the ILX would simply die off, and it seems they were right — Acura has confirmed that 2022 will be the last year for its smallest sedan.
Motor1 spoke with Acura representatives about rumors of the ILX’s demise, who confirmed that the Integra will be taking its place in the automaker’s lineup. The Integra will be the “new entry point to the brand,” hopefully reinvigorating customers’ desire to have car names imprinted in their bumpers. From Motor1:
The Acura ILX is leaving the automaker’s lineup, the company confirms to Motor1.com. “The 2022 model year is the final model year for the ILX, in anticipation of the new Integra,” spokesperson Chris Naughton told Motor1.com.
“The new Integra was developed from day 1 to deliver on the original lineage that began with Integra back in 1986. It is a continuation of that formula that brought so many first-time buyers into the Acura family and will be the new entry point to the brand,” Naughton told Motor1.com.
The ILX has never been a particularly high-volume model, with its 2021 sales sitting about 50 percent less than the Lexus IS. That’s likely something Acura wants to change with the new Integra, wringing a few more sales out of the brand’s cheapest offering.
With orders opening for the new Integra next month, the ILX’s time is likely just about over. Acura didn’t confirm a specific date for production to end for the outgoing compact, but with the Integra confirmed for a Spring production start, it can’t be too far off.