2016 Honda HR-V & Acura ILX Teased Ahead of LA

With the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show just a hair less than a month away, we’re starting to get the first trickle of automotive previews dribbling across the web. Leading the way is Honda with two new vehicles they’ll be showcasing at NA’s next big automotive event. One of them we’ve seen before, and the other is an update for a car in their luxury lineup that really need some love.

NA-Spec 2016 Honda HR-V Crossover

You’ll remember that Honda already showed us a European version of their new HR-V crossover earlier this month at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. We’d also seen images of an HR-V prototype earlier this year in Geneva.

Today, Honda officially introduced us to the North American variant of their 2016 HR-V crossover. It now has its own page on Honda.com and everything. Our American readers can see the car in the metal for the first time at next month’s LA Motor Show. We won’t spend too much time on this one since it’s the less newsworthy of the two. Here’s a quick rundown of what we know at the time of this writing:

• The HR-V will slot below the Honda CR-V as “the entry point to Honda’s light truck lineup.”
• Likely to launch this winter
• Features Honda Magic Seats
• Built on the same platform as the Honda Fit

Refreshed 2016 Acura ILX Compact Sedan

The big news of the day is a teaser for a refreshed version of the Acura ILX sedan. No one from either Honda or Acura has said anything about the new luxury compact sedan other than what’s in the press release. All we know is that it will debut next year as a “comprehensive update that includes a potent new powertrain, more forceful, sporty exterior styling, and substantially upgraded interior design.”

Clearly, the upgrade is going to be quite substantial. What exactly that means, however, remains to be seen. The press release hints that Acura is looking to bring the ILX closer in-line with the car’s more successful big brother, the Acura TLX.

Our guess is that Honda will bring in their new 2.4L i-VTEC engine and upscale exterior features like LEDs, a sports exhaust, and a more distinguished front grille. Inside, you can probably expect a much quieter cabin (the current ILX is known to be quite loud), higher quality materials, and perhaps more performance tech. like we saw in the recent Civic Type-R Concept in Paris.

Either way, we’re sure we’ll see more of both cars before doors open at the Los Angeles Auto Show late next month, so stay tuned for more information. Until then, thanks for reading!