Advanced hazard detection and auto-braking systems are included as standard, as are Acura’s LED cluster headlamps, the latest in connected-car tech via the Acuralink system, and dual screens occupying the vertical centre of the dash. The on-board atmosphere puts the technology front and centre, with dark colours and bright, metallic accents dispatched towards a youthfully premium and luxurious look. Steering wheel push-button and voice-activated access to numerous functions, as well as automatic lights, climate control, and wipers, help contribute to a laid-back drive.

There’s plenty of room for those little items you like to keep nearby, proper cupholders, and plenty of recharging points and covered storage cubbies. Upscale materials are found in most of the right places, and front-seat entry and exit is issue-free, with memory seats working for easy access to the perfect driving position. Rear seats are comfy once settled into, and two occupants of about 5’11 can sit behind one another with little issue—though the rear roofline shape and sunroof provisions cut notably into headroom and complicate rear-seat entry and exit, thanks to the short rear door aperture. Further, the trunk is deep, lengthy, and has a generous opening for larger items.

So, this year, ILX offers plenty more tech, safety, styling presence and feature content than ever, all of which should make it more competitive and relevant in its segment. Still, to your writer, there’s one part of the ILX that stands out in its appeal beyond all else: the powertrain.

There’s nothing quite like revving the absolute pants off of a hard-working little VTEC engine to brighten one’s day, and in the newly updated ILX, a power plant with some serious old-school VTEC charm adds to the experience.

There’s no turbocharging here, and the ILX’s 2.4L, 201-hp, dual-cam, direct-injection engine performs in a way that stays in step with the brands roots: by spinning fast.

More revs means more fuel burned and more power generated. Balancing out a high-revving character with delivery of generous low-end torque, engineers specified a redline of 7,000 revs, and the ILX uses every one of them to make enthusiasts smile when called upon. As VTEC engines do, this one piles the sauce on as the revs rise, pulls hard to redline, and has a peaky and thrilling power curve with a huge sense of rising action as max revs approach, complete with the elevated sound effects as the VTEC power-cam kicks in. Yahoooo!

It’s a snarly little thing that revs eagerly, hard, and fast, all while making a gorgeously mechanical sound. The acceleration is more than adequate – it won’t flatten your eyeballs, but keep the revs up, and it’s all smiles. Owners of sporty Honda and Acura products of days gone by will feel right at home with the whole experience.

Connect with Autos.ca