That’s a sizeable step for a manufacturer whose largest current SUV already has three rows of seats.

The newcomer should give Acura more room to compete with vehicles such as the Lexus TX, particularly among families who regularly travel with six or seven passengers and their luggage.

An extra seat sounds useful, but the real test will be space in the third row. Getting adults comfortably into the back of a large SUV isn’t always as easy as the exterior dimensions suggest.

Acura hasn’t disclosed the new model’s measurements, engine options or price. Those details will tell us considerably more about its prospects than the seating capacity alone.

The second SUV is rather different.

Acura wants to enter the adventure-oriented market with a vehicle expected in early 2028. It’s a segment where appearance and actual capability don’t always go together.

Plenty of SUVs look ready for a mountain trail. Far fewer have the ground clearance, tyres and drivetrain needed to tackle one confidently.

Acura hasn’t explained exactly where its new model will fall between those extremes.

There is some history here. During the 1990s, the company sold the SLX, a rebadged Isuzu Trooper that offered more traditional off-road credentials than today’s typical luxury crossover.

Whether the upcoming SUV follows anything like that formula is still unknown.

Then there’s the RDX.

Unlike the other two projects, Acura doesn’t need to introduce customers to this nameplate. The compact luxury SUV already occupies an established place in the range, and a fourth generation is being developed.

The important change concerns its powertrain.

Acura plans to use a two-motor hybrid system based on Honda technology. For drivers who want better fuel economy without depending on charging stations, that could be a worthwhile addition.

It also gives Acura another option in a market where buyers aren’t all moving towards electric vehicles at the same pace.

Separately, the manufacturer is developing a performance-oriented V6 hybrid system for fut

Depending on who you ask, that’s not exactly a bad thing. Personally, I find the ILX refreshingly analog, and it offers an incredibly characterful driving experience that you won’t find in modern-day vehicles.

The sole engine choice is a free-revving 2.4-liter inline-four unit that carries a great deal of personality. It rewards fast driving and the ability to trigger its 6,800 rpm redline. Sure, the 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox is a slow-shifting clutz, and most of the power lives on the right half of the tachometer, but that means you actually have to work for your acceleration, a refreshing change from the laziness of a torque-filled turbocharged engine. It reminds me of Honda engines of yore, sweet-sounding reactors that only got better the higher you revved it. The same goes for the ILX, and though it may not be the most efficient example on the modern market, we’ve been pining to get behind an S2000 for quite some time. The ILX gives us a bit of that sensation.

The ILX gives off a modestly premium vibe from the choice of materials but the interior packaging is poor and minuscule compared to the roomier tenth-generation Honda Civic. I stand six feet tall and in my standard driving position, my hips are squeezed and my head is nudged up against the headliner due to the sunroof’s elevated ridges that exacerbate the confinement. I have to carefully adjust the seats and recline more than I’m used to getting into a mildly comfortable position. The seats are mounted too high up on the platform as well without any downward adjustment available. The rear seats are even more cramped.

Argumentatively, if you take the engine out of the equation, the ILX doesn’t exactly give us a compelling reason why we should choose it over like-minded 30.000 USD vehicles like the Honda Civic Si, Volkswagen Golf GTI, or a Subaru WRX. They all cost roughly the same amount of money, carry sporting potential, and are more refined, more comfortable, and better packaged than the ILX. Now, the Acura may not boast modern amenities that are almost expected in this day and age, the gearbox is plagued with inconsistencies, it’s not smooth, and it’s not polished, but you can’t deny that it’s got presence and personality. For that, we praise it.