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Long Term Update 3

If you've been following our Motor Trend garage updates, then you know that we've been spending a lot of quality time in one car, with the bulk of my drive days in L.A. spent in our 2013 Acura ILX long-term loaner. When you're in one car for a while, you start to take a lot of things for granted, a fact that's highlighted after you spend some time wheeling around in something else. I recently had a chance to jump into a loaded-up Cadillac XTS Platinum for the weekend to shuttle some fat cats around in (the parents), and it proved to be a more than capable cruiser, with a ton of room, a plethora of in-car connectivity, and a plush, boulevard-cruiser style ride. Then I got back in the ILX, and I was reminded once again what makes this compact attractive: its relative agility and fun-to-drive nature. I found myself immediately more aggressive. I ratcheted up the 6-speed up to redline, downshifted with abandon, went harder on the brakes that still feel strong and assured. I realized again that in the ILX, it's much easier to navigate L.A.'s notorious concrete craziness, easier to park, easier to move into and out of tight situations.

Yes, I realize the XTS and ILX are 2 completely different automotive beasts (although both have really original 3 letter alphanumeric names), but the experience reinvigorated my desire to wring out the ILX, hit that off ramp and run to redline, gear-after-gear, take that bend a little tighter. A lot is made of the ILX's kinship (at least the 2.4-liter/6-speed manual car we have in) with the Civic Si. Believe me, that is not a bad thing.

Speaking of the parents, they recently became part of the migratory subspecies Parenticus Snowbirdicius nesting in Arizona, so we rode out in the ILX to the outskirts Phoenix to see them. My wife initially wasn't thrilled about taking the Acura compact on the 6-hour trek, but was quickly won over. It's not the quietest car in the cabin at speed, but between 75-80 mph, the 2.4-liter hums along around 3300 rpm and isn't noisy or abrasive. Hit a pothole or other road imperfection and the ILX won't punish you like some other luxury/sport-leaning compacts.

The ILX's seats are unquestionably one of its strong suits, delicately towing the line between comfort and sport. As I've previously outlined, for a compact, there's a fair amount of room for cell phones and other small items, 2 deep cupholders that hug your mug, and a surprisingly big trunk that gulped down our gear for the trip. And while our ILX doesn't come with all the Acura bells and whistles on the tech front, it's not exactly barren, with features including Bluetooth integration that allows music on the device to be streamed from my iPhone. It's a 360-plus mile or so trip door-to-door, so I did my best to get there on 1 tank, but fell short each way. My best tank during the trip was 339.8 miles, which averaged out to around 30.91 mpg combined. Any compact car's range is generally constrained by a smallish fuel tank. That said, the ILX continues to live up to its EPA ratings, with its MT combined mileage still running around the EPA bulls eye of XX.X mpg. Recently, the service wrench light went off again and a fog light isn't working, so it's back to the Acura dealer soon. More on that in my next update.

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[U]Our Cars[/U]
Service life     8 mo/14,464 mi
Average fuel economy     27.0 mpg
CO2 emissions     0.72 lb/mi
Energy consumption     125 kW-hr/100 mi
Unresolved problems     None
Maintenance cost     $293.35 (2-oil change, inspection)
Normal-wear cost     $0 


4cruizn

ILX just named "Least fun to drive" in Sport Sedan category by Yahoo Autos. They evaluated a 2.0 automatic. I wonder if the results would have been different if they'd driven the 2.4 6-speed.

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/cars-tha...235804567.html

Category Least fun
Sports coupes Scion tC
Roadsters & convertibles BMW Z4
Muscle cars Chevrolet Camaro
Luxury sedans BMW 750Li, Volvo S80 3.2
Sports sedans Acura ILX
Small & subcompact cars Nissan Versa, Scion iQ, Smart ForTwo
Small SUVs Jeep Compass
Midsized SUVs Toyota 4Runner

spdandpwr

what else was in those categories...

Trentimus

Automatics just aren't fun! The best in Sports Sedans were the 328i and the ATS... tall order.

Spirited Driver

Stopped reading at Yahoo and 2.0 automatic

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2013 Acura ILX Hybrid Tech Review Notes

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Are customers crying out for an entry-level luxury hybrid? Is there great demand? Time will tell I guess. For now I'll say this 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid Tech is a pleasant enough driver, though I am not sure I see its purpose. Seems to me having what is clearly a straight up Honda Civic in the Acura line diminishes Acura, and for Honda's sake Acura is a nameplate that could use a homerun or 3. This car ain't that. On the other hand, if it gets new and younger customers into Acura showrooms, who am I to argue with that?

The good news is it's not a bad Civic. I like this interior much better than the Honda -- it's comfortable, well built and nicely laid out. Acura center consoles have too many buttons, but at least in this car you don't get the origami-looking, multilevel dash made from cheap materials, as in the Civic.

When it came to driving it, there's a decent amount of power here, though often times I felt like the engine was making more noise while the car wasn't really accelerating on par. Cruising along it is fine, and the ride felt good. It's nice and quiet in there, too. Steering is typical Honda: Light but communicative.

The regenerative braking is tricky almost to annoyance. Tricky isn't really the word I'm looking for here, but you can feel that there's a lot going on underneath when you want the car to slow down. I get that with Toyota hybrids, too, though I'll say the Honda is a better-feeling hybrid. Say you're cruising along and the light a couple blocks ahead turns red. You remove your foot from the accelerator and you can feel the herky-jerky regen begin to charge the battery. It takes some getting used to. And I do like the stop/start. I think all cars could use it.

At this base price what we have here is the ILX hybrid with technology package, which starts at $34,400 and comes with about everything. A Volkswagen Golf diesel starts at about $27k and $28k with a dual-clutch gearbox. Or a Jetta wagon starts at about $28k loaded.

Just sayin'.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: Let's start with the good: the wrapper. The packaging on the ILX is slick. Ten times better than the Civic that it's based on. They've toned down the beak look, and its overall shape is much more pleasing than the spaceship-like Honda.

The interior is comfortable as well. It didn't seem cheap to me. I like the perforated leather seats, the heaters worked well and all the radio, navigation and climate functions are easy to reach. Also, when you randomize your music player, it lists the songs -- in random order -- on the screen, allowing you to scroll and select by name. Found a few old classics that I haven't heard in a while.

The main problem with the ILX is that it doesn't feel like a near-luxury car. The CVT gives it a whiny, buzzy sound on acceleration, suspension noise penetrates the cabin and any sort of smooth braking is demolished by the regen brakes.

These brakes are really bad. They don't just have the annoying regen feeling, they feel spongy, like there's air in the brake line. If you've ever felt that feeling before, it's extremely unsettling.

Power was adequate to not feel slow. The gearbox would adjust ratios quickly when you needed some more power, particularly in sport mode. On the expressway, it'll cruise at about 3,700 rpm at 75-80 mph. Sure that gives good torque when you need it, but it never settles down, unless you put it back in normal. As it is, I was dropping down to S to pass, and then going back to D.

I didn't get a chance to drive the nonhybrid ILX yet, but I'd bet that it would eliminate many of my complaints.

2013 Acura ILX Hybrid Tech

Base Price: $35,295

As-Tested Price: $35,295

Drivetrain: 1.5-liter I4 hybrid; FWD, continuously variable transmission

Output: 111 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 127 lb-ft @ 1,000-3,500 rpm

Curb Weight: 2,987 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA City/Highway/Combined): 39/38/38 mpg

AW Observed Fuel Economy: 35.3 mpg

Options: None

millcreek225

http://www.examiner.com/article/comp...-turbo?cid=rss

Here's a new comparison test - Acura wins.

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2013 Acura ILX 2.4 Premium Road Test:
An upmarket compact or a downmarket luxury car? How about both.

By Jacob Brown | May 23, 2013

What It Is
Acura's racehorse in an emerging compact luxury sedan segment.
Best Thing
The engine and transmission make driving this car a pleasure.
Worst Thing
Luxury car interior, economy car sound deadening.
Snap Judgment
We love driving it, but the ILX falls just short of being a proper luxury sports sedan.

At 1st we thought it was a little absurd that automakers were repackaging their compact sedans, equipping them with high-end features, and charging top-dollar for them. Then, we realized it made perfect sense.

Without getting too far into an "Economics for Dummies" course, automakers are gambling that the buying public has reprioritized its outlook on what makes a worthwhile buy. With $4 gas and tighter budgets, we don't need the bigger cars everyone used to drive, but we desire the features they have, once reserved for luxury vehicles: TFT screens, leather and heated seats, and xenon headlights among them.

That's why Acura developed the 2013 ILX. Well, that and the fact that the cars that used to sell at its price point from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi all easily crest $40,000 these days. Inflation's a killer. With this new niche, cars like the 2013 Acura ILX have emerged. Others in the fray include the Buick Verano and upcoming Audi A3 sedan and Mercedes CLA. So you know it's a hot target if the Germans are zoning in on it.

But does the segment make sense when you can get a larger family sedan for the same money? More specifically, does the Acura ILX make sense when you can get a loaded Honda Civic Si for $25,000? We spent a week with 1 to find out.

What We Drove
Acura doesn't give its customers a whole lot of leeway when it comes to how they can get their ILX. The 2013 ILX starts at $26,795, including $895 for destination and handling charges. But you don't want that model, do you? It has a mere 150 horsepower from its 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, or 10 horsepower more than the Civic on which it's based. That engine comes paired only to a 5-speed automatic transmission.

Our ILX came equipped with a darling of a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, massaged to the same 200-horsepower rating you'll find in the Honda Civic Si. Like the Si, the ILX with this engine is mated exclusively with a 6-speed manual transmission. You want an automatic? Get the smaller engine or the pricy hybrid. There's no way to get the engine you want without 3 pedals and a stick shift.

Additionally, it only comes with the Premium package at $30,095, which doesn't have a navigation system. Want the navi? Again, go with an automatic model, or just bring along your Garmin like I did. We can't tell you how frustrated we are with Acura's content bundling in this car, especially since you can get a navigation system and a stick in the cheaper Civic Si. There's no leather available in the Si, though. Still, this is supposed to be a luxury model from a premium automaker, and navigation should be available on the top-end model.

Once you get past the options sheet, the ILX has a lot going for it, including a 5-star overall government safety rating and a IIHS "2013 Top Safety Pick" status. Like everything else from Honda, this car was designed around pragmatism, and if you do have kids to tote around, you'll be happy knowing the ILX has LATCH points for 2 seats in the rear that will make you forget about the difficult parts of parenting, at least for a few moments.

The Commute
If you don't enjoy driving, this car may not be for you. I'm sure someone has said that about the BMW 3 Series at one point or another, but there are plenty of badge snobs who buy those things every year simply because of the white and blue Roundel. In the ILX's case though, we mean it this time.

In our ILX, there is no adjustment in the steering weight to make the car easier to drive with a press of a button--not like it needs it. There's no cushy suspension setting. There's no way to escape the melodic crescendo of that engine--what a sound--or that satisfying feeling of what may be among the best manual shifters in the world. This beast is all about being involved in the driving experience.

Acura's engineers have bestowed upon the world a car that, when you want to get it going, has a hypnotic thrum to its engine that only makes you want to push it more. The car is a bit like Fran Drescher in her heyday to be around, though: There are times when you want it to shut up sometimes so you can admire the parts that aren't noisy. It never will, but the engine isn't responsible. To say road noise is pronounced would be doing a disservice to the word "pronounced"; this car is loud. At 1st, you sit in the glove-like leather seats, coddled with support without ever feeling pinched in any which way. As you merge onto the highway, you don't mind the high-revving engine. But as you settle into 6th gear, you'd think the car would quiet down; it doesn't. The volume knob becomes a good friend; listening to a friend or family member on the Bluetooth system becomes a chore. You hear every bump, crack, and thud under the tires as if there's hardly any sound deadening at all. No $30,000 car should have this much noise.

Everything else about the way the ILX drives is satisfying. It rides over bumps without any crashing sensation. While there are a ton of buttons on the dashboard, most are as intuitive as can be. Even if you've never been in an Acura before, it won't take more than a few minutes to become acclimated.

The Grocery Run
Part of what makes this vehicle so endearing is its compact size, making it incredibly maneuverable in whatever parking lot you may encounter. Even 1 on a hill.

We didn't notice it until then, but the ILX has a hill-holder that makes getting going from a standstill a snap. Some people like the feature; some find it intrusive. We didn't mind it at all.

When we packed up the 2013 ILX with groceries, we had no problems getting everything we needed into it. The 13.2 cubic feet of trunk space doesn't sound like a lot, but ILX managed to fit 16 grocery bags into its trunk in our testing, and still held 7 with our stroller on board, a better number than expected.

Inside the car, we also found ample room for 4 passengers, albeit headroom was lacking in the rear--the cost of differentiating the car from its pedestrian origins with a more aggressive roof line.

The Weekend Fun
We could go on and on about that engine and transmission, but you know what we think of them already: They're fantastic. The engine isn't the torquiest setup out there, but it revs so quickly, settling into the heart of its powerband, that you'll never care. We recently sampled the same engine in the Honda CR-V, albeit detuned to 185 horsepower, and found it a bit anemic. Not in the ILX, though, which is hundreds of pounds lighter and comes with an extra cog in its transmission.

During our stint, we were hard-pressed to stray too far from the 24.6 mpg we eventually settled with, matching its 25-mpg mixed fuel economy rating. The car is rated for 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway, which seems like an easy target if not for the engine's willingness to rev and our inability to keep off the loud pedal.

Completing the ILX experience, we found its cabin comfortable and intuitive, albeit stoic, with dark colors and uninspired designs throughout. Perhaps that critique should extend to the rest of the car, too. It's handsome and feels like a solid, durable car, no matter how much we thrash on it. But to at least some of us it looks uninspired. When you're shopping for a luxury car, sometimes you want something that stands out from the crowd. The ILX comes off as understated and a bit innocuous. On the other hand, at least 2 staffers thought 1 could make the argument that it's the best looking car currently in Acura's stable. There's no accounting for taste.

Summary
Underrated. Underrated. Underrated. That's the bulk of what needs to be said of this car. The 2013 Acura ILX isn't perfect, but it's a car no 1 should mind driving if they care about driving something with a manual. The engine and transmission combination is as slick as it gets for the money, and the interior is a nice place to be once you get past everything coming in various shades of gray.

For 2014, Acura is further upgrading interior materials, adding features, and providing a new standard stereo with Active Noise Cancellation that should make some of our car's booming interior noise a thing of the past. That should distance it from the vastly upgraded 2013 Honda Civic Si. Figuring how much leather, xenon headlights, heated seats, ANC, and a premium badge add, and you're pretty much looking at a wash between this and the Civic. Better still, while Acura is increasing the price of the base ILX by $1,000, the 2.4-liter model with the manual transmission is staying right where it is, not moving 1 cent.

The Acura ILX looks like it's a scrappy underdog against the 250-horsepower Buick Verano Turbo, Mercedes-Benz CLA, and even a loaded-up Volkswagen Jetta GLI with the Autobahn package. We've not driven all of those cars yet, but we can confidently say this: If you're looking for the ultimate bargain-bin luxury car, look towards one of the competitors. If you're looking for the most fun and engaging premium vehicle, it's going to be tough to top what the ILX has to offer. If you're dead set on an ILX and want a quieter car, wait for the '14 model or buy a good set of earplugs.

Spec Box
Price-as-tested: $30,095
Fuel Economy
EPA City: 22 mpg
EPA Highway: 31 mpg
EPA Combined: 25 mpg
Cargo Space: 16 grocery bags/7bags with Britax stroller
Child Seat Fitment, Second Row: Excellent
Estimated Combined Range: 330 miles
Intellichoice Cost of Ownership: Excellent

Notebook Quotes
"This adds an extra step between the Civic and the Acura with a new interior and some Acura-specific equipment. But it's still not premium enough, thanks to noise, to really be a premium offering." -Keith Buglewicz, News Editor

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2014 Acura ILX Review

What Edmunds Says
Attractive and well-equipped, the 2014 Acura ILX is a respectable choice for a compact luxury sedan. Still, there are a number of worthy alternatives that savvy shoppers should consider.

Pros
Generous number of standard features; above-average fuel economy from Hybrid model.

Cons
Lackluster base engine; smallish trunk; no automatic transmission or top-end features for sport-oriented 2.4-liter model.

What's New for 2014

For 2014, the Acura ILX gets more standard equipment, which includes 17-inch wheels, leather upholstery, a power driver seat and heated front seats.
Introduction

An entry in the growing, entry-level compact luxury sport sedan segment, the 2014 Acura ILX offers consumers something a cut above mainstream small sedans. Smaller and less expensive than more established German and Japanese stalwarts, the ILX is related to the Honda Civic. But this is not just a simple job of designers applying some Acura badges and calling it a day. The ILX is longer and wider, with completely different styling, a more powerful base engine and many more standard features than the small Honda.

Available solely as a 4-door sedan, the ILX offers 3 powertrain options. The base version is fitted with a rather pedestrian but thrifty 2.0-liter 4-cylinder. Driving enthusiasts will lean toward the ILX 2.4 model, which has a considerably more powerful 2.4-liter 4 that comes only with a 6-speed manual transmission. Lastly, there is the ILX Hybrid, the only Acura product to offer this gas-saving technology.

Each version of the 2014 Acura ILX has its own set of attributes and demerits. The base 2.0-liter version offers buyers an affordable entry point into premium-brand car ownership. But its performance isn't in the same league as the entry-level versions of its rivals. With its sport sedan leanings, the 2.4 model is enticing, but the lack of an automatic transmission limits its appeal. The ILX Hybrid delivers good -- but not outstanding -- fuel economy and is relatively expensive.

If you're shopping for a compact luxury sedan, there are other choices to consider. The Buick Verano may not offer a hybrid version, but it's less expensive to start and offers a potent 250-horsepower engine upgrade as well as a nicer interior. And although the new 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class has a smaller backseat and is likely to cost you a bit more, it comes with a considerably stronger base engine, a richer interior and, yes, the Mercedes name. Meanwhile, the Audi A3 TDI and Lexus CT 200h offer hatchback utility along with fuel economy similar to that of the ILX Hybrid.

Potential buyers should also know that for the same money as a loaded ILX you could get a loaded version of a roomier midsize sedan such as a Ford Fusion, Kia Optima or Nissan Altima. Still, if you're looking for a relatively affordable small sedan that's good on gas and gives off a premium vibe, the 2014 Acura ILX is a good choice.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2014 Acura ILX entry-level luxury sedan comes in 4 trim levels: 2.0, 2.0 with Premium package, 2.0 with Technology package and 2.4 with Premium package. The 2014 ILX Hybrid arrives in fall 2013. Check back later for detailed Hybrid information.

Standard equipment for the base 2.0 and 2.4 includes 17-inch wheels, a sunroof, full power accessories, keyless ignition/entry, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, leather upholstery, an eight-way power driver seat, heated front seats, active noise cancellation, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 5-inch information display screen, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, SMS text message functionality, and a 7-speaker sound system with a CD player, a USB/iPod audio interface, satellite radio and Pandora radio smartphone app integration.

Moving up to the 2.0 Premium or 2.4 Premium gets you xenon headlamps, foglamps, a rearview camera and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The Technology trim (not available on the 2.4) includes all of the features of the Premium package along with a navigation system with a slightly larger display, voice commands and a 10-speaker ELS surround-sound audio system with digital music storage.

Powertrains and Performance

Powering the base 2014 ILX is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 150 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque. The only transmission offered is a 5-speed automatic that sends its power to the front wheels. In Edmunds performance testing, this powertrain brought the ILX from 0 to 60 mph in 9 seconds. That's average for a compact economy car but slow for a compact sedan wearing a premium badge. Fuel economy is respectable at 24 mpg city/35 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined.

The ILX 2.4 with the Premium package comes with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that's rated at 201 hp and 170 lb-ft. A 6-speed manual is the only available transmission. In Edmunds performance testing, the ILX 2.4 went from 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. This is average for both entry-level luxury sedans with a base engine and regular midsize sedans with an upgraded 4-cylinder or V6 engine. Fuel economy ratings stand at 22/31/25.

The ILX Hybrid uses the same powertrain as the Honda Civic Hybrid: a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder coupled with a 17-kilowatt electric motor and a small lithium-ion battery pack. Unlike most rival hybrid systems, this 1 cannot propel the car solely under electric power. The electric motor acts as an occasional power booster and converts braking energy into electricity to recharge the battery pack. Combined output is 111 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque.

A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is standard on the Acura ILX Hybrid. Performance-oriented gearing unique to the ILX produces fuel economy of 39 city/38 highway and 38 mpg combined, markedly less than the Civic Hybrid's 44 mpg across the board. We can't say it does much for the car's performance, though, as the ILX Hybrid goes from 0 to 60 mph in 10.4 seconds, which is actually slower than the Civic Hybrid. Still, that's the same as a Lexus CT 200h.

Safety

The 2014 Acura ILX comes standard with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. A rearview camera is optional.

In government crash tests, the Acura ILX earned a top 5-star rating for overall protection in crash tests, with 4 stars total for frontal impact safety and 5 stars for side-impact safety. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the ILX a top score of "Good" for the car's performance in frontal-offset, side-impact and roof strength tests.

In Edmunds brake testing, the ILX 2.0 Premium came to a stop from 60 mph in 121 feet, which is a little better than average. Curiously, the supposedly sportier ILX 2.4 stopped in 130 feet, which is longer than average. The Hybrid posted basically the same distance.

Interior Design and Special Features

The ILX's interior is well constructed, but the materials used aren't really a step up from top non-luxury sedans. Similarly, the design features Acura's typical high-tech vibe, but it's nowhere near as luxurious in here as in the classy TSX.

Nevertheless, if you're looking for high-tech features, the ILX definitely delivers. There is a 5-inch display screen topping the center stack for the myriad infotainment functions, and smartly placed buttons and knobs to control them. A 6-inch screen comes with the navigation system, as do voice command functionality (navigation and audio) and a nice-sounding ELS audio system.

Special care was used in designing the seats to be supportive, yet not give the impression of confinement or hardness. The ILX is also pretty spacious for a compact car, with a decent amount of backseat room. Still, headroom can be snug for 6-footers, due to the car's standard sunroof.

Trunk space, at 12.4 cubic feet, is average, and the opening is a little narrow. The rear seat folds down to facilitate carrying longer items, but the seatback is not split to permit a mix of long cargo and a passenger or 2 in the backseat. The Hybrid, due to its battery pack, drops to 10 cubic feet of space.

Driving Impressions

Nobody is going to mistake the 2014 Acura ILX for a BMW 3 Series, but overall performance is more than adequate for everyday commuting duty. The standard 2.0-liter engine is quite smooth, so wringing the most from it is not an annoying task. The ILX Hybrid is slow, no question, but it obviously benefits from dramatically improved fuel economy. It can't accelerate using electricity alone, however, and the hybrid system doesn't feel as refined as that of the Lexus CT 200h.

Equipped with the 2.4-liter engine, the ILX is a different animal, as its sporting exhaust note and greater horsepower translate to quicker acceleration. We're also quite fond of the precision-machined action of the 6-speed manual transmission, which is 1 of the easiest and most enjoyable to use in any car. Still, the fact that you can't get it with an automatic transmission limits the 2.4 model's appeal for commuters.

Ride quality is a strength for all versions of the 2014 Acura ILX. This car offers a nearly ideal compromise between control and comfort, and it's quiet on the highway. Driving enthusiasts might be disappointed that the ILX 2.4 doesn't come with a sportier suspension tune, but the car is sure-footed around turns and generally enjoyable to pilot.

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2013 Acura ILX Long-Term Update 4

With its B1 service light going off and the Acura ILX's oil level getting within an inch of its life, it was time to head back to Glendale Acura for the ILX's 2nd scheduled service. Oil-change intervals have been running around 7000 miles or so, and while at $100-plus a shot it isn't cheap if you have the dealer perform the maintenance, getting the factory treatment gives you a certain amount of peace of mind. During the service, the techs noted that a minor recall had been issued for a door lock, and addressed it. Not something that's going to happen at your local oil change place.

Right before setting up the appointment, I noticed the left front foglamp had gone dark, making this the 1st unscheduled issue with the ILX. It seemed a little early in the car's lifespan for a light to go out, and upon closer inspection, there were a few scrapes around the foglamp housing. The techs indicated there was a hard hit around the area, and it had cracked the housing around the lamp and done more damage than 1st thought.

I could not recall any sort of hit of that nature. The car had been passed around a bit in the time before the light went out, but there were no reports of any damage. Maybe it was hit in a parking lot. In any event, it's a $306.08 unsolved mystery. And of course, all the parts weren't available when I brought it in for the oil change, so I had to schedule another appointment, but it got handled.

Other than that minor unanticipated issue, as the miles start to pile up, the ILX continues to rev and run like the 1st day I hopped in it. I haven't been able to detect any loose trim, annoying rattles, or other quality issues. Dynamically, it continues to be impressive as well. The engine is still strong at full song. The suspension remains taut; its brakes continue to stop hard; and I'm as in tune with its 6-speed as I have ever been with any manual transmission. So far, the ILX has been 1 well-screwed-together near-luxe compact. Inside, its traditional gauge cluster, easy-to-operate center stack, and overall cabin setup are now 2nd nature to me. Thus far, the ILX has proven itself to be an honest, straight-forward car that has been representing its Acura beak well.

Our Car
Service life 10 mo/16,830 mi
Average fuel economy 27.1 mpg
CO2 emissions 0.72 lb/mi
Energy consumption 124 kW-hrs/100 mi
Unresolved problems None
Maintenance cost $293.35 (2-oil change, inspection, 2-tire rotation) "
Normal-wear cost $0

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2013 Acura ILX Hybrid
This is Not the Acura You're Looking For

Mid-level luxury brands have always had to do a bit of leg work to distance themselves from their more common cousins. Thanks to generation after generation of pervasive badge engineering (much of it from the Big 3), buyers can't be blamed for looking at brands like Buick, Lincoln, Infiniti, Lexus and yes, Acura as tarted up versions of Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan, Toyota and Honda products. For much of its lifetime in the automotive landscape, however, Acura has excelled at putting distance between its offerings and that of its parent company thanks to cars with superior driving dynamics, quieter cabins and clean, attractive aesthetics.

Yes, outliers and dull spots can be found in the company's recent track record, but by and large, Acura products remain situated well above the Honda rabble. When the brand announced it was getting serious about the luxury small car game with the ILX, those of us with a set of the company's keys in our past couldn't help but envision an honest successor to the long-dead Integra. Turns out, that wasn't what Acura had in mind.

As you've likely heard by now, the ILX is the least premium vehicle to wear the Acura badge in some years, but where the standard car falls flat, the ILX Hybrid may have room to excel. Hybrid buyers are typically willing to sacrifice some measure of handling, cabin refinement and performance for fuel economy, and that seemingly lends this model a real shot at giving hybrid hardware from Lexus a run for its money.

From the outside, the ILX Hybrid hides its Civic roots well enough. That's thanks to an attractive take on Acura's corporate fascia. With the shield grille somewhat tamed and an upkick along the lower valance, the vehicle's nose is fairly attractive. Swept-back projector headlamp arrays pull the eye toward the sedan's side, where a character line wanders from just behind the front wheel well to just north of the taillamps. Acura also kept hybrid badging to a minimum with a simple pair of emblems on each fender paired with another on the trunk lid. Visually, they're the only indication this is anything other than a standard ILX.

Well, those and the tiny 16-inch alloy wheels on our tester. We haven't seen rollers this petite on a luxury car since velour was a regular contestant on option sheets. The sizable sidewalls on the 205/55 R16 all-season tires certainly don't do anything to make the car look premium, though we don't have any harsh criticism for the split 5-spoke wheel design.

From the rear, it's clear Acura designers have finally begun to move back to basics, choosing clean lines and attractive taillamps over an abundance of angles. The look won't stand out in a crowd as particularly attractive or memorable, but it won't send the contents of your stomach scrambling for air, either. Given creations like the ZDX, we're grateful for small mercies.

But it's indoors where the ILX Hybrid begins to show its common blood lines. The cabin is choked with materials that are unbecoming of a vehicle with a price tag over $35,000. While the steering wheel, shift knob and handbrake lever receive nice leather and the dash is attractive enough, everything onboard simply feels half a step below the rest of the Acura line – it doesn't feel cheap so much as thoroughly Honda. The leather seats are comfortable enough, but seem to be wrapped in the same hide found in a top-trim Accord. That's fine for a budget midsizer, but it's more problematic for a sedan with an Acura badge on the nose.

The good news is that there's plenty of space inside. The ILX Hybrid delivers ample head- and legroom for front-seat passengers, and the rear bench serves up 34.1 inches of rear legroom. That's over an inch more than the comparably priced 2013 Lexus CT 200h hatchback, though the Lexus comes out on top in rear headroom. Still, with 35.9 inches worth of space for lofty hair, the ILX Hybrid isn't exactly cramped. Where the model does suffer, though, is cargo capacity. Engineers have trimmed the trunk capacity from 12.4 cubic feet to 10 cubes to make room for the battery pack, and that number drops even further with the addition of the optional Technology Package. The extra gear cuts trunk space to 9.8 cubic feet. For comparison's sake, that's nearly 5 cubic feet less than a pint-sized Nissan Versa.

But the ILX Hybrid has larger concerns. While this is the 1st hybrid ever sold under the Acura banner, Honda has plenty of experience wedging electric motors and batteries into the company's products. The ILX Hybrid makes use of Honda's fifth-generation Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system, combining a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with a small electric motor and a continuously variable transmission. The combination is good for 111 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 127 pound-feet of torque from 1,000 rpm. Unfortunately, this sedan tips the scales at nearly 3,000 pounds. That's a good amount of heft for so little power, and the ILX Hybrid can't help but feel slow on the road, especially when getting away from a complete stop. Our best seat-of-the-pants guess puts the machine at a little over 10 seconds to 60 miles per hour.

The good news is that the drivetrain is as smooth and quiet as we've come to expect from Honda, and the CVT is entirely tolerable. The transmission doesn't feel awkward or out of place here, simply putting the driveline where it makes the most power when the driver needs it. Unfortunately, the ILX Hybrid still suffers in the noise, vibration and harshness department. There's no missing the road noise that makes its way into the cabin at highway speeds, and we noticed plenty of racket from the rear suspension over uneven pavement. Whether this is the ILX showing its Civic roots or simply the Acura notion of an entry-level hybrid, the experience falls far short of our expectations of a car with a price tag of $35,295.

That's not to say there aren't bright spots in the driving experience. The ILX Hybrid doesn't commit any crimes against driving in the steering, brakes or handling departments. The ride is appropriately soft while retaining a certain level of confidence. While the suspension doesn't exactly goad you into hammering from apex to apex, body roll and understeer are all kept at bay. And then there's the fuel economy. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the 2013 ILX Hybrid will return 39 miles per gallon city, 38 highway and 38 mpg combined. Refreshingly, those numbers are right in line with what we observed during our week with the hybrid. Combined driving routinely saw our fuel economy sit dead on 39 mpg, with occasional jumps into the 40-mpg realm.

Even so, those numbers still fall behind the CT 200h at 43 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. The base, non-hybrid ILX starts at $26,900, and at that price, we'd be willing to forgive some of the vehicle's quirks. But stepping up to the hybrid will cost you an additional $2,000, and, as was mentioned earlier, our Tech Package-equipped tester rung the bell at $35,295 with an $895 destination fee. That price tag will net you navigation, a 10-speaker surround sound system and leather trimmings, but the similarly sized, more efficient CT 200h can be had for less money, and it doesn't remind us of a Toyota like the ILX reminds us of a Honda.

Some buyers will inevitably prefer the sedan styling of the ILX hybrid over its hatchback Lexus competition, and in that respect, Acura has quietly cornered the efficient entry-level luxury compact (sedan) segment. We just wish they'd done a better job of it. The 2013 ILX Hybrid lacks that feeling of something special that buyers expect to find when they move up to a brand like Acura. This model doesn't differentiate itself in handling, performance or refinement in any substantial way from its less-expensive family members on the Honda lot, and that's a shame.

Vital Stats
Engine: 1.5L I4 + electric motor
Power: 111 HP / 127 LB-FT
Transmission: CVT
Drivetrain: Front-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 2,987 LBS
Seating: 2+3
Cargo: 9.8 CU-FT
MPG: 39 City / 38 HWY
Base Price: $28,900
As-Tested Price: $35,295

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2013 Acura ILX vs. 2013 Buick Verano Turbo:
Mini Comparison
Extended Seat Time in Near-Luxe Compact Sedan Competitors

It's pretty rare that we get a chance to evaluate 2 vehicles for an extended period, but I recently spent time with both the 2013 Acura ILX and 2013 Buick Verano Turbo in the #MTGarage. I've been piloting the ILX for multiple months and thousands of miles and am intimately familiar with Acura's compact sedan. So when its foil, the Verano, joined the MT long-term fleet, I made a point to get up close and personal with Buick's entry-level, near-luxe sedan to see for myself how these 2 compacts stack up against each other.

Late last year when they went mano a mano in an MT comparison test, the Verano came out on top. While I don't necessarily disagree with the conclusion, these cars have fundamentally different personalities that really stand out after you spend a couple of weeks in them back-to-back.

Both front-drivers have 2.0-liter fours, although the turbo Verano is way up on power (250 hp and 260 lb-ft versus the 201 hp and 170 lb-ft ILX mill), helping offset the close to 500 pounds of additional weight the Verano's engine has to motivate. Both of our long-termers have 6-speed manuals. Delete the Verano's optional $795 navigation system and both cars are within $100 of each other right at $30K, and similarly equipped. 2013 Buick Verano Turbo Front Three Quarters

We recently retested the Verano. Its numbers improved slightly from the car we had in for last year's comparo (6.4-second 0-60 mph/15.0-second quarter mile/119-foot 60-0 mph braking/0.82 g skidpad/26.8 seconds at .067 average g). The ILX's numbers are strikingly similar save the skidpad (6.4-second 0-60 mph/14.9-second quarter mile/120-foot 60-0 mph braking/0.80 g skidpad/27.9 seconds at .056 average g).

On the open road, the Verano's extra poundage and larger dimensions are apparent. It feels bigger (it's almost 5 inches longer and 3 inches taller), heavier, and slightly less nimble than the ILX, although I realize the dynamic numbers don't support that conclusion. Maybe the ILX's multi-link rear suspension versus the Verano's torsion beam has something to do with it. (The Verano does come with Stabilitrak, however.) The ILX seems quicker, racier, tighter, and easier to fling into an on-ramp — it's certainly louder and more visceral. The ILX's redline is 600 rpm higher and it madly buzzes to the limiter, while the Verano quietly works its way to the top, blithely doling out the power. The ILX's 6-speed to me is miles better, a supremely balanced clutch-pedal operation among the best on the market. The Verano's is acceptable but not nearly as dialed-in. If I were in the market for a Verano, I'd absolutely skip the manual, although Buick gets a fist bump for offering it. In the ILX, it feels more like a part of the car's DNA.

Both cars are a mixed bag from the cockpit. I prefer the Acura's classic instrument panel and information area (Buick, 1995 called, it wants its green-hued info display back), and for all the complaining auto journalists do about Acura's button strewn center stacks, the Verano more than gives the ILX a run for the button money. Both are laid out logically and are easy to get used to, and the Verano has 1 button the ILX doesn't: a sweet electric parking brake feature.

The ILX's seats are more supportive. The Buick's are more comfortable. Cupholders in both cars are among the best out there; the ILX gets a few more points for having a USB jack in its front cubby area, but they get deducted for not offering a nav option like the Verano's quality unit. (Nav is available on other ILX models but not with the manual.) The Verano comes with additional cool standard features such as remote start and a Bose sound system.

If you've read my previous reports, then you know the ILX's headroom is not very good with the standard sunroof. Visibility out of both is more than acceptable, but the Verano is slightly easier to see out of, and it's bigger inside in almost every dimension. Rear legroom is better, headroom is better, and there are 2-plus cubes more trunk space. But other than having the tall-guy issues, the ILX's cockpit is more polished, its build quality a hair better. The steering wheel controls and the wheel itself fit better to my hands. I feel more dialed-in to the environment around at the helm of the ILX.

Outside, the Verano has more presence. Its stance is muscular, brawny. I loathe the portholes -- they look cheap and tacked on -- and the slatted grille is much shinier and "look-at-me" than the Acura's beak. Despite its warts, the Buick is more impressive to me overall front to back, although the Acura is compact, tight, and cohesive.

Put a gun to my head, and I'm driving the Verano off the lot, more for its day-to-day livability than anything else. Ask me which car I'd rather drive hard out on a canyon road, and it's the ILX. 1 thing's for sure after my back-to-back compact sedan attack: Either car is more than worth a look if you're eyeing this particular segment.

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2013 Acura ILX Verdict

The 2013 Acura ILX is like 1 of those scary gateway drugs you always hear about. Acura hopes with just 1 taste you'll be hooked forever. We recently came down from more than a year's worth of hits off the most entertaining version of the ILX, a car that tempts potential addicts, er, customers "to move up without settling down." While we walked away from our time with the 2013 ILX without having to enter rehab, the version of the Acura compact we tested left us high on its numerous strong points.

It's important to emphasize that the particular ILX we had was powered by Honda's 2.4-liter inline-4 with 201 hp and 170 lb-ft partnered with a 6-speed manual. This is the enthusiast's choice of the ILX lineup, and running it through the gears again and again to its 7100-rpm redline is 1 of the biggest highs you'll get from it, but you will build up a tolerance. With a 6.4-second 0-60-mph time, the ILX isn't going to blow your mind with straight-line speed. Its handling prowess won't make you OD. But it does have a certain visceral appeal to it, and with a DNA similar to that of its distant Civic Si cousin, it scores pretty high on enthusiast purity.

Arguably the best-looking Acura in the current stable, the ILX has elements that work for and against it. Its standard moonroof seems a great luxury touch, but only if you're under 6 feet tall. Otherwise, prepare to have your noggin glancing off the headliner. Rear-seat passengers are snug, but not stiflingly so, and at 12.3 cubes the trunk isn't cavernous, but it'll hold groceries or a couple of big travel bags.

The ILX Is aimed at young, mainly single upwardly mobile types, aka millennials, the new Holy Grail demographic. It has most of the features today's connected kids are seeking, such as Pandora integration, Bluetooth streaming, and convenient spots to hook in and throw your smartphone. It also has some of the best cupholders in the business to house that triple mocha non-fat venti latte. And given that millennials are known to inhabit urban environments, the ILX makes sense in that it's easy to park and maneuver in tight situations. The 2.4 doesn't come with a factory navigation option, but who needs that when you have nav on your smart phone, right?

I spent the majority of my time in the cockpit of the ILX traversing the mean streets of the City of Angels. The driver's seat strikes a more than acceptable comfort/sport balance, and while the cockpit as a whole is snug, it isn't smothering. For a compact, the sight lines are acceptable, and I was always aware of lane-splitting bikers cutting through the red zones. In L.A.'s interminable stop-and-go traffic, the ILX's 6-speed manual doesn't punish your left leg and is 1 of the easiest to modulate shift-for-yourself units I have ever rowed. Under hard acceleration, the ILX's cabin is noisier than other offerings in the segment (our scientific measurements showed the Buick Verano proved quieter), but in some ways it burnishes the car's "without settling down" marketing tag line. When traffic unexpectedly slowed, the ILX's brakes (120 feet from 60 to 0 mph) stopped strong all year long.

Nobody took any mega road trips in the ILX, but multiple 5-8-hour open road jaunts proved uneventful. The car buzzed along at around 3000 rpm at 70-75 mph in 6th during long freeway stretches. Range from its 13.2-gallon tank wasn't exactly impressive. About the best I could squeeze out of it was around 340 miles, and only during long, steady freeway stints. MT observed mileage came out to 27.2 mpg combined, higher than the 2013 ILX 2.4's rating of 22/31/25 city/highway/combined.

Speaking of uneventful, the same can be said of the ILX's service. We took it in to the dealer 3 times for its normal scheduled intervals, and, while spendy at more than $100 a pop, the work was done without incident, as was 1 recall fix to address a door latch issue. The only unplanned service was for a driver-side foglamp area that took a hit that knocked out the lamp and damaged a few other parts. The repair was $392.65. And other than a passenger-side door speaker cover that came loose, the cabin held up well.

Acura's been hammered over the years for having too many buttons in the center stack, but not so much on this ILX, especially without the nav/infotainment. We're going to miss the habit-forming raw sophistication of the ILX. It keeps you engaged and entertained, whether you're attacking your favorite on-ramp or downshifting past yet another annoying left lane chicane. And Acura's hoping the ILX has just enough other tech and features to keep the folks hooked on some of that prime A stuff.

Our Car
Service life 15 mo/23,475 mi
Base Price $30,095
Price as Tested $30,095
Options None
Average fuel economy 27.2 mpg
CO2 emissions 0.71 lb/mi
EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ 22/31/25 mpg
Problem Areas None
Maintenance cost $401.92 (3-oil change, inspection; 1- tire rotation)
Normal-wear cost $0
3-Year Residual Value* $15,649
Recalls Front door latch
*Automotive Lease Guide

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2013 Acura ILX
4 Seasons Wrap-Up

The Acura Integra was one of the seminal sporty compacts and a star of the brand's early lineup. The Integra eventually went away, and when Acura's most recent entry-level model, the TSX, floated up in size and price, it left space once again for a youthful entrée into the brand. It was with fond memories of the Integra that we ordered a new Acura ILX for a yearlong test. Maybe things were simpler back in the late 1980s and early '90s (which is starting to feel like a long time ago), but the notion of a Honda Civic made nicer and sportier doesn't seem so complicated, really. Our year with the ILX, however, suggests that it is.

Things started off on a good note. We opted for the larger, 2.4-liter engine, which is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission and comes standard with the premium package. Effectively, this version of the ILX uses the Civic Si as its springboard. This powertrain won friends right away, and it seemed that everyone who slid behind the wheel marveled at Honda's ability to create a slick, user-friendly manual gearbox.

"The clutch and transmission are absolute joys to use," began associate web editor Jake Holmes, in a missive about the ILX's stick shift. "Changing gears is so effortless that it requires no more thought than driving an automatic," he continued. "You never wonder when or how the clutch will engage, and it is light enough that it won't tire your leg in city traffic. The shifter is deliciously precise in the way it slips from gear to gear, and each gate is exactly where you expect it to be." Others were equally enthusiastic, if less verbose. "Happiness is a Honda stick shift," quipped copy editor Rusty Blackwell.

This was just as we'd remembered from days gone by. So, too, was the rev-happy Honda i-VTEC 4-cylinder. Its 201 hp comes on at 7000 rpm, and its peak torque of 170 lb-ft isn't within reach until 4400 rpm. The engine's large displacement, high-revving nature, and linear throttle response give it a retro appeal that holds considerable charm. Drawing a contrast with many of today's turbo fours, which have all their torque down low, associate editor David Zenlea said, "The Honda 2.4-liter still loves to be revved past 6000 rpm." Another commenter added: "I love to wind out the engine and hear it snarl all the way to the redline."

The powertrain is definitely the hero of the ILX story, but it is a hero that's not without flaw. For 1 thing, this version of the ILX is an outlier. The vast majority of ILXs are equipped with the much more humble 150-hp 2.0-liter and a 5-speed automatic. Others have the fuel-sipping, but soul-sapping, 1.5-liter 4-cylinder hybrid. The 2.4-liter might find more takers if Acura offered it with an automatic -- yeah, we know, everybody should drive a stick shift, but the reality is that most people don't. As it is, the 2.4 comes only with the manual.

The other issue is that, while it's fun to run this engine into the far reaches of the tach, its droning becomes a drag when it's spinning away at 3000 rpm or better on the highway. We're not saying that Honda should ditch this normally aspirated 4-cylinder; we would suggest, however, a taller 6th gear. With a linkage this slick, we wouldn't mind dropping down a gear or 2 when it's time to pass.

And it's not just the engine. There's a fair bit of road and suspension noise, as well. "I think they forgot the sound deadening," wrote 1 commenter. Maybe that was true; for 2014 Acura has added active noise cancellation to the ILX.

The lack of refinement might not be such an issue if Acura presented the ILX as an enthusiast's machine. The chassis, though, is confused on that front. The lifeless steering gives lie to that notion. "There's no indication that the steering wheel is actually connected to anything behind the dashboard," Holmes said, "and that's a pity because the zesty powertrain deserves a fun-to-drive package." Senior web editor Phil Floraday wished for a firmer suspension but acknowledged that he didn't mind trading a measure of body control in order to stave off impact harshness.

After a time, we noted that the rear suspension wasn't damping bumps very well and was being excessively vocal in its work. Floraday even crawled underneath, wondering if the car had a beam axle at the rear (it doesn't; the ILX has an independent multilink rear suspension). Finally, a vigilant service technician discovered that a damper had gone bad, and it was replaced under warranty. Ride quality was restored, but the suspension noise wasn't totally eradicated.

Noise wasn't the only aspect of the ILX that had us questioning its premium-compact credentials. The fact that navigation (part of the technology package) is not offered with this powertrain, even as an option, drew a fair bit of criticism. So did the fussy Bluetooth system. Also, the voice-command button "is a bit of a ruse," because it can't operate any infotainment features beyond very basic phone functions. And everyone complained about the rearview camera's image quality. Deputy editor Joe DeMatio likened it to "a fuzzy black-and-white movie on a crappy old TV." Here again, Acura has made a change for 2014 with a new multiview camera as standard equipment.

The interior's tech features disappointed, but in characteristic Honda fashion the ILX cabin gets the important things right. The switchgear is of high quality, with an unfussy layout and clear functionality. More than 1 staff member gave a shout-out to the radio controls, which are easy to use and minimally distracting. The seats received mostly good reviews, but tall drivers felt too close to the headliner even with the seat at the lowest position. Overall, though, the cabin doesn't feel cramped, unlike others in this class. As associate web editor Joey Capparella observed, "This Acura manages to be relatively roomy inside while remaining compact on the outside."

For some of us, this all added up to a compelling mix of virtues. "The ILX is for those of us who grew up loving Honda Civics of the '90s to early 2000s," said 20-something videographer Sandon Voelker. "It's a Civic that has grown up and put on a suit. No, it's not the most refined or classy car in this segment, nor is it a sports car with 4 doors. To me, this is a car guy's daily driver. It's quick and involving enough to make me take the back roads to work on occasion. It's roomy and comfortable enough to bring your friends on a weekend trip. And it's stylish and handsome enough to take your boss out to lunch or to pick up a date."

But more of us felt that the ILX was too short on refinement to be a convincing premium compact car and not sporting enough to be a dressed-up sport sedan. In truth, the notion of an upmarket compact is a relatively recent 1, and the offerings so far -- ranging from the Lexus CT200h to the Buick Verano to the Mercedes-Benz CLA -- are all over the map.

"Clearly, every automaker is struggling to figure out what buyers in this segment want," argued Zenlea. We think that Acura had a pretty good handle on it back in the day with the Integra. We're still awaiting its return.

OUR TEST RESULTS
0-60 mph 7.1 sec
0-100 mph 18.5 sec
1/4-mile 15.4 sec @ 91 mph
45-65 mph passing 3.6 sec
Peak acceleration 0.60 g
Speed in Gears 1) 34; 2) 54; 3) 76; 4) 102; 5) 131; 6) 138 mph
Skidpad 0.80 g
60-0 mph braking 126.3 ft
Peak braking 1.15 g

Running Costs
MILEAGE 24,687
WARRANTY 4-yr/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper
6-yr/70,000-mile powertrain
4-yr/50,000-mile roadside assistance
5-yr/unlimited-mile corrosion
SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE 8127 mi: $43.46
16,199 mi: $43.46
24,127 mi: $167.86
WARRANTY REPAIRS 10,257 mi: Replace rear suspension dampers
RECALLS None
OUT-OF-POCKET 3081 mi: Fix bent wheel, $180
3504 mi: Purchase, mount, and balance four Continental ExtremeWinterContact winter tires, $744.00
11,892 mi: Balance and remount Michelin all-season tires, $100.00
17,034 mi: 4-wheel alignment, $137.45
FUEL CONSUMPTION
EPA city/hwy/combined 22/31/25 mpg
Observed 28 mpg
COST PER MILE (Fuel, service, brakes, winter tires) $0.19 ($0.57 including depreciation)

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2013 Acura ILX 2.4 Premium
Long Term Test Wrap Up Review

Months in Fleet: 17 months
Current Mileage: 40,106 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 28 mpg
Average Range: 356 miles
Service: $620
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $181

When Acura’s ILX sports sedan arrived for 2013, we harbored few hopes that it would be a new-age Integra. We did figure at least 1 version would be fun, an expectation that sprung from the existence of the effervescent 201-hp, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder and 6-speed manual on the powertrain roster. It’s the same pairing as found on Honda’s Civic Si, and we figured that such an ILX would combine the bubbly personality of the Si with the interior comforts that accompany Acura badging. We were right, although that doesn’t tell the whole story.

Zing Zing Zing

In the ILX lineup, the 2.4 is available only with a stick, and not 1 logbook entry failed to heap praise on the rev-happy 4-banger or the smooth-shifting gearbox. We loved popping into the compact sedan for jaunts around Ann Arbor, largely because of this powertrain combo. And, thankfully, that sticky feeling in the transmission we reported in the last update can be chalked up to cold weather—shift feel was as slick as ever once temperatures returned to what Michiganders refer to as mild.

The yin to the ILX’s charming about-town yang is its childish behavior on the freeway. At highway speeds, the car’s short gearing and lack of taller overdrive ratios keeps the 2.4-liter turning well north of 3000 rpm in 6th gear. A number of logbook scribblers admitted to reaching for a taller gear on the interstate, only to discover they were already in 6th. Such engine drone—not to mention the ample volumes of road and wind noise—is awfully unbecoming of a model from a luxury brand, even 1 touted as a junior sports sedan.

Even when emphasizing the “junior” in junior sports sedan, the ILX never quite lived up to expectations. The Acura’s electric power steering is parking-lot light at initial turn-in but then loads up unnervingly as input is added. Quick changes in direction are met by slow responses from the combination of steering, suspension, and tires, and it’s not long before requests and the car’s reactions are out of sync.

However, the ILX showed improvement in some performance metrics as its stay with us wore on. Braking was markedly better, lopping 18 feet from the initial 70-mph-to-0 stopping distance, down to a respectable 166. This can likely be explained by the wear of the ILX’s Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 all-season tires, whose blocklike tread pattern can squish when fresh, reducing grip levels and stretching braking distances. After 40,000 miles, this rubber wore and subsequently stiffened, yielding significantly improved performance, further evidenced by an increase of 0.02 g in roadholding grip to 0.83.

As for the powertrain, the 0-to-60-mph sprint improved by 0.2 second, to 6.2 seconds, and the quarter-mile time dropped by 0.1 to 14.9 seconds at a speed of 96 mph—1 mph faster than in our initial testing. Fuel economy rose from 27 mpg during the 1st portion of the ILX’s stay to 28 mpg by the time 40,000 miles rolled around.

The ILX proved to be largely trouble-free, and its 5 visits to the dealer were relatively gentle on our wallet. Our 1st trip at 8710 miles included an oil change and tire rotation—as well as a new set of front door latches per a recall—and set us back $71. We returned roughly 5000 miles later to fix a passenger-side front-door lock that went on strike and to diagnose a vibration at speed. The techs found and fixed (under warranty) a loose door-lock connection and discovered a nail in the right rear tire that was also fixed free of charge; all 4 wheels were balanced, which cost us $74. At 17,435 miles, a scheduled maintenance visit to change the oil and rotate the tires turned up a slightly bent rim and a bubble in 1 of the tires. The new rubber rang up at $107. We were back again at 26,826 miles for another oil change and tire rotation and to have the cabin and engine air filters replaced. At that point, we complained that the passenger seat wobbled in its tracks but were told it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Our final visit (at 36,197 miles) was for a $151 oil change, vehicle inspection, and tire rotation.

Badge for Your Buck

The ILX let us down again once we focused on the “L” word—that’d be luxury. As we’ve lamented in this car's introduction and update, Acura doesn’t offer navigation with the 2.4-liter with manual-transmission combination—inexcusable for a brand fighting to remain relevant in the luxury segment. “When navigation can be had in a Nissan Versa sedan, navigation should be available in an Acura, regardless of which engine is under the hood,” opined 1 logbook entry. The 5-inch infotainment display that did come with our car looked and behaved as if it were a decade old, too.

Perhaps our biggest issue with the Acura ILX is that its most endearing feature—the drivetrain—can be had in a couple of less-expensive Hondas. The cheaper-and-bigger option is the Honda Accord Sport, which utilizes a similar powertrain, albeit detuned by 12 horsepower, while offering more interior space and improved efficiency for $5915 less. Of course, the other car is the Civic Si sedan, which costs $6590 less than the ILX, and for an extra $1500, Honda will even equip your Si with navigation. At $25,005, that’s a relative bargain compared with our $30,095 ILX.

Neither of those Hondas has leather seating, pushbutton start, or dual-zone climate control, the sort of stuff that’s mandatory in the luxury realm, but as our leather-upholstered chairs suffered visible wear and were cited for a lack of support and overall comfort, 1 could argue that some of the ILX’s luxury trinkets aren’t necessarily up to snuff.

We applaud Acura for being among the 1st to join the rapidly growing compact luxury-sedan arena, but as in other segments, the brand’s unexciting styling and product-planning missteps are significant handicaps. For the ILX, they’re even more glaring in the face of the new, premium small cars from Audi, Mercedes, and BMW.

PERFORMANCE: 40,000 MILES
0 to 60 mph: 6.2 sec
0 to 100 mph: 16.4 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 6.4 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 8.1 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 8.1 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.9 sec @ 96 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 138 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 166 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.83 g

PERFORMANCE: NEW
0 to 60 mph: 6.4 sec
0 to 100 mph: 16.7 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 6.9 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 9.0 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 8.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.0 sec @ 95 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 138 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 184 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.81 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 22/31 mpg
C/D observed: 28 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt

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1st Look: 2016 Acura ILX
TLX Lite

Its builders have further separated the 2016 Acura ILX from its distant cousin, the Honda Civic. Not that the Civic is a bad thing, but the refreshed 2016 ILX, unveiled at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto show, has bigger aspirations. Specifically, it now sports technology, styling cues, and a powertrain from the newly released 2015 Acura TLX.

The big news here is what's under the hood. The base 2.0-liter I-4 (150-hp and 140 lb-ft of torque) has been dropped, as has the 2.4-liter inline-4that made 201 hp and 170 lb-ft. (Both engines, by the way, were sourced from the Civic.) Now, the sole engine powering the 2016 ILX is a 2.4-liter direct-injection inline-4 that comes straight from the TLX and is rated at 201 hp and 180 lb-ft, slightly less than the midsize Acura. Also sourced from the TLX is its 8-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox with a torque converter. That's a welcome change from the dated 5-speed automatic on the previous ILX. The 6-speed manual that Motor Trend raved about in a long-term test has unfortunately been dropped due to its low take rate of less than 5%, according to Acura.

We'll have to wait for performance numbers, but Acura estimates the 2016 ILX should keep pace or run quicker than the pre-refreshed model with the 2.4-liter I-4 and 6-speed manual, which ran from 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds in our testing. Expect fuel economy to be slight better than the TLX 2.4, which is EPA-rated at 24/35/28 mpg city/highway/combined.

Styling tweaks are subtle, but the front clip looks significantly more premium thanks to new standard LED headlight units that also feature LED daytime running lamps on the lower edge of the housing. The front and rear fascias have been reworked, as have the standard 17-inch wheels and LED taillights.

We often wished the ILX did a better job of keeping out wind and road noise, and it looks like Acura has listened. The 2016 ILX is now packed with more sound-deadening material, and the front-door glass is thicker by 1mm. The chassis is stiffer, too, featuring Acura's next-generation ACE body structure. The automaker expects to earn top marks in IIHS crash testing.

The base ILX will feature leatherette seating surfaces, driver's memory seat, power-adjustable passenger seat, and a new infotainment system that essentially mimics the MDX and TLX, with an upper 8-inch display screen and a lower 7-inch touchscreen.

Jumping up to the ILX Premium adds leather seats, Homelink remote, a blind-spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic monitor, HD radio, and added capability for a navigation app that's accessed from the owner's smartphone and integrated with the infotainment system. Finally, the ILX Technology Plus model adds a navigation system, Siri Eyes Free, and premium audio.

New for the 2016 ILX is the AcuraWatch system, which can be had on all trim levels. Essentially a bundle of advanced safety tech, AcuraWatch includes adaptive cruise control, multi-view rear camera, an enhanced collision mitigation system (with pedestrian sensing), and a road departure mitigation system that actually intervenes with steering to keep the car on the road.

Also added for the refreshed ILX is a new A-SPEC package, which can be combined with the Premium or Technology package. Included in the A-SPEC package are bigger 18-inch wheels, a body kit, trunk spoiler, fog lights, perforated Lux Suede seat inserts, red interior lighting accents, gray contrast stitching, black headliner, and aluminum pedals.

Acura says the 2016 ILX will go on sale early next year, with pricing to be announced closer to its sale date. The current 2015 ILX with the base 2.0-liter engine starts at $27,970, and the ILX with the 2.4-liter carries an MSRP of $30,270. It's the more-than-$30k number that gets people talking about balking. Overall, the refreshed ILX appears to pack more Acura DNA, making it less of a Civic and more like TLX. We'll find out early next year how those improvements affect this compact luxury sedan's sales numbers.

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1st Drive:
2016 Acura ILX

The entry-level luxury car is a strange beast. These cars are supposed to draw new people into a brand and, as the theory goes, create lifelong customers.

That's the traditional model, but it appears that there's nothing traditional about new luxury car buyers.

In fact, lots of people have guessed wrong about who buys these entry luxury vehicles and what they are looking for in such a car. To make the waters murkier, mainstream brands have created extremely luxurious competitors such as the Ford Focus Titanium. These can easily out-price -- and outperform -- vehicles such as the Audi A3 or Mercedes CLA.

When Acura rolled out the ILX a few years ago, the entry-level luxury vehicle was created on the Honda Civic platform, which was underwhelming in performance and luxury. It was not a very good starting point for a brand that was struggling with its identity, and the car was in desperate need of rhinoplasty to fix a nose that only a mother could love.

It may have taken a few years, but Acura engineers and designers have struck just the right chord with the made-over ILX. It's modest but luxurious. It's fun to drive and fuel-efficient. It's the real deal and rolling into dealerships today.

Typical refreshes include a couple of new bobbles and replaced front and rear fascias. Acura went way beyond that for this particular car. Its new fascias force the eye lower and give the car a much wider stance. That helps it look more planted and confident. The new grille, which is still not the best out there, is considerably softened and certainly tolerable. The new Jewel Eye LED headlights are simply fantastic -- and standard on the ILX. (Acura also added LED bars below the lights to work as daytime running lights.)

The same goes with the ILX's backside, which is cleaner, lower-looking, and sharper overall. The problem with the previous ILX was that too much of the body looked like a gussied-up Civic, the platform on which the ILX is built. That look has been pleasantly remedied.

Add the optional A-Spec package, which adds foglamps, some ground effects, and a rear deck spoiler, and all of the Civic is shaken out of the exterior. There are nice creases across the body, and the bigger 18-inch wheels add to the car's powerful look. 2016 Acura Ilx A Spec Cockpit 04

But a more powerful look was never going to help the previous model if it still used that anemic 150-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine attached to a 5-speed automatic transmission. Acura lost the 2.0-liter engine and dropped in a 2.4-liter, direct injection, 16-valve 4-cylinder engine that creates 201 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. It also introduces the 1st dual-clutch 8-speed automatic transmission with a torque converter and paddle shifters that seem to always know the right gear at the right time. It launches with aggressive power, and once 1st gear winds out, it quickly shifts and maintains that torque until you let off the gas. There's a touch of torque steer to pull you to the right under heavy acceleration off the line, but that quickly disappears and leaves you with a compact rocket on the road.

The electric power steering is taut and very linear, snapping back to center with ease. Driving around Napa, California's, winding mountain roads, the ILX kept its line through every corner and never let up. It's smooth but feels quick and allowed me a chance to make my driving partner just a little bit carsick after a few twisty corners. Acura also improved the car's braking, allowing it to remain smooth and quick. For those who want the car to do the driving for you, the ILX offers adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. I'm not particularly fond of the lane-keep assist system, because it seems to work even when I didn't want it to, pulling me back to the center of the lane during faster driving, but I should have merely turned it off then. On the highway, it does a nice job of smoothly adjusting the car back to the middle of the lane.

Acura added a number of quieting technologies in the car, including active noise cancelation and additional deadening materials. This was quite noticeable. The car is remarkably quiet, especially considering it's built on the Civic platform, which is not the quietest compact around. A quiet ride remains 1 of the hallmarks of luxury, and the ILX allows for easy conversations at any speed.

The interior improvements are just as noticeable as the exterior ones. There are steps up in the quality of materials, the soft dash, and nicely done stitching throughout the cabin. (The A-Spec model includes aluminum floor pedals and special seat inserts.) There are all of the regular luxury items, such as a moonroof, a clean instrument cluster, and comfortable heated seats. When you sit down in this car, you notice that it's nicely done.

The center stack remains a bit confusing, though it's certainly improved over the outgoing model. There are 2 LCD screens, 1 at the top of the dash and 1 in the middle of the center stack. The second one really acts as the stereo head unit -- and Acura offers an optional 10-speaker ELS stereo system that is extremely well-tuned. But the head unit has large graphics, remains confusing to use, and can be entirely duplicated on the bigger 7-inch LCD screen, which offers a sharper picture. In other words, it's redundant for the sake of being redundant. That means it's pointless.

But that's a quibble, when in fact the ILX is a solid package and should seriously go onto people's consideration lists. It starts at a modest $28,820, and a nicely loaded model barely goes over $31,000, which is considerably less than some of its competition.

As difficult as that entry-level luxury vehicle may be to define, the ILX feels like it has hit the definition right on the bumper, and it might just create a few lifelong Acura owners.

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1st Drive:
2016 Acura ILX

If at 1st you don't succeed, you rework it. Sure it's a paraphrase of the old "try, try again" axiom, but they are words that drove the Acura brand with the mid-cycle refresh of the 2016 Acura ILX.

The last time we checked, with the ILX's initial introduction in 2012, we found a Honda Civic-sized compact that possessed a hint of luxury, but puzzled us with its lack of power, refinement and comparatively heavy price tag. 4 years in, they reworked the formula, and this time, apparently, got it right.

Performance, Proportion, Prestige
The ILX is Acura's gateway sedan to the brand that is geared more towards performance than luxury. In fact, during the company's presentation, we barely heard the L-word mentioned. Instead, the phrase "premium" was bandied about to reflect the refinement that appears in the new model that will find competition from Lexus's CT, Audi's A3, BMW's 2, and Mercedes-Benz's CLA.

Accelerating Momentum
Intended to accelerate momentum, modifications to the ILX also go a long way towards accelerating the actual car. For 2016, the ILX will be powered exclusively by a 2.4-liter Direct fuel injected four-cylinder engine that produces 201 peak horsepower at 6,800 rpm, and 180 lb-ft of torque at a mid-range 3,600 rpm. That's quite a jump from the 150 horsepower, 140 lb-ft output of the 2.0-liter fuel-injected 4-banger found in the last generation model equipped with an automatic transmission. The previously available 2.4-liter engine -- which was available exclusively with a manual transmission -- made the same horsepower, but the new model achieves it lower in the powerband. Using a dual stage intake manifold, with long- and short intake runners enables the engine to vary its torque based on engine speed. At low speeds, the long runners are used, switching over to the short-length runners to deliver more grunt during high-rpm runs.

The 2016 ILX will only be available with a new eight-speed Dual-Clutch automatic transmission with torque converter and rev-matching downshifts that are controlled via steering wheel-mounted paddle shift levers. Equipped with 2 drive modes, drivers can select between "D" for smooth operations with efficiency, or "S" for Sport mode, which remaps to offer higher RPMs for performance oriented wheeling. Driving dynamics are improved thanks to a MacPherson strut front and multilink independent rear suspension sporting amplitude reactive dampers at both ends, which read the road surfaces and adapt to conditions on the fly. EPA measures the ILX's fuel economy at 25 city/36 highway, with 29 combined.

An electrically-assisted power steering kit points the way and offered good feedback as well as guidance with its optional lane-keep assist and lane departure warning systems. Braking has improved with a 1.2-inch increase in front brake rotor size from 11.1- to 12.3-inches.

Bodyworks
Our 2016 Acura has undergone an intense case of rehabilitation in the rigidity department. An expansion of the use of high-strength steel and other fixes have yielded an improvement in firmness of up to 12-percent. In addition to contributing to a better handling car, it has allowed Noise, Vibration and Harshness engineers to tune out much of the noise and vibration seepage into the cabin. They went to work using more insulation, thicker front glass, quieter wheels (yes-quieter) and Active Noise Control technology to make the ILX act like a pair of rolling Bose Noise-canceling headphones. The result is a vehicle that is much quieter and more refined than before.

From a comfort and aesthetic standpoint, our Tech Plus A-Spec-equipped model included new Euro-style stitching on the wheel, shifter knob and parking brake lever, while it was blacked out with the A-Spec's premium black interior color specification that included a black headliner, perforated Lux Suede inserts, red instrument lighting, silver trim and aluminum brake and throttle pedals.

We are still not fans of the 2-staged screens, where the upper 8-inch monitor displayed navigation maps and routes, while the lower 7-inch touchscreen display offered audio and climate controls. We felt it drew our eyes away from the road, where our real attention was needed. That, and the excessive use of small buttons, (15 on the steering wheel, alone), which controlled functions around the otherwise well-executed dashboard.

For those ILX models not equipped with Navigation, Acura offers the AcuraLink app, which uses an iPhone (no Android) to bring navigation into a car not equipped with such, with a USB/HDMI cable. The cable and app are available for $99 and $59, respectively.

From an outside view, the ILX moves closer to the rest of the Acura fleet and its performance through technology ethos. From the front, the headlights are pulled wider and lower so they fall in line with others in its Acura stables. Jewel-like headlights are similar to those on the Acura TLX and now include an LED strip that runs below the lamps on either side. The chrome "beak" has been restyled and moved lower in the grille opening for a new sense of symmetry. Since our tester was A-Spec equipped, it was also fitted with 18-inch performance alloy wheels, a chrome-accented spoiler, chrome side sills and fog lights located in the new front fascia.

Safety 1st and finally last
Acura, and by extension its Honda parent company, are known for their cutting-edge technology. The ILX is not about to break that notion, either. AcuraWatch is their new suite of safety and driver assist technologies that uses a fusion technology-based monocular camera and millimeter wave radar. They help the Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, collision mitigating braking and road departure mitigation to "see" obstructions ahead and bring the ILX to a stop, if needed. We actually were pretty stoked to see the system steer its way around gentle curves in the road-to a point. And it was quick to ask us to "please steer the car" with our hands instead of relying on the system. Cute.

When operating without a couple of wise-guy autojournalists behind the wheel, the system will detect a departure from the road and offer steering and braking. It also provides blind spot and cross traffic warning information.

The ILX will be built in Marysville, Ohio, alongside big-brother TLX.

Wheel time
Cruising along the Silverado trail in Napa, California, gave us a quick taste of the ILX's improvements. From the moment we pushed the red starter button, we could see that Acura had corrected many of the motivational issues that plagued the last car. And to their credit, Acura executives acknowledged as much, when during the presentation about the vehicle's new features, they stated that they had taken many an expert's comments to heart.

In addition to the lack of power, one of the bigger complaints of the previous version was the excessive road noise that made its way into the cabin. The NVH guys got it right this time, utilizing tricks and techniques that made a huge difference that was quantifiable in back-to-back tests.

For 2016, buyers will get a taste of just what 51 extra horsepower and an additional 40 lb-ft of torque are capable of, especially in a car that weighs only 3,100 pounds. We found a compact 4-door sedan that offered up just the right amount of torque steer when we launched from a standing start. They didn't post exact times but Acura officials state the ILX gets to 60 mph 2.5-seconds faster than the model it replaces. And that was in the normal drive mode. Switching over to sport mode allowed us to put the paddle shift levers to good use as we blipped our way up through the 8-speed gearbox. Offering a different feel then that found in the normal drive mode, it allowed us to hold our gears as long as we wanted while negotiating the twisties in Northern California's wine country.

Leftlane's bottom line
The 2016 Acura ILX version 2.0 shows that when a design is examined, re-thought, re-engineered and refreshed, truly good things can happen. Offering refined interiors with more technology inside, as well as more power underhood, allows Acura to remove the "coulda been" prefix from the phrase, "a contender." Now it really is one.

Words and photos by Mark Elias.

ILX Base, $27,900
ILX with AcuraWatch Plus, $29,200
ILX Premium, $29,900
ILX Premium A-Spec, $31,890
ILX Tech Plus, $32,900
ILX Tech Plus and A-Spec, $34,890

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Acura Look to Jump Start ILX with More Power for Less Money

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The Acura ILX sedan debuted in May 2012 on the early wave of entry-luxury models arriving in the U.S.

But brand executives admit the car was more entry than luxury.

“There were some real changes in the market from the time when we were 1st planning the 2013 ILX,” Gary Robinson, manager-Acura product planning, tells media here during a ’16 ILX preview. “(Planning) started right in the middle of the economic crisis, and at that time there was kind of a lack of other luxury cars in this space.”

Other models that were in the segment were “pretty sparse,” he says, which laid the framework on which Acura built the ILX.

But the segment quickly shifted with the arrival of the Audi A3 sedan and debut of the Mercedes CLA, entry-luxury cars that set a new bar for the segment, Robinson says.

At the same time, non-luxury compacts rose in features and price, narrowing the gap with the ILX.

“Cars like the (Honda) Civic, (Ford) Focus (and) Mazda3 all moved up in terms of their positioning, in terms of their price, in terms of their content. It’s not unusual at all to find $30,000 or near-$30,000 cars (among those models),” Robinson notes.

Now he believes Acura has corrected the luxury shortfall with the ’16 ILX officially on sale today in the U.S.

Buyers’ No.1 gripe with the ’13-’15 model was its lack of power, Acura says, so the brand significantly increased performance, not by installing a new engine, but by making the model’s 2.4L direct-injected DOHC I-4 the only mill available and mating it solely to an automatic transmission.

The 201-hp 2.4L in the ’16 ILX replaces the ’15’s base engine, a 150-hp 2.0L SOHC I-4.

The ILX debuted with a hybrid powertrain that was discontinued at the end of the ’13 model year. The 2.4L’s 6-speed manual transmission is gone with the end of the ’15 model, as it had at most a 5% take rate in a given month, Acura says.

That 201 hp now is meted out through Acura’s 8-speed DCT. The 2.0L had a 5-speed automatic.

The 2.4L makes 180 lb.-ft. (244 Nm) of torque at 3,600 rpm, compared with 140 lb.-ft. (190 Nm) at 4,300 rpm with the 2.0L.

Brand officials say the ILX now is at the top of its class in balancing performance with fuel economy, with 0-60 mph (100 km/h) time improving 2.5 seconds to roughly 7 seconds and 29 mpg (8.1 L/100 km) combined fuel efficiency, up from 28 mpg (8.4 L/100 km) in the outgoing model.

The 1.8L turbocharged Audi A3, the car the new ILX was benchmarked against, has a 0-60 mph time of about 8.5 seconds, based on Acura test data, and achieves 27 mpg (8.7 L/100 km) combined. The A3 also offers 2.0L turbocharged diesel and gasoline engines.

Other performance enhancements for the ’16 ILX include firmer, more direct steering, the latter achieved through a bigger rear-member upper in the front subframe.

To raise the car’s interior luxury quotient, Acura is introducing a new A-Spec trim package, which adds gray stitching in an X-pattern on the steering wheel and parking-brake lever, perforated faux suede seats, silver-metallic trim, black headliner and aluminum pedals.

The center stack in all ’16 models gets a large touchscreen that replaces a knob controller in the ’15 model. A smaller screen remains atop the center stack, giving navigation and menu-item info.

Acura says the ILX now boasts 12% greater torsional rigidity, and the brand foresees a “Good” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s difficult small-overlap front crash test, which mimics a collision with a narrow object such as a post. Acura structural engineers boosted material thickness and specified hot stamping in key areas, such as the A-pillar, in the effort to achieve a Good rating, Robinson says.

Styling changes made to the ILX intentionally align with its big brother, the new-for-’15 TLX, Robinson says, and include the addition of a 3-dimensional grille that will make its way to all Acura models, larger lower intakes and new alloy wheel designs.

The brand’s signature JewelEye LED headlights now have a continuous light pipe instead of the individual-dots look of the outgoing model.

LED taillights also have been tweaked and now are red-and-white vs. all red, and the rear bumper protrudes outward more than previously.

“We wanted to significantly increase the premium feel” so it is apparent when viewing the car from 50 ft. (15 m) down the road, says Mike Accavitti, Acura senior vice president.

Many industry-watchers thought ’13 ILX pricing was too high given its relatively weak base engine and lack of standard content, so Robinson touts new advantages over competitors.

The outgoing ’15 2.4L ILX with its 6MT is $29,350 to start. The ’16 ILX with the same engine and the 8-speed DCT, plus more standard features such as a power moonroof and the JewelEye headlights, is $27,900, just $850 more than the base-grade ’15 2.0L ILX.

“(And that’s) $2,000 cheaper than the Audi A3, and $3,500 cheaper than the CLA’s new price point,” Robinson says. The ’15 A3 starts at $29,900 for a 1.8L model and the ’15 CLA begins at $31,500 for a model fitted with a 208-hp 2.0L turbo I-4.

Adding Acura’s suite of safety technology, AcuraWatch Plus, raises the ’16 ILX’s base price $1,300.

The ’16 Premium grade of the ILX is $29,900 and includes standard leather seating, blind-spot information, a driver memory seat and a 4-way power passenger seat, as well as SiriusXM radio and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The Tech Plus grade is $32,900 and has navigation, a 10-speaker Panasonic ELS audio system, and AcuraWatch Plus as standard equipment.

Adding the A-Spec package to the Premium and Tech Plus grades costs $1,990 and $1,490, respectively.

Accavitti isn’t talking sales targets for the ’16 ILX, except to say he hopes to grow volume.

At its original launch, Acura said it wanted to sell 30,000 ILXs annually, but volume never came close to that.

WardsAuto data shows the best year was 2013, when 20,430 were sold. ILX sales last year fell 12.6% to 17,854, and were down 17.6% last month vs. January 2014, to 992 units.

In comparison, the Audi A3 tallied 22,250 last year.

The Mercedes CLA bested both the Acura and Audi, with 27,365 units in 2014.

CLA sales were flat in January at 2,383, while the A3 dipped 1.6% to 2,491.

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2016 Acura ILX
Extra Gears & Fewer Jeers but Can Honda's Luxury Brand Find More Rears?

Upon 1st hearing Acura officials refer to the 2016 ILX as “The Gateway,” we imagine something ominous, like hooking kids on smack or opening a portal to a demonic underworld. Recalling our 1st go-round with this slight sedan in our long-term fleet, however, either option seems too weighty. And sure enough, the nice (or is that nicest?) people from Honda’s luxury brand explain that this model is meant to be the Acura that sets up the young and aspirational as “customers for life.” Which actually is pretty ominous.

New Power Source

Competing, as ever, in the class of $30,000-ish luxury cars that aren’t really luxury cars, the ILX remains essentially a fortified Honda Civic. Additional mid-product-cycle polish comes to its specifications mostly by discarding the old car’s 150-hp, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and 5-speed automatic in favor of a direct-injected 2.4-liter 4 that makes 201 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. Honda’s novel torque-converter-equipped dual-clutch automatic transmission now swaps 8 forward gears and drops cruising revs to a palatable level, a great improvement over the old car’s high-strung powertrain. With this new combination, the same as used in some versions of the larger Acura TLX, we estimate that the 2016 ILX should hit 60 mph more than two seconds quicker than did last year’s 2.0-liter model.

The new gearbox is a sonnet to smoothness but an elegy to the enthusiast, as there is no longer a manual-transmission model in the ILX lineup. Also gone is the hybrid, which Acura canceled a year ago to neither much surprise nor notice. For most buyers, the new powertrain is the equivalent of getting upgraded to 1st class from that last middle seat on the plane, the 1 near the lavatory. But for those fewer than 5 percent of ILX buyers who opted for the old 6-speed manual, which came lashed to a different, port-injected 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, the performance differential will be insignificant. (The old engine made the same power but 10 fewer lb-ft of torque.) Lest those pilots remain content flying their old ILX models, Acura has made other mechanical upgrades.

New calibration to the electric assist makes the steering in the 2016 ILX a bit slower but weightier and more direct than before, which Acura says is helped in part by a beefier front subframe. The front suspension bushings are upgraded and the rear anti-roll bar increases by a millimeter in diameter to improve initial turn-in. The front brake rotors now measure 12.3 inches, up from 11.8 in the old 2.4-liter car, and the rears are bigger, as well. As would be expected from such changes, the improved brakes bite harder and the firmer pedal is easier to modulate than before.

Better, But . . .

Although the ILX now delivers more feedback and a more immediate response to the road, this also makes the conservative suspension tuning more apparent. Curb weight is up by about 150 pounds and the balance of that mass shifts forward from 61 to 63 percent over the front drive wheels, which doesn’t help with understeer or the feeling that the rear of the car is merely being towed around. When equipped with new 18-inch wheels, the back end is also prone to impact harshness and subsequent excessive vertical motion.

The bigger wheels are part of the new “A-Spec” package, which also replaces the 17-inch Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 all-seasons with 18-inch Continental ContiProContact all-seasons. The $1990 package otherwise is cosmetic, bundling fog lights, sill extensions, and a spoiler along with suede-trimmed seats and sport pedals. A-spec can be added to either of the top two ILX trim levels, Premium ($30,820) or Tech Plus ($33,820). The latter brings with it navigation, a premium audio system, and AcuraWatch, a suite of safety equipment including adaptive cruise control, front collision warning, and lane-keeping assistance. A base ILX starts at just $28,820, or $30,120 with AcuraWatch. While all ILX trims get new exterior styling cues, a bit nicer finishes inside, and most even adopt Acura’s double-touch-screen infotainment system, these revisions come across as less vital than those to the hardware.

The ILX is clearly improved over last year’s model, but Honda is still faced with the underlying problem that there’s not enough space between its mass-market products and those sold by its luxury marque. Or at least enough to overcome the Acura badge’s lack of snob appeal compared with its competition from Audi, Mercedes, and BMW, however unfair that may be. With the German luxury brands actively attacking the ILX’s pricing turf, standing out at the low end of the luxury spectrum is only getting more challenging.

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

BASE PRICE: $28,820

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 144 cu in, 2356 cc
Power: 201 hp @ 6800 rpm
Torque: 180 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 105.1 in
Length: 181.9 in
Width: 70.6 in Height: 55.6 in
Passenger/cargo volume: 89.3/12.3 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 3100 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 16.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.0 sec
Top speed: 135 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (MFR'S EST):
EPA city/highway: 25/36 mpg

Dimensions

Dimensions

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Luxury Chasing Loyalty

There’s an odd dance to be followed when, as Acura is with the 2016 ILX, you’re launching a revamped version of an existing car. On the one hand, you want to highlight just how improved it is over its predecessor; on the other, you can’t be too critical, because then drivers start asking why you were so enthusiastic - and are now so cruelly honest - about the older car. For the 2016 ILX, Acura is more blunt than many: the old model was designed before the host of “entry premium sedans” hit forecourts, with Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Lexus, and others changing the game in the process. For the MY2016, then, the focus is more rewarding driving, more luxury, and a generous injection of tech borrowed from Acura’s TLX.

The outgoing ILX was of its time, and its time was ritzy Focus, Civic, and Mazda 3 models with well-ticked options lists in the midst of an economic crisis. Since then, cars like the CLA and A3 have distilled high-end brand names into ever-more affordable price brackets, and being a cleanly designed but hardly inspiring sedan was no longer enough.

Cue the 2016 Acura ILX, officially a mid-model refresh but really a fair amount more than that. It’s the new gateway to the Acura brand, part of an attempt to not only sell people a car but to make them so loyal that they come straight back to the dealership when it’s time for a trade-in.

On the outside, the changes are in the detailing. At the front, most noticeable are the new “Jewel Eye” LED headlights, which split the side, main, and daylight running lamps into individual ice-cubes and strakes. Between them is a grille markedly similar to that on the nose of the new Acura NSX; the plastic snout may still be a point of contention for many, but it gets some serious contouring for the 2016 car, and looks better for it.

Underneath there are more defined air-intakes with - on the new A-SPEC grade - big fog lamps that, though looking somewhat out of place, are certainly striking. The A-SPEC gets meatier side sills, too, and a chrome-edged trunk spoiler; all new ILX get a redesigned rump and fancier LED lamps.

The ILX was never an ugly car, it just never really stood out. Sandwiched between Lexus’ love-it-or-hate-it IS, and Infiniti’s curvaceously elegant Q40, the new ILX is still the most conservative of the three. There’s a restraint there which makes up in balance what it lacks in controversy.

If Acura’s changes had been entirely aesthetic, it would have been left with a pretty sedan that didn’t quite deserve its billing. Happily, there’s more to the 2016 ILX than glitzy headlamps.

Previously, Acura offered 2 engine options, kicking off with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder good for 150HP and paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission. It’s not, to be blunt, the most inspiring powerplant out there, but while Acura also had a more entertaining 2.4-liter with a 6-speed automatic, 95-percent of buyers still opted for the entry-level engine.

Both are gone for the 2016 car, and in their stead is a 2.4-liter, 16-valve DOHC i-VTEC from the new TLX, along with that car’s 8-speed DCT transmission with torque convertor. The result is 201 HP and 180 lb-ft of torque - up 51 HP and 40 lb-ft over the old 2.0-liter, respectively - while perversely delivering slightly better economy, too.

The EPA has weighed in with the final numbers, suggesting drivers will see 25 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined, a point higher on each than the outgoing car. In my testing, admittedly spending more time in Sport+ mode which suits the ILX better, I saw between 22 mpg and 28 mpg, erring on a course of mountain roads and country lanes.

Engine and transmission aren’t the only changes under the hood, either. The IIHS Small Overlap tests have arrived since the last ILX, and so Acura boosted body rigidity with lashings of hot-stamped steel for a 12-percent increase in torsional rigidity. The glass is now 5mm thick, not 4mm, for improved noise insulation, while a proprietary wheel design that has an integrated resonator also helps dampen road noise.

When you drive old and new car back-to-back, the differences are clear. The new ILX pulls away smoother and more aggressively from a standstill, with the extra power and torque each noticeable. The 8-speed gearbox needs to be tugged into “S” mode for anything more than satisfactory highway cruising, but once there it snaps between ratios with a clean eagerness.

Acura makes a big deal about including a torque converter to smooth out some of the DCT jerkiness, but it does seem to help, though the throttle blip on downshifts - while welcome - means there’s no shortage of reminders that a change has taken place. In fact, “S” mode on the ILX is for me more convincing than the counterpart Sport+ mode on the TLX: in the bigger car, it felt frenetic rather than eager, but the mood suits the punchy 4-cylinder ILX.

Is it “sporty”? That depends on your comparisons. A BMW will likely best the ILX for pure driving involvement, but that’s not to dismiss what Acura has done here. On some cruelly twisting mountain roads with sudden changes of elevation and more than their fair share of hairpin bends, it carried itself surprisingly well. True, after a few tentative stabs at the paddle-shifters it seemed easier to let the transmission do its own thinking, but handling and pace were both strong.

That doesn’t mean it lacks refinement, however. For a start it’s quieter inside, with extra soundproofing and that thicker glass adding up to less road and wind noise making it through. Unfortunately, that means you’re left with the noise of the engine, which is hardly the most sonorous when pushed hard.

The cabin blends the old ILX with some of the cues from the TLX, not to mention a fair amount of extra kit. One of the loudest complaints about the old car was that it lacked some of the niceties that rivals fitted as standard, a shortcoming Acura has been sure to address this time around.

So, you now get 2-position driver seat memory, and 4-way electric adjustment for the front passenger seat. A rear-view camera is standard, as is a power moonroof, and Bluetooth streaming. Step up to the Premium trim and you get leather seats, blind-spot and cross traffic alerts, and Sirius XM radio. Adaptive cruise control and lane assist which not only warns you if you’re drifting but which gently helps you back into place are also optional.

They work surprisingly well together; in fact, if it wasn’t for the periodic reminder to put your hands back on the wheel, you could almost leave the ILX to drive itself on the freeway (I tried, and was promptly scolded by the car’s computer). Still, you'll want to have your hands near the wheel just to handle the surfeit of buttons Acura has squeezed in: 17, in fact, if you don't count the paddles.

There are some interesting options available for the center stack, too. The base model - which I didn’t get to drive - makes do with a single 5-inch display, CD player, 6 speakers, and Bluetooth/USB/aux-in, but the fun starts with the Premium and Tech Plus tiers. There, as in the TLX, you get a larger 8-inch screen up top, for things like GPS maps, while a smaller, 7-inch touchscreen is lower down for control, though there’s also a multi-function dial/joystick for those who prefer to reach out and grab a knob.

It’s faster in use than the system in the TLX, too, thanks to efficiencies in more recent software builds: I found that particularly noticeable when entering text with the on-screen QWERTY keyboard, which now no longer requires a tedious pause between each virtual button-press. Unfortunately, Acura tells me it has no current plans to roll out the newer infotainment software to the TLX.

Premium ILX models get seven speakers, but Tech Plus cars have a full 10 speakers good for 415W. Interestingly, while Tech Plus has navigation built-in, Premium offers an HDMI input instead: equip your iPhone with an AV digital adapter, USB, and HDMI cables, and Acura’s $60 Navi app, and you can effectively retrofit the full navigation experience for under $200.

Why would you use it over, say, Google Maps or Apple Maps? There are a number of reasons, most visibly because you get all of the integration with the touchscreen, jog wheel, and steering wheel controls like voice activation. It promises to be more accurate, too: plugged in, the Acura app gets access to the car’s more powerful GPS receiver, as well as real-time data on speed and heading so that - even if you’re in a tunnel, where a smartphone navigation app might get confused - the ILX still knows where it is on the map.

It’s not all good news, mind, and my quest to find the “perfect” infotainment system continues uncompleted. Neither CarPlay nor Android Auto are included, and while Acura parent Honda was one of the first to commit to Apple’s iPhone-based system, I’m told it simply wasn’t ready in time to make it onto the ILX. I can’t help but recall that’s the same excuse I was given about the TLX, too. You do get Siri hands-free mode, at least, though Acura’s native voice recognition proved either stubbornly obstinate or simply something of a dullard: either way, I seldom got the command I wanted carried out.

The dashboard feels better put together than before, and there are more soft-touch materials in the places your fingers are likely to linger, but the ILX cabin still doesn’t feel quite up to the grade of some rivals. Audi’s A3 may have more switch blanks than functional buttons in its lower configurations, but at least it has a “hewn” feel that the plastics of the ILX simply don’t match. Sure, it’s functional, but the only button with any real charm is the red aluminum starter, with the glossy black keys that fill the center stack more likely to pick up greasy fingerprint smudges than design compliments.

Perhaps I’m expecting too much for the price, because the ILX certainly remains competitive. The base model is $27,900, or $29,200 if you want to throw in the AcuraWatch Plus safety package, but my inclination would be to skip that - eschewing the single-screen audio system in the process - and start at the $29,900 Premium model. $32,900 gets you the Tech Plus and still undercuts a Lexus IS, though by that point you're overlapping the bottom end of the TLX line-up.

A-SPEC, with its 18-inch sport wheels, takes the Premium ILX to $31,890 or the Tech Plus ILX to $34,390, but my gut reaction is that only those particularly taken with faux-suede should apply. The 18-inch wheels made the ride a little noisier for no noticeable improvement in handling, while the bulging fog lamps seem at odds with the otherwise restrained trapezoidal front spoiler.

“Affordable luxury” is arguably an oxymoron, and never more so than in the entry-level premium segment the ILX plays in. On the one hand, buyers are ever more demanding when it comes to style, gadgets, and performance; on the other, margins are tight for manufacturers, and the fear of either out-pricing your car or overlapping too significantly onto your midrange - and usually best-selling - model place hard limits on what, exactly, can be achieved.

What you get from the 2016 ILX for your less-than-$30k is, then, pretty astonishing. The list of kit in the Premium package is enough to put German rivals several steps up the pay ladder to shame, and AcuraWatch’s various collision warnings and such not only work well together, but legitimately improve the everyday experience behind the wheel.

It’s from there that Acura’s biggest improvements make themselves clear, however. To be sure, like the TLX before it, the new ILX isn’t a frothing beast of a car, but it now does at least have some of the perky dynamism to match the “compact luxury sports sedan” billing. Whether it’ll find the company that “Acura for life” customers it’s hoping for remains to be seen, but it’s a strong option for the price-conscious driver who wants to balance safety and speed.

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Autoguide text review:

2016 Acura ILX Review
Don’t Call It a Fancy Civic

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2016 Acura ILX Review
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By Mike Schlee Feb 10, 2015 Photos by Acura
FAST FACTS
Engine: 2.4 L four-cylinder engine, 201 HP, 180 lb-ft.

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Fuel economy (US): 25 MPG city, 36 MPG highway

Fuel economy (CDN): TBA

Price (US): Starts at $28,820 after destination charges, $35,810 for ILX Technology Plus and A-Spec packages.

Price (CDN): TBA

The Acura Integra was a big deal for Acura.


Well loved by many, it became synonymous with Acura and elevated the young luxury brand’s image. But the ILX, Acura’s new take on a small premium sedans, has yet to catch on. Lacking an identity of its own, the ILX’s mundane styling, ho-hum powertrain and absence of a family resemblance meant most people forgot about it before it even had a chance to make an impression.

Acura is aware of the issues and is intent on fixing them for the 2016 model year. To start, the ILX receives new front and rear styling that mimics the larger TLX. In Acura’s quest to give everything “Jewel Eyes.” the ILX now wears the brand’s familiar multi-LED headlights. But it isn’t a full LED design because the inside two squares are actually hollow and house a traditional halogen high beam light behind them.


Big Changes Under the Hood
But the biggest issue with the lackluster ILX is the mechanics. Let’s forget the slow selling, 201 HP manual model for a second. Over 95 percent of all ILXs sold came equipped with a 150 HP 2.0-liter engine and a five-speed automatic. Even if the engine was exclusive to the ILX, it barely had any more power than its corporate cousin, the Honda Civic. Worse still, compared to the standard engine in other premium compact sedans like the Audi A3 and Mercedes CLA 250, the original ILX is short a few gears and woefully underpowered.

SEE ALSO: 2016 Acura ILX Ditches 2.0L Engine, Adds 8-Speed Dual-Clutch Transmission

Thankfully, the ILX may finally be equipped to compete. The direct injection 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that debuted in the TLX is standard on all six versions of the 2016 ILX. It may make the same 201 HP as the old engine that came exclusively with the manual, but torque has gone up to 180 lb-ft. The engine is now paired exclusively to Acura’s eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. For those keeping score at home, that’s an additional 51 HP and three more gears than the standard 2015 ILX. You might also notice that the manual transmission has been axed.



Death of a Manual, Birth of a Terrific Transmission
As much as I lament the death of another manual, at least Acura’s DCT is a great automatic. After driving the TLX last year, I decided that the front-wheel drive, four-cylinder, dual-clutch set-up was the car to have. Now you can have the same drivetrain in a smaller, lighter package. Weighing roughly 3,100 lbs., the 2016 ILX is heavier than the old car, but still 400 lbs. lighter than the TLX.

The weight gain has a negative effect on forward progress though. Despite that large power gain, the extra oomph in the car really isn’t obvious until high in the RPM range. That makes sense for a naturally aspirated engine but I was still hoping for a little more push-me-into-my-seat acceleration.

The eight-speed dual clutch on the other hand is terrific. Using a torque converter, it’s incredibly smooth at slow speeds and fires off near-seamless up-shifts at redline. Best of all, drive the car in sport mode and it will aggressively rev match downshift when hard on the brakes.

Fuel economy actually goes up one MPG all around compared to the old ILX thanks to the extra gearing and more advanced engine despite the considerable horsepower gain. For 2016 the ratings are now officially listed at 25 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway.



Safer, Stronger, More Responsive
In a quest for greater safety, Acura’s engineers have improved the ILX’s body structure with the added benefit of increased chassis rigidity and better handling. That’s the one area where the ILX was always good, but I’ll gladly take a more responsive car. The 2016 ILX is indeed a fun car to drive that likes being pushed hard through the twisting mountain roads around Napa Valley, Calif. Further enhancing the car’s capabilities, Acura claims to have improved steering response and feel, but I didn’t notice much difference after a back-to-back drive with the 2015 ILX.

SEE ALSO: 2014 Acura ILX Hybrid Review

Where the big change can be felt though is ride refinement. It took me less than two minutes to notice just how much quieter the 2016 ILX compared to the old model. Similarly, the suspension is a great balance of comfort and agility.

Upgrades Inside
Inside, the design and materials have been tweaked to give the ILX a more upscale look. Now included are the usual Honda/Acura dual screens that actually display song information on the lower screen unlike Honda’s system. Interior dimensions essentially remain unchanged, which means 34-inches of legroom for rear seat passengers and a cramped 38-inches of front seat headroom that will have anyone over six-feet tall brushing their hair against the headliner.

If you’re looking for a little more style, there’s also the “A-Spec” package. It adds a rear spoiler, body colored side sills, fog lights and a few interior trim enhancements. And, to keep up with the ILX’s competitors, features like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist and road departure mitigation can be had.



The Verdict
The 2016 ILX begins at $28,820 after destination charges and is on sale now. That’s roughly a $850 increase over the 2015 model, which isn’t bad when you consider that this is a substantially improved car. But get crazy with the option boxes and the ILX can easily break the $35,000 mark.

Acura keeps stating that the 2016 ILX is more than just a mid-cycle refresh and after driving it, I have to agree. It took Acura two tries, but the ILX is finally ready to take the fight to other entry-level luxury cars.

Discuss this review on our Acura ILX forum

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1st Drive:
2016 Acura ILX

‘Mid-cycle refresh’ isn’t the most electrifying label you’ll find in the automotive industry today, but like any good author will tell you, you can’t judge a book by its cover.

That sentiment rang true throughout our test of the 2016 Acura ILX. One on hand, it is a mid-cycle refresh, but it’s one that brings a new 2.4-liter engine, 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), bevy of ‘AcuraWatch’ safety tech, and spruced up styling.

On the other, it’s an Acura, which critics are ever so quick to label as boring, uninspired, and flat these days. And you know what? Often times they aren’t wrong, but the Japanese brand is desperately trying to turn things around.

Meet the automaker’s latest shot at redemption.

Acura DNA

As I carved through the switchbacks of California’s Lake County Highway, I found myself having a splendid time in the executive four-door. Honda Motor Company usually does a bang-up job on with its suspension and chassis tuning, and with the ILX’s tight, quiet ride and linear steering, it’s been improved again here. But where this version differs from its predecessor is in its rev-happy engine.

The new 2.4-liter i-VTEC makes 201 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, which makes the car feel like an NSX compared to 2015’s 150-hp base model. Ok, maybe not quite like an NSX, but it does wear a version of the supercar’s ‘Jewel Eye’ headlights.

The 4-cylinder is connected to a new 8-speed DCT for 2016, which equips a torque converter to smoothen out shifts and launches from a stop. In ‘Sport’ mode, the gears come quickly through the paddles and the ILX valiantly holds onto revs through the corners.

It’s all a part of what the manufacturer calls “a major injection of Acura DNA,” a sporty disposition that allows the car to accelerate faster, corner flatter, and with its 1.0-inch larger discs, brake harder than before. It’s also great on gas, returning 26 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

That said, I wish it were offered with Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. Out of the Lexis IS 250, Audi A3, BMW 220i, and Mercedes-Benz CLA250, it’s the only vehicle of the lot to be offered in front-wheel drive only. It’s not a flaw per se; in fact, it handles quite well for FWD, but the compact’s FF (front engine, front-wheel drive) layout could leave it in the dust of its rivals.

Yes, AWD would drive the price up a bit. But starting at $27,900 (not including $920 destination), the ILX is already thousands cheaper than the cars listed above. It could just make the car feel, I don’t know, superer?

AcuraWatch

While the 2015 model boasted excellent crash ratings, 1 of its biggest blemishes was its uncharacteristic lack of electronic safety features.

For 2016, the ILX is furnished with AcuraWatch, an assortment of driver aids that pushes the car toward the top of its class in terms of accident prevention.

The $1,300 package includes Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and Road Departure Mitigation, which uses steering and braking inputs to keep the ILX from crossing solid lane lines. There are also rear cross traffic monitors and blind spot monitors as a part of the Premium ($2,000) and Technology Plus ($5,000) packages, while the rear camera comes standard.

Unfortunately, the LKAS system lacks polish. When a left turn lane formed on our drive, the vehicle would often follow the center double yellow it as it veered to make room. Similarly, the ACC felt indecisive at times. There’s definitely room for growth here across the industry.

Interior refinement

The ILX is the “gateway” to Acura’s lineup. As such, it targets young luxury buyers who want an upscale feel at an “I still have student loans to pay” price.

New for 2016 is the $3,990 ‘A-SPEC’ package, which gives the sedan a little more aesthetic punch. It includes a new trunk spoiler, front fog lights, and 18-inch, 10-spoke alloys. The theme continues inside with perforated ‘Lux Suede’ seat trim, black headliner, red gauge illumination, gray contrast stitching, and aluminum pedals.

I know 2-screen setups aren’t for everyone, but Premium trims and above offer a layout that works quite well. The 8.0-inch top unit is mainly a display for nav, while the 7.0-inch touchscreen below controls the intuitive infotainment. The system also refreshes very quickly, which will make wrestling with scenic routes and road closures much easier.

Some of the plastics feel like they were pulled from the Civic (with which the ILX shares its platform), but overall the cabin is very comfy and quiet. With the use of insulated glass and standard Active Noise Control, being in the new car is like driving in a hushed library compared to 2015. Don’t try that at home.

Conclusion

The main failing of modern Acuras has been their lack of a distinct identity. Audis embrace innovation and control, while BMWs are dynamic yet stubborn. Mercedes are known for elegant styling and prestige, and Volvos epitomize safety. As for Acura? Acuras are, well … reliable?

Though the 2016 ILX is not perfect, it’s nice to see that the grievances of previous years are being addressed. It’s fun, refined, and well priced. It’s good-looking, but not gaudy. And unlike the 2015 car, it has an impressive array of driver aid and safety tech. It’s without a doubt a step in the right direction.

If not, hey, that new NSX is pretty cool.

Highs

Excellent chassis tuning
Sporty 8-speed dual clutch
AcuraWatch provides abundance of safety tech
36 mpg highway
Good value for money

Lows

Adaptive cruise and lane keeping systems need work
Tough sell over the competition

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1st Drive:
The 2016 Acura ILX is a Rewarding Entry into Luxury

Last year, when Acura introduced the TLX sedan, it effectively replaced 2 sedans—the TL and TSX—with 1. As the brand enhances a lineup consisting of sedans and sport-utilities, before the arrival of the NSX supercar, the entry-level ILX has received a makeover.

We recently spent 2 days driving the refreshed 2016 ILX sedan on the challenging roads of northern California. Read on for our full opinion from our 1st drive.

What is it?

This is a mid-life enhancement to the ILX, rather than an entirely new model. The ILX is a sedan, and will not offer a 5-door variant, neither an SUV nor a crossover, as part of a strategy to solidify a lineup of sedans. Its SUV complement in the entry-level luxury segment, the RDX, is due to be refreshed soon.

The most obvious changes are to exterior styling, which is now sharper and more in line with the angular themes of Acura's TLX sedan and MDX. The interior receives a freshening, including Acura's 2-tier navigation/HVAC/audio system that defies many pillars of ergonomics but is easy to learn.

For the 2016 model, the ILX notably abandons a 2-engine strategy, as well as a slow-selling hybrid model, for a single powertrain. Like a chef who stands behind the balance of ingredients that comprise a signature dish, ILX chief engineer Koichi Fujimori—whose daily driver is an '09 RL—explained that the ILX's characteristics mesh to create "the best setting to match the character of the car." That's why the steering lacks adjustable weight settings, the suspension cannot be made stiffer or softer with the push of a button, and there is no variable exhaust note.

How does it drive?

We're in favor of the strategy when all the pieces work harmoniously, and in the case of the ILX, they do. The direct-injected, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine sounds refined from idle to redline, lacking the clattery sound present even on some luxury cars. It revs with abandon, and offers plenty of torque at low RPM, which was useful on the serpentine, hilly roads in northern Napa Valley.

The ILX's champion is its 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox with a torque converter, which marries lightning-quick gearshifts and refined shifting and sends power to the front wheels. Fujimori explained that this setup is the best of both worlds, and most drivers would confuse it for a traditional automatic in daily use. We noticed only a hint of clunkiness in gearshifts at very low speeds, and reveled in its efficiency in most other occasions. Torque steer is almost entirely absent, except under hard launches. Don't expect an all-wheel-drive variant, however, as Fujimori explained that the ILX "is not set up" to accommodate such a system.

The chassis appreciates being pushed, neither too firm nor too soft in its setup, and the result is a quiet ride at speed, with attention paid to noise, vibration, and harshness. The ILX exceeds our expectations as a driver's car, making hours of back roads fly by—and that isn't light praise.

What's its specialty?

The ILX makes a strong play for active and passive safety in a class that often emphasizes performance and sportiness over all other traits. For $1300 more than the base price, the ILX offers collision mitigation braking, active cruise control, and lane-keep assist, which keep the ILX in its own lane and far from potential accidents. Far from half-baked, the semi-autonomous systems work as well in the ILX as they do in the more expensive TLX, although a careful eye is still required; when lane markers disappear, so does the assistance.

And if that wasn't enough, in top trim with all the bells and whistles selected, the ILX rings in at under $35,000—more than 15 grand less than most fully loaded competitors.

What's it like inside?

Luxurious without being over the top about it. Expect high-quality materials and plenty of space, supplemented by comfortable front seats and crisp graphics. The user experience of the infotainment system stands to be substantially more intuitive, although the interface is well designed.

How's the competition?

Ambitious. The most obvious competitors at the $30,000 price point are the Mercedes-Benz CLA and Audi A3, which are targeting young, moneyed buyers to bring them into the respective brands. Entries from Lexus (IS), Cadillac (ATS), Infiniti (Q50), and Lincoln (MKZ) are all more expensive, while non-luxury sedans like the Toyota Camry and Mazda6 are quickly creeping into the 30-grand range.

Some competitors offer features that the ILX does not, like premium interior treatments and in-car wifi, but they come with higher price tags.

Overall

A rewarding entry into luxury for those who like to drive.

Highs

Tossable chassis, sharp styling inside and out, refined powertrain, smart pricing strategy.

Lows

Lacks an all-wheel-drive option, and the interior could benefit from a soupçon more luxury.

The ideal setup

As much as we like the ILX A-Spec model, the ILX Tech Plus ($32,900) offers nearly as much content with a little less exterior flash—and the excellent, 10-speaker ELS audio system. The standard model ($27,900) is an excellent value in the entry-level luxury segment, priced where Mercedes-Benz and Audi dare not compete.

By the numbers: 2016 Acura ILX

MSRP: $27,900 (excludes destination charge)

Power / drive wheels: 2.4-liter, 201-hp 4-cylinder engine / front-wheel drive

Transmission: 8-speed automatic transmission

EPA fuel economy: 25 city / 36 highway mpg

In showrooms: Now

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2016 Acura ILX w/ Video

Luxury carmakers love getting 'em when they're young. Sure, it takes older, well-heeled buyers to move high-margin flagships like S-Classes, 7 Series, and LSes, but to borrow from the late, great Ms. Houston, the children are the future – specifically, the ones buying entry-level sleds like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA.

Since youthful buyers tend to cultivate lifelong patterns of loyalty (and thus, spending), Acura has invested effort in shoving its entry-level ILX into more upmarket territory. "The ILX was originally conceived during the recession," 1 Acura executive admitted during the launch of the facelifted 2016 model, conceding that the original compact sedan's priorities were biased towards economy, not plushness.

Because Acura originally didn't see the $30,000-ish competitors from Audi and Mercedes coming, they didn't think twice about equipping the base, prior-gen ILX with rather uninspired styling and a meager 150-horsepower engine, the combination of which made it more of a glorified Honda Civic than a contender for European power players.

What's an aspiring Japanese automaker to do in 2015's golden age of affordable luxury? If you're Acura, you scramble to release a mid-cycle upgrade to elevate the ILX's status.

Upmarket Moves: Fresher Skin And A Friskier Soul

With its ho-hum sheet metal, the outgoing ILX simply couldn't stand up to its more crisply styled competitors. The 2016 model comes to the rescue by adding Acura's signature "Jewel Eye" row of LED headlights, which joins a reworked grille and fascia to form a more aggressive front end that's been moved lower and wider. A redesigned rear deck incorporates new LED taillamps, while the ILX's proportions now boast a more hunkered-down stance. The look is sexier (especially thanks to those glimmering headlights), though the stodgy, Buick-like character line and rear haunches remain.

Inside, a new multimedia and navigation system brings a level of modernity to the cabin, with an 8-inch upper display and 7-inch lower touchscreen gracing Premium and Tech Plus models. A multi-view rear camera is standard on all ILXs, and the Premium gets a 7-speaker sound system while the Tech Plus receives a 10-speaker ELS premium audio setup. Acura's new Navi link feature enables iPhones to display navigation functionality on the car's screen using a $99 cable kit and a $60 app, offering an affordable way to know where you're going. The kit was not available on the models we drove.

Gone is the meager base 150-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, replaced with a 2.4-liter mill that produces 201 hp and 180 pound-feet of torque. The new engine produces a 3rd more stallions than its predecessor thanks to the displacement bump, reduced weight and friction, an increased compression ratio, and various internal tweaks. The mill is mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox that replaces the outgoing 5-speed auto, enabling a significant 2.5-second improvement in 0-60 time, from 9.6 seconds with the 2.0-liter engine to 7.1 seconds with the new 2.4. Impressively, the revised powertrain also manages a 1 mile-per-gallon bump across the board despite its power climb, for 25/36 mpg city/highway and 29 mpg combined.

Complementing the powertrain improvements are chassis tweaks including a 12-percent increase in torsional rigidity, a reinforced subframe for better steering feel, revised bushings and stabilizer bars, and a recalibrated steering assembly. The cabin has been quieted through thicker front door glass, a wheel resonator that reduces mid-frequency hums, and revised engine side mounts. Rounding out the silence-seeking features is a carryover of Acura's active noise cancellation technology, which uses the speaker system to counteract road noise whether or not the stereo is turned on.

The standard ILX starts at $27,900 and includes a power moonroof, an eight-way power driver's seat, and Bluetooth; opt for the $29,900 Premium model and you'll get leather seats, blind spot detection, a power passenger seat; the $32,900 Tech Plus adds navigation, a 10-speaker ELS sound system and the AcuraWatch Plus suite which includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning, among other features.

Behind the Wheel: What A Difference An Upgrade Makes

Slip into the 2016 Acura ILX – particularly a Premium example with the suede-lined A-Spec package – and you're surrounded by an easy-to-live-with interior with few minor shortcomings, namely a swath of metal-like (but obviously plastic) trim across the dash panel. Other than that detail and dated, blue-themed graphics on the dual screens (along with a somewhat clunky multimedia interface), the ILX pulls off a convincing fight against its foes from Europe.

Punch it from a standstill, and the improvements become clearer. There's a hint of torque steer when pulling away with the wheel cranked, but it's not so offensive as to distract from the task at hand. The eight-speed dual-clutch uses a torque converter off the line, helping deliver quicker acceleration thanks to its torque multiplication effect. The gearbox shifts fairly conservatively in "D" mode but livens up in "S;" manually overriding with the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters reveals nice, snappy cog swaps and rev-matched downshifts, though the transmission reverts back to automatic mode promptly unless the shifter is clicked into manual mode.

The handling improvements are also notable, with intuitive weight transfer and significant grip at both axles. Despite aggressive driving on undulating backroads through California's Sonoma County, the ILX's tires didn't squeal or allow for any disconcerting sensations while navigating elevation changes and decreasing radius turns. The lane-keeping assist system works as promised, delivering less of a "pinball" effect on roads with slight bends than competitors. We did encounter a false "Brake" prompt when negotiating one particularly tight turn, suggesting the collision mitigation system could use some fine tuning. Although the top-of-the-line, 10-speaker ELS sound system didn't sound as stellar as it could have when streaming Bluetooth audio through our phone, the cabin offered a quiet and pleasant space to spend half a day, even if the multimedia interface wasn't quite as cutting edge as some of Acura's competitors.

Bottom Line

The 2016 Acura ILX's improvements in drivability and equipment deliver much-needed triage to this entry-level model, bringing the underdog sedan into relevancy in the face of compelling value propositions like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA.

In contrast to the late and not-so-great '15 ILX's wheezy 4-banger and vague suspension, these upgrades makes the new version feel significantly more sophisticated and capable, lending it a palpable feeling of movement towards the upmarket sports sedan realm while maintaining a price advantage over its competitors. Acura says the ILX already leads sales in the 16-to-35-year-old demographic; if the updated model is any indication, the Japanese carmaker should expect a new crop of brand enthusiasts to join the family.

Dimensions

blacktsxwagon

Kelly Blue Book

2016 Acura ILX First Review - Kelley Blue Book


The 2016 Acura ILX finally feels like a proper Acura, which wasn't always the case with the division's smallest offering. While the 2013 ILX was among the first cars in a new segment of entry-level compact luxury sedans and Acura did a good job making it look different than the Honda Civic upon which it was based, the car drove just like its sibling. That lack of distinction was a turn-off for luxury buyers.
So, for the 2016 Acura ILX, Acura decided on a do-over. Some changes are cosmetic; the ILX gets Acura's "jewel eye" headlight treatment, new LED-augmented taillights, new wheels, and a sport appearance package called A-Spec. More changes are inside, with nicer materials and the dual-screen infotainment system we've seen in other Acura models, among other touches.
New powertrain
But the ILX was already a good looking car, and it's the changes under the skin that are most important. For starters, Acura ditched the base 150-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with a 5-speed automatic and the 6-speed manual equipped 2.4-liter engine. Instead there's a single powertrain choice: The 201-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, now exclusively paired with Acura's dual-clutch 8-speed automatic transmission. Not only does the new engine offer 51 more horsepower than the 2.0-liter, it gets better fuel economy, thanks to the new transmission.
Also: The Class of 2015 -- New Vehicles Ready to Roll
Since Acura retained the more powerful engine, and added a better transmission, the new ILX loses virtually nothing in acceleration compared to last year's combination of the 2.4-liter with the 6-speed manual. The new 8-speed shifts smoothly and quickly in Drive. Putting it in Sport and using the steering wheel-mounted paddles gives you the control of a manual, although it does automatically upshift at redline. Still, the ILX retains its sporty feel, with a well sorted suspension that was entertaining on the twisty roads around Napa, California, but still compliant enough when things got bumpy. The steering is on the light side, but it's doubtful potential buyers will mind.
Quieter and techier
But the sporty driving feel is only half of the equation. Inside, the new Acura ILX offers better sound deadening with thicker glass, active noise cancellation, and even wheels that insulate the car from road noise. Acura provided a pair of 2015 ILX models for comparison, and in a back-to-back drives there's no doubt that the new ILX is significantly better, even if it's not exactly vault-like quiet. Add to that better seats and a redesigned dash that incorporates a touch-screen interface and you have an Acura that further distinguishes itself from its Honda brother.
If you don't want to make the stretch all the way to the top-end model for a built-in navigation system -- or just don't want one -- Acura has a mid-step solution that uses your iPhone. By purchasing the $60 Acura Navi app and the $99 cable kit -- which connects your phone via USB and HDMI -- you have a tethered navigation system that uses your data stream and iPhone for navi duties. It's a nice work-around, and less expensive than the full navigation system.
Also new for the 2016 Acura ILX is the addition of AcuraWatch, a new name for the bundled driver safety and assistive technologies. This includes adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation and braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and assist, blind spot information and rear cross-traffic monitor. It's a pretty comprehensive suite, and although some of it doesn't quite match the stuff available in higher-end Acuras -- there's no low-speed follow for the adaptive cruise control, for example -- it's still a lot of technology for the price.
Inexpensive, not cheap
Speaking of price, the 2016 Acura ILX remains a bargain. The base price is $27,200, not including destination charges, and includes the jewel-eye headlights, moonroof, power driver's seat, rear view camera, and Bluetooth. A Premium model adds leather seats, blind spot and cross-traffic detection, memory for the driver's seat, and audio system upgrades for an extra $2,000. The Tech Plus model throws in navigation, an even better audio system, and AcuraWatch. The good news is that most of the AcuraWatch goodies (minus blind spot and cross-traffic detection) are available as a $1,300 standalone package on the base model, which is a break from the usual Acura practice of only offering high-tech options as a separate trim level. The other major option is the A-Spec package on Premium and Tech Plus models. It has 18-inch wheels, suede-like seating surfaces, fog lights, a chrome-trimmed rear spoiler, and a few other goodies for $1,490 on Tech Plus models, or $1,990 on Premium.
Also: Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards of 2015
At a topped-out price of $34,390, that's a lot of car. A loaded Buick Verano is about the same, but doesn't offer many of the ILX's active safety systems. The 2016 ILX is also about $10,000 less than a similarly equipped Mercedes-Benz CLA, a difference that will have you wondering if that three-point star is worth a 25-percent price bump. On the other hand, the ILX is also in the same price zone as several more mainstream midsize sedans, such as the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata. While not all of them have the same techno gadgets as the ILX, they're larger, and offer V6 engines at the same price.
The question is whether a luxury model justifies its price, and we think the new 2016 Acura ILX makes a good case for itself. With a cool design, upscale features, good driving dynamics, and a premium badge at a reasonable price, it's definitely worth a look.
Check out our Small Luxury Sedan Buyers Guide for a look at what's new and what's next.

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2016 Acura ILX Drive Review

On Sale: Now

Base Price: $28,820

Drivetrain: 2.4-liter I4, FWD, eight-speed dual-clutch sequential manual

Output: 201 hp @ 6,800 rpm, 180 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm

Curb Weight: 3,093 pounds

0-60 MPH: 6.8 seconds

Fuel Economy: 25/36/29(EPA City/Hwy/Combined)

Acura produces a worthy gateway entry

What is it?

Acura has performed an extensive midcycle update to its ILX gateway model packing in a new drivetrain, styling, features and a sportier A-Spec model.

Previously, the ILX offered a 2.0-liter I4 with 150 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque as a base engine, which was mated to 5-speed automatic transmission. Those looking for more power had the option of a 2.4-liter I4 with 201 hp and six-speed manual drivetrain combination. For 2016, the direct-injected 2.4-liter I4 from the TLX is transplanted into the ILX making 201 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque and serves as the sole engine option now and is bolted to Acura’s in-house developed 8-speed dual-clutch sequential manual. Some may notice the ILX engine is down 5 hp compared to the TLX, which is because of exhaust system differences.

Chassis improvements come in the form of additional body bracing that ups torsional rigidity by 12 percent, updated shock absorbers and springs, firmer suspension bushings, thicker rear antiroll bar, retuned steering system for a more direct response and upsized brakes all around.

Visually, the ILX receives Acura’s Jewel Eye LED headlights, new grille, fascias, wheel designs, and LED rear lights. Inside, infotainment functions are now handled by a dual screen system with a lower touchscreen like what’s found in the MDX and TLX, but climate controls remain separate and are controlled by regular buttons and knobs. 2-way driver’s seat memory, a 4-way adjustable passenger power seat, accent stitching and silver metallic trim pieces are all new.

In an effort to quiet the cabin, an active noise control system, thicker front door glass and noise-reducing wheels that diminish middle frequency road noise have been added.

Available features include a 10-speaker ELS audio system, navigation with a 4.2-inch color TFT information gauge cluster display, remote engine start, and a whole suite of safety and driver assistant technologies which is classifies under the AcuraWatch umbrella. There you’ll find forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, road departure mitigation, blind spot information, rear camera and a cross traffic monitor.

Customers looking for a more aggressive-looking ILX will want to check out the A-Spec models that add exclusive 18-inch, 10-spoke wheels, rear spoiler, side sills, fog lights, red interior gauges, aluminum pedals, suede seat inserts, gray accent stitching and a black headliner.

How does it drive?

We saddled up in an ILX A-Spec and tackled some winding roads throughout California’s Napa Valley and were immediately impressed with the power from the new drivetrain and its handling ability on some challenging strips of pavement. Where the old ILX with the 2.0-liter felt underpowered, the 2016 version is quick to jump off the line and pulls strong, particularly in the middle of the rev range. Pull does taper off at the top end, but it doesn’t fall off a cliff.

The 8-speed dual-clutch performed beautifully in slow speed situations, thanks in most part to also having a torque converter, and when you’re really on it running through the gears using the steering wheel paddles. Shift response is quick and gear changes are close to seamless. Audi’s S-tronic is a smidge smoother and quicker in operation, but the Acura unit is right there, which is comforting after experiencing some hiccups in a TLX test car we had in Detroit a couple months back.

With good Continental ContiProContact tires wrapping the 18-inch wheels, we could attack bends surprisingly hard with the weighty and responsive steering helping to direct us along. The bigger brakes feature a firm pedal feel and let you dive deep into corners. It takes quite a bit of effort and a real tight turn to get the ILX to understeer on the street.

When just cruising along, you will notice Acura’s efforts in quieting the cabin. Not much wind or road noise gets in. Indeed, this makes the feel a little more premium. Ride quality is also well sorted, with the suspension damping out small to medium impacts on the road. The suede-like seat inserts were nice, and held onto to us in corners a little better, but the lower seat cushions on the front buckets were too flat and needed more side support. The seating position itself also seemed a little high, and the surface finishes throughout still appeared a little cheap.

Do I want it?

If you’re looking for an entry-level sports sedan, you’ll definitely want to consider the 2016 ILX now. The new drivetrain has done wonders for Acura’s gateway vehicle, giving it adequate muscle to make a stand against the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA. The engine is potent and is definitely a throwback to Honda/Acura 4-cylinders of old that once powered vehicles like the Acura Integra and Honda Prelude.

Handling will also remind you a little of the brand’s sportier performers from the past, which should be music to a Honda/Acura fan’s ears.

It definitely looks better with the styling revisions, and the lengthy list of available options will certainly entice some shoppers.

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2016 Acura ILX Road Test

Quick Summary
Previously, the Acura ILX suffered from a weak base engine, while the more powerful option was only available with a manual transmission. That's all changed now that the old base engine has been eliminated and a new 8-speed automated manual transmission is standard across the board. A slight styling refresh and additional features are also new, making the 2016 Acura ILX more competitive among the new crop of entry-level luxury sedans.

What Is It?
Acura's entry-level sedan, the ILX gets a midcycle refresh for the 2016 model year to address some of the drawbacks that kept it from reaching its full potential. Gone is the 150-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and its outdated 5-speed automatic transmission. Now, the 2016 Acura ILX is only available with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder that produces 201 hp and 180 pound-feet of torque, which all goes through a modern 8-speed automated manual transmission. The ILX's chassis also receives some enhancements to stiffen the structure and improve crash-worthiness.

On the outside, some subtle styling updates further improve the ILX's overall impression. The front and rear fascia have been sharpened ever so slightly, and LED headlights and taillights lend a more modern appearance. The interior also receives a freshening with improved materials, added sound insulation and a secondary infotainment screen on higher-trimmed models. The newly available AcuraWatch suite of technology-based safety features brings the ILX up to date with its contemporaries.

Prices start at $28,820 for the base ILX. For another $2,000, the Premium package adds features like leather upholstery, the secondary infotainment display, navigation via newer iPhones, some of the AcuraWatch safety features and an upgraded audio system. The Tech Plus package increases the price to $33,820 and gets you a built-in navigation system, premium audio and the complete AcuraWatch safety suite. Available on the Premium and Tech Plus packages is the sporty A-Spec package that adds 18-inch wheels, faux suede seat inserts, foglights, a rear spoiler and a few interior trim elements. We spent a day driving the Tech Plus model with the A-Spec package throughout California's Napa Valley. The as-tested price for this model came to $35,810, including $920 for destination and handling.

How Does It Drive?
Power from the now standard 2.4-liter 4-cylinder isn't what we'd call impressive, but it is certainly adequate for most drivers. We were more impressed by the new 8-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission. Unlike some automated manuals that exhibit some unrefined lurches off the line, the ILX's transmission is as smooth as a traditional automatic. This is due in no small part to Acura fitting a torque converter to the transmission, an element that is normally associated with typical automatics.

In normal drive mode, the ILX accelerates smoothly on city roads with a pleasant low burble and precise steering. Reaching highway speeds and passing slower traffic with confidence requires a decent prod of the pedal in order to get the revs up as the engine begins to emit a strained groan. Once up to speed, the engine quiets down considerably, overtaken by a noticeable but not intrusive amount of road noise.

On more demanding roads, we slipped the transmission into Sport mode. Engine revs are held higher in this setting, and under braking, the transmission keeps power on tap with well-timed rev-matched downshifts. As good as Sport mode was, we preferred the manual mode that was commanded by the steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles. In this setting, the quicker but rougher gearchanges had us driving with much more enthusiasm.

The ILX delivers a compliant and comfortable ride quality without compromising on sporty handling. The A-Spec package's 18-inch wheels transmit more road imperfections into the cabin, but even on broken pavement it never becomes harsh. Overall, the car feels solidly tethered to the road, which gives us the confidence to have some fun in the narrow curves. Steering effort is noticeably light and relays very little information back to the driver, but it is very precise. The 1st indication of the performance limit is the lack of front wheel traction as the tires claw at the asphalt coming out of turns. Otherwise, the ILX should satisfy drivers seeking some thrills.

How Is the Interior?
The basic design of the previous interior carries over to the ILX's refresh for 2016 with a few notable improvements. The most obvious change, at least for Premium and Tech Plus models, is the addition of a touchscreen right in the middle of the center stack. It replaces the outdated buttons, knobs and digital readouts of the previous ILX for a cleaner, contemporary look. Operation of the system isn't as intuitive as we'd prefer, as the upper screen atop the dash displays both audio and navigation, while the middle touchscreen handles audio, climate and general system settings.

The abundance of physical buttons throughout the cockpit further complicates operation. We counted about 30 buttons on the center stack and another 18 on the steering wheel. Compounding matters is the main infotainment dial's positioning in the middle of the dash instead of closer to the center armrest and where your hand naturally rests.

Shoppers on a budget may want to try out the Premium package's ability to use select iPhones as a substitute for the Tech Plus package's integrated navigation. It's not as elegant as the integrated system, but in our experience it does a fine job of bridging the gap between phone-only and a traditional in-dash system.

As far as materials quality goes, the ILX still trails its German rivals by a noticeable margin. There is an abundance of hard plastics by comparison and the soft-touch and leather surfaces are also not quite as nice. After an hour or so of driving, we would also have preferred more padding on the door and center armrests to cushion our elbows.

The well-shaped and adequately cushioned seats are comfortable over longer distances. Lateral support was a bit lacking for spirited driving, but the A-Spec faux suede surfaces provide plenty of grip to hold occupants in place. Rear passenger space is considerably more generous than in other sedans in the class, as average-size adults can comfortably be accommodated.

The ILX's trunk can hold up to 12.3 cubic feet of cargo, which is about average among its entry-level luxury sedan rivals. Thanks to the space behind the rear wheel humps, a golf bag can easily be accommodated width-wise across the trunk. Remote handles to release the folding rear seats are handy, but the seats only fold down as 1 piece, meaning you can't transport longer items and a rear passenger at the same time.

What Safety Features Are Available?
In addition to the typical safety features found in other vehicles, the 2016 Acura ILX's standard equipment list also includes a multiview rearview camera. Opting for the AcuraWatch suite of safety features adds forward collision warning and mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and intervention, a blind spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alerts. Structural enhancements have also been made in this refresh in response to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's challenging small frontal overlap crash test.

During our drive, we were most impressed by Acura's new lane departure warning and intervention system. When drifting out of a lane, subtle visual warnings appear initially, followed by a gentle nudge felt through the steering wheel to move the car back in line. Without any intervention, the system steered the car through gentle turns as well as a human pilot, but it does require occasional driver input to remain active.

What Kind of Fuel Economy Can You Expect?
The EPA estimates the 2016 ILX will achieve 29 mpg combined (25 city/36 highway). Compared to direct competitors, these figures are average.

What Are Its Closest Competitors?
Audi A3: The Edmunds "A"-rated Audi A3 is the leader in the entry-level luxury sedan segment. Depending on trim levels and options, the Audi will cost $2,000-$4,000 more than a comparable Acura ILX, but its advantage in quality, performance and prestige may justify the financial penalty. As with the other competitors listed below, the A3 can also be had with all-wheel drive.

BMW 320i: As the perennial leader in this class, the 3 Series remains a benchmark, but its higher price may keep it just out of reach for some shoppers. The base model 320i costs about $2,800 more than the ILX. Equipping the BMW to be comparable to the Acura further widens the price gap. It may be better in a number of ways, but value is not one of them.

Mercedes-Benz CLA250: Besides the prestige factor and better interior materials, the CLA-Class trails the ILX in a number of areas. Cramped rear seats, inelegant lurches from the transmission and its stiff ride quality may be enough to drive savvy shoppers away from the entry-level Benz. If that's not enough, the CLA costs between $3,000 and $4,000 more than the Acura.

Why Should You Consider This Car?
The 2016 Acura ILX benefits from a more affordable price tag than its German rivals. With a high level of driver engagement balanced with a comfortable ride and plenty of standard and available features, it's clearly the value leader in this class.

Why Should You Think Twice About This Car?
The ILX's relative affordability comes at the expense of interior quality. Even at the highest trim level it doesn't match the solidity, materials and driver-to-car interface of the German sedans. With no all-wheel-drive model available, shoppers in areas prone to foul weather may want to weigh their options.

Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

needs a type-s version so bad!!!!!
rocket to 60 in 5.something seconds and we'll have a winner !!!

benjaminh

I think Acura will do that in about a year or so. If the 2016 Civic Si, as expected, gets the new 2.0 turbo, we can imagine that the 2017 ILX will get a version of that too

aomechmarine

Wow so many reviews. Blue "A-spec" looks kinda like a more refined SI. Still can't get over that chinny-chin-chin tho.

kurtatx

get SH-AWD on that thing.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

if the weight of the SHAWD system can come down, i think they would put it in the ILX.

however; currently it's too heavy and will destroy the ILX's weight and "tossable" factor.


I believe the new civic type-R is still FWD.

TSX69

2016 Acura ILX:
1st Drive
By Bengt Halvorson | HighGearMedia.com February 11 at 12:10 PM

Much has changed in the 3 years since the Acura ILX 1st arrived. The Mercedes-Benz CLA has the market rapt, and a new sedan-inclusive generation of Audi’s A3 looks poised to sell well. Meanwhile Mazda has gone far more upscale with its latest Mazda3; the current Jetta has quite the sophisticated package at an affordable price; and even Subaru is offering its full EyeSight active-safety kit on the affordable Impreza.

If you’re not familiar enough with those models, here’s what it amounts to: Despite some pretty impressive sales figures for the ILX, Acura must be feeling the crunch. But after a first drive this past week of the 2016 Acura ILX, we can say that the luxury brand has done some smart things with this sporty compact sedan—keeping its packaging goodness intact, yet starting with a clean slate in other respects.

It would be quite the stretch to call the 2016 ILX new; and it isn’t altogether refomulated. Yet it’s been fortified, and it’s far more focused than last year’s model.

A big part of what makes it feel far more focused behind the wheel, compared to most of last year’s models is a sort of magic substitution under the hood, courtesy of Acura’s new (and 1 size larger) TLX sedan: the new direct-injected, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Although we mourn the loss of a manual-gearbox variant, the poorly focused Hybrid and 2.0-liter versions (yes, the ones with that obstinate 5-speed automatic) will no doubt be distant memories after you sample this power couple.

Just as in the TLX, the 8-speed always seems on top of its game. It remains the only dual-clutch automatic to use a torque converter, which means that you get a far more sophisticated feel when you’re crawling along in traffic or doing low-speed stop-and-go along side streets—as great as Volkswagen’s (and Audi’s) DSG can be, there are none of the occasional lurches and graunches here.

Truly a performance-tuned car...in a very conservative wrapper

While the torque converter keeps it smooth around town, the gearbox really shows its stuff when you push the car harder. Full-throttle acceleration dials up snappy yet well-damped shifts, perfectly timed and executed in small fractions of seconds. Sliding the shifter back into Sport mode either allows you a more aggressive shift pattern or free reign over shifts via the steering-wheel paddles.

The engine is superb, and it serves to remind us how glorious a powertrain without the lag, surges, and flat spots of turbocharging (or supercharging) can be. It adds direct injection over the previous 2.4-liter version, which was manual-only, and while it has the same 201-hp peak output it makes 10 pound-feet more torque, at a reasonable 3,600 rpm. What’s so impressive is how it builds so steadily and predictably up the rev range; you can learn the powertrain quickly, and you don’t inadvertently dial in too much (or too little) with your right foot. Premium unleaded is recommended, by the way, but we think this one’s worth it.

There’s also a feature through which the driver can order up a double downshift—from 5th to 3rd, for instance—via 2 quick clicks on the left paddle.

It all factors to EPA ratings of 25 mpg city, 36 highway. In 1 car, on a very rapidly driven loop of twisty 2-lane roads we saw 25 mpg—so we think this car will do even better than the EPA numbers in most real-world conditions.

Acura has made some significant improvements in suspension, handling, and braking to go with this especially keen powertrain. All ILX models get new sleeved front lower control-arm bushings, as well as larger rear stabilizer bars and a stiffer front subframe. All versions now get amplitude-reactive dampers in front, not just in back. The setup remains 1 with struts in front, as well as a multi-link rear that incorporates A-arms, double lower lateral links, tubular steel control links, and coil-over-dampers, as well as a solid rear stabilizer bar. Additionally, engineers applied a new control logic to the electric power steering system, and installed larger-diameter brake discs front and rear (ventilated in front).

It's a car that digs into tight corners with

Acura says that the available A-Spec Package allows you to make the most of this revised setup, but we came away from a drive in multiple cars thinking that the non A-Spec cars are the better bet. A-Spec models have the same springs and dampers, but they include bigger and wider (18x7.5”) wheels with very low-profile tires, which tend to exaggerate the tendency of the rear suspension to make sharp upward motions on rough road surfaces.

Altogether, you’ll likely appreciate the base setup better than the A-Spec on all but the smoothest surfaces.

Satisfying and at ease—if you can get past a few things

The ILX feels, in a word, honest. It’s easy to drive quickly, and feel at ease. Partly it’s due to the packaging, as the driving position affords such great sightlines, while all the switchgear and controls are as straightforward as can be—well, except for the kludgy dual-screen infotainment.

I jumped almost directly from the ILX into an Audi A3 and it served to underscore how little storage and stowage space the A3 has—and how much thoughtful space is here in the ILX. Inside, Acura has given the ILX a modest list of upgrades, including interior accent stitching, a silver-hue trim, an HDMI port on some models, and a new Jewel Gray interior color. A-Spec models get special perforated black Lux Suede upholstery, plus a black headliner, red instrument illumination, and contrasting gray stitching, along with alloy pedals.

Seating space in general is quite impressive; expect front headroom to be tight, due to the sunroof enclosure, but in back there’s usable space where some rival models [CLA, ehem] make some sore-headed concessions in the name of a fashionable roofline.

That roofline, by the way, is perhaps too conservative and formal for the mission. Or is it? The ILX has a sort of unassuming elegance from the outside that we can admire—especially with what feels like some closer attention to details, with the Jewel Eye LED headlamps and a grille that complements them nicely.

At the same time, some will have trouble seeing past the hard points carried over from the Civic, on which it’s based. And we see a few odd packaging decisions; for instance, why don’t even top-trim cars have height adjustability for the front passenger seat? Why no heated rear seats, at a time when the Kia Forte has them? Or fresh-air vents for those in back?

A lot of active safety and tech features for the price

Yet the active-safety approach in the ILX is excellent. You can add the AcuraWatch Plus suite of active-safety features to the base ILX—yes, everyone’s learning from Subaru, it seems—and there are some features here, like Lane Keeping Assist, which will steer you within lane markings, to keep you in your lane, that simply can’t be had in other models at this low-$30k price point.

Value is indeed a big part of the appeal. At $28,820 for the base model, or $35,810 for the fully loaded Technology Plus A-Spec, the ILX is on a feature basis priced well below its luxury-badge rivals.

In short, knowing what we knew about the powertrain in the TLX, and of the improvements made to this car in general, we could anticipate how much improvement was in store for the ILX. What we didn’t quite anticipate is how well it all works together.

If only the ILX could show in its appearance all the confidence and charm it has from the driver's seat, which we can’t help but think could be so much better with some Acura soul-searching as to what made the Integra such a charming small car, 1 with similar Civic roots. And the ever-rotating badges aren't helping.

It’s a small but very promising building block for Acura. After trying for several years to serve up a little bit of this and a little bit of that, Acura’s essentially returning to a solid foothold in this increasingly vital market segment—and what it hopes will matter to a lot of these target customers: a single well-equipped car that drives really well.

Nexx

once you see it in person youll get over it really quick. it really does work well for the car. i was blown away by now nice the aspec in graphite luster is in person.

aomechmarine

i guess I will just have to try 'green eggs and ham'...