If you’re after an entry-level luxury sport sedan, Acura wants to make you a deal. They’ve extensively updated their entry-level ILX, with more standard power, significant styling improvements, a new transmission, and enhancements throughout. Partly, that’s because the Germans are moving in on their pricing turf, and because shoppers in this segment are constantly demanding more for less.

ILX’s pricing starts under $30,000, in a segment where many competitive premium-branded rides start from thousands more. The tested ILX A-Spec is the top-dog version of Acura’s entry-level model, adding $1,400 to the price of the fully-loaded ILX Tech unit for upgraded wheels, metal pedals, a body kit, and the like.

In any grade, the ILX’s price includes the warm and fuzzy stuff Acura shoppers love, like a proven reputation for safety, reliability and residual values. All considered, for the short term and long, one might argue that the ILX is a compelling deal on an entry premium sedan.

That’s backed up elsewhere. For 2016, a boatload of newly-infused Acura DNA is included as standard, packing ILX full of those techy bits and styling touches that, lately, make an Acura an Acura.

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