TSX69

2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs 2013 Acura ILX 2.4

20 years ago, a comparison between an entry-level Buick and its Acura equivalent would have matched a Skylark against an Integra. The unfair battle would have resulted in the compact American's defeat in nearly every measurable category, as the Japanese competitor was arguably at the height of its powers.

Yet the automotive industry has flipped, twisted and merged itself through more than just a recession over the past 2 decades – it's morphed into a whole different ballgame. Pitting a Buick against an Acura makes perfect sense today, as both automakers are peddling new entry-level models designed to scoop up buyers seeking premium features, luxury appointments and fuel efficiency in a reasonably priced compact sedan package.

Today's battle is between the Verano and the ILX. Instead of wringing out the base models and setting ourselves up for a day-long yawnfest, we chose the most powerful and dynamic variants of each, configuring them with 6-speed manual transmissions to liven the pace. This unquestionably made our behind-the-wheel excursion more interesting, but we soon realized that our enthusiast-oriented decision would introduce a whole new set of headaches.

The Buick Verano was launched at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show as a new-for-2012 model. Although it shares Delta II platforms with the Chevrolet Cruze and Opel Astra, General Motors has gone the extra mile, giving the more premium Verano its own unique styling inside and out, and it's fitted the 4-door sedan with laminated glass, triple door seals and a long list of other sound-deadening upgrades to separate it from its lesser sibling. Buick calls the cabin "library quiet," and its interior features an appointment level on par with its larger LaCrosse sibling.

The Acura ILX was launched at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show as a new-for-2013 model. The 4-door sedan shares platforms with the Honda Civic, but the automaker resculpted its panels to change its proportions and imbued it with a more befitting interior complete with upscale switchgear. Signature Acura touches such as the dual arched instrument panel and a red push-button starter to the right of the steering wheel complete the transformation.

Both the Buick and Acura are built in the United States (the Verano in Orion Township, Michigan, and the ILX in Greenburg, Indiana), and each is offered in several trims with a choice of engines. While the base models of each start in the mid-$20,000 range, we chose to compare the range-topping trims, as they are similarly equipped and very closely matched in overall performance.

Our 2013 ILX, a 6-speed manual with the Premium package trim, arrived painted in Silver Moon over ebony leather carrying an as-tested price of $30,095. The only addendum to its $29,200 MSRP was the mandatory destination fee of $895. Standard equipment includes full power accessories, an 8-way power-operated driver's seat, dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth and a 350-watt premium audio system. Navigation, conspicuously missing from our ILX, is not offered on this particular model (yet).

Under the Acura's hood lies a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter 4-cylinder rated at 201 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 170 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. The transverse-mounted engine, basically shared with the Honda Civic Si and Acura TSX, sends its power through a close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox to the front wheels and earns an EPA fuel economy rating of 22 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. The suspension is an independent MacPherson strut design up front with a multi-link setup in the rear. There are disc brakes at all corners and its 17-inch alloys are wrapped in 215/45R17 Michelin HX MXM4 all-season grand touring rubber.

Our 2013 Verano, a 6-speed manual in Premium trim, was painted in Luxo Blue Metallic over Choccachino (honest) premium leather and carried an as-tested price of $31,695. The base price ($29,105) was bumped up with the addition of a power sunroof ($900), satellite radio with navigation ($795) and a mandatory destination fee ($895). Standard equipment includes full power accessories, 6-way power-operated driver's seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, Bose premium audio and navigation bundled with Buick Intellilink connectivity.

Nestled under the hood of the Buick is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder rated at 250 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm. The transverse-mounted engine, shared with the Buick Regal GS, sends its power through a 6-speed manual gearbox to the front wheels to earn an EPA fuel economy rating of 20 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. The suspension is independent with MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam augmented by a Watts Z-link in the rear. There are disc brakes at all corners and its 18-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in 235/45R18 Continental ContiProContact all-season grand touring rubber.

Parked side-by-side, the Buick Verano is wider, taller and longer than the Acura, but only marginally. A tape measure reveals that both are within an inch of each other in wheelbase (105.7 inches to 105.1), but the Verano is about 4 inches longer overall (183.9 inches vs. 179.1). Place each on a scale, and the Buick is the heavier of the pair with a curb weight of 3,300 pounds (compared to the ILX curb weight of 2,978 pounds), That said, both carry about 61% of their weight over the front wheels – typical for a front-drive car.

To compare the Verano against the ILX, I teamed up with Translogic contributor Kyle Thibaut and Autoblog photographer extraordinaire Drew Phillips and headed out on a nice day trip that would bring our near-lux sedans from sea level up to Southern California's snow line (about 5,000 feet elevation this time of year) and back down. The route offered plenty of urban driving, wide-open mountain canyon roads and mundane freeway travel. After loading the center consoles with Red Bull, Swedish Fish and beef jerky, we filled each tank with fuel and began our comparison.

1st impressions are critical – emotional appeal is what moves most cars out of the showroom – so after a brief orientation, we parked the 2 compact luxury sedans side-by-side and took a good look at each.

Between the 2, it was the Verano's design that stole all of the attention. The sedan has a fresh, upscale and purposeful design that we felt definitely projected a more premium vibe. Phillips: "At 1st blush, the Buick really stands out to me as an attractive car, in part due to the blue paint and the beautiful brown leather interior. I know Buick has made an effort to build a car for a younger demographic, and in this car, they've succeeded." Yet there was some dissent. Thibaut called out GM's platform sharing immediately: "It's clearly a Chevrolet Cruze... and I'm not sure if Buick's design language does enough to attract younger buyers, especially with those rear chrome eyebrows." We all felt that the Verano's "Angry Bird" rear lights were a bit distracting, and we also found it odd that GM declined to spill the beans on our tester's turbocharged powerplant. "There should be visual differentiators like wheels and fascia, and performance indicators like a lower sport suspension and brakes," said Thibaut. "The only indicator is a little red 'T' badge on the trunklid."

The Acura ILX isn't a bad-looking sedan either, but its bland overall design means it has an even more difficult time removing itself from its Honda roots. "Looks a lot like the Civic," said Thibaut before peering inside. "The styling appears to reflect a 'make it work' attitude and the interior design borrows from Acura's design language, but in a more minimal way," he added. Upon closer inspection, all of us agreed that the fit and finish were below what we expected from a premium brand. Everything from the inexpensive appearing headlight assembly to the unsubstantial sound of the doors closing reminded us more of a Honda.

Buick also took top mentions for interior appointments, build quality and comfort with its warm and inviting cabin. "The interior is at the level of a luxury sedan, just smaller," said Thibaut in a subtle reference to its bigger LaCrosse sibling. We likewise expected premium materials in the ILX, especially as Acura is better established as a premium marque, but the small sedan let us down. Its interior wasn't even as nice as the emergency-refresh 2013 Civic. "I've seen better leather on a Kia," blasted Thibaut. Rumor has it that Acura will be making a few Civic-like upgrades to the ILX in the near future, and it can't come soon enough.

We settled into each of the cabins, turned on a pair of Motorola 2-way walkie talkies, and aimed our hoods eastward.

The 1st part of the drive was an exercise in carving canyons as we forced each sedan to climb nearly a mile in altitude over a 20-mile distance. The 2-lane road was free of traffic, so we were able to push the ILX and Verano to our comfort levels. As neither is touted as a sport sedan, our expectations were not particularly high.

Buick's hot little turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine emerged as a workhorse, pulling the Verano strongly up each of the mountains. "Lots of power once the turbo kicks in," said Kyle over the radio, verbally expressing what each of us had been thinking the whole time. But a good engine is nothing without a competent transmission, and that's exactly where the Buick fell on its face. Its sloppy 6-speed gearbox soon attracted a storm of complaints: "The manual transmission seems like an afterthought in the Verano Turbo, feeling vague and uncommunicative. In fact, the gearing of the 6-speed transmission feels far too high, often leaving the turbo-4out of its powerband," said a frustrated Phillips. When the engine was spun to redline, the fuel flow was abruptly cut resulting in an immediate loss of power. This annoyed all of us, but it particularly chafed Thibaut: "The very aggressive rev limiter is incredibly annoying. This frustrating and awkward manual transmission is the reason people don't buy manuals anymore – why even offer a stick shift if it's going to be this bad?"

The engine in the Acura, an automaker long known for its wonderful naturally aspirated 4-cylinder mills, screamed effortlessly all the way to its soft redline with each throw of its short-shift lever. Power was obviously down compared to the Buick, but the shorter gearing and more precise shifter action in the ILX made it the favorite in the mountains. "Great Honda engine note all the way past 7,200 rpm... and the manual transmission is fun – clutch and shifter are robust and offer quick shifts." More test notes: "The ILX sounds like a racecar for the street. While it may not be the most pleasant thing to listen to on the freeway as it hovers above 3,000 rpm, it's an addictive noise when you're engaged in spirited driving."

After the 1st stop, halfway up the mountain, everyone fought over the keys to the Acura. It didn't seem to have the power or even the lateral grip of the Buick, but it was much more communicative in terms of steering, chassis and throttle response. "The ILX is undoubtedly the better car to throw around on a canyon road," said Phillips matter-of-factly. "Not that many buyers will purchase it for this type of mission, but the car is certainly capable of an entertaining Sunday drive." The steering on the Buick felt artificial and vague, and its superior cabin isolation was discomforting when pushed hard, as the drive felt disconnected from the pavement. Said Thibaut succinctly: "I can't communicate with the road in the Verano."

A similar lack of engagement was found with the Buick's manual gearbox, as it seemed out of place. The Verano's clutch pedal felt disconnected, and its shifter sloppy. Some of us complained about missing shifts. The Acura, on the other hand, was nearly perfect with a smooth clutch and tactile lever action. "The ILX's shifter is its saving grace, allowing for gear changes that are both accurate and lightning fast with a flick of the wrist," said Drew. Everybody agreed.

In terms of real-world acceleration, the ILX is quicker off the line thanks to its slick shifter and lower gearing. The more powerful Verano bogs and chokes off the line, but its more powerful engine doesn't have any problem passing the Acura once it hits its stride. Passing maneuvers were much less stressful in the Buick too, thanks to the instant torque the turbocharger helped deliver. We estimate both will hit 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds, give or take a few a few tenths.

After dropping down the other side of the mountain, we stopped for more road trip snacks before starting our 100-mile highway portion of the comparison.

Within minutes, the rosy hue encircling the ILX and it sporty demeanor began to fade as the Verano's vault-like chassis, whisper-quiet interior and suite of amenities began to win each of us over. With the Buick's agonizing manual transmission left untouched in 6th gear for the duration, we focused on its the audio system, navigation package and creature comforts. It was almost an unfair comparison. The no-nonsense cabin of the Acura, acceptable when focused on sporty driving, became noisy, with an annoying engine drone when cruising at highway speeds. Thibaut called it, "way too loud, and it seems as if there is a lot of coarse noise coming from the underbelly." Phillips mirrored his comments nearly spot-on. "Going from the Verano Turbo to the ILX, the 1st thing you notice is the noise. It's a loud car, with everything from tires to wind to the engine contributing."

Both the Acura and Buick were competent freeway companions, but the ILX's engine was spinning about 1,000 rpm faster than the turbocharged engine under the hood of the Verano, and its cabin was much louder and more reflective – the noise just seemed to bounce around. There was no contest about which was the better cross-country cruiser, the Buick owned the highway portion of our comparison.

The city schlep was interesting. Our 3-man team preferred the Buick's cabin and connectivity, but once again, we didn't like its transmission. The Acura was more engaging, but it fell short on creature comforts and overall refinement. We longed for a Buick with a slushbox and wished for more amenities in the Acura.

We ended our drive at a gas station. Despite following each other nose-to-tail, the trip odometer of the Verano read 196.8 miles while the ILX had only counted 194.7 miles – chalk it up to a 1% odometer error. We pumped 6.78 gallons of premium unleaded into the Acura and 7.77 gallons of premium unleaded into the Buick, for a trip fuel economy of 28.7 mpg and 25.1 mpg, respectively. The Buick cost us $4.60 more in fuel for the identical trip.

A few minutes later, as Phillips set up his equipment for sunset photography, we mulled over which sedan won the comparison – as we don't hand out participation trophies at Autoblog, 1 of these 2 was going home a loser.

Our final vote was tallied, and the decision was unanimous – we all preferred the Buick Verano Turbo over the Acura ILX Premium.

Throughout the entire comparison, the ILX simply couldn't shake its Civic roots. It was constantly referred to as "the Honda" during our radio chatter (we never once called the Verano "the Chevrolet"), and we couldn't stop thinking about the still-outstanding Civic Si each time we slid behind the Acura's wheel. "I want to like the ILX, but the car simply doesn't make sense to me. The interior isn't nice enough to appeal to me as an entry-level luxury sedan, and the performance isn't good enough to justify its lack of quality in the interior. At the end of the day, nothing about the car stands out enough to make me want to choose it," Drew observed. Thibaut questioned why the low-volume ILX Premium model was even offered. "This particular trim does not need to exist. The question is, are a few premium features hiding behind an Acura badge worth 125-percent of the price of the Si? The answer is a million times no."

None of us questioned the sticker price of the Buick. "The Verano Turbo is the better entry-level luxury sedan. It's more comfortable, quieter and a more practical powertrain." Premium materials aside, Kyle went out of his way to point out that the Verano had more useable interior space (especially in the rear seats), a larger trunk, bigger brakes, larger wheels and more horsepower. "Clearly, the Verano is the best value by a long shot," he concluded. So much so, that 2 of us questioned whether it was a better value than the only marginally larger, yet more expensive, Buick Regal.

But interestingly enough, none of us would recommend the Verano Turbo with its manual gearbox – nearly all of our gripes had to do with that lifeless transmission – the no-cost 6-speed automatic is the proper entry-level luxury buyer's choice.

With the sun dropped below the horizon and the photography complete, we climbed back into our cars for the short drive back to our original meeting spot. After a few moments of silence, a voice came over the radio airwaves with an encapsulating sentence: "The Verano feels like a cheap version of an expensive car, while the ILX feels like an expensive version of a cheap car." Although our vehicles were hundreds of yards apart and moving down the highway at better than 70 mph, each of us realized that we were nodding our heads in agreement – it would be difficult to summarize our comparison more succinctly.

Trentimus

I have to call these reviewers on their bullshit.. the ILX looks like a Honda and has a Honda interior.. But the Verano looks nothing like the Cruze? SORRY my dad OWNS one.. he has the two-tone RS package and it looks damn near indentical inside.. I couldn't keep reading after that.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Honestly, having spent some time with both the 2.4L and 2.0L versions of the ILX, I cannot disagree with Autoblog. Acura, once again, missed a perfect opportunity to establish its brand messaging with the ILX. They tried too hard to appeal to too many audiences and the end result is something that is pleasant enough from afar, but gets muddied the closer you look.

What Acura really needs with the ILX is to up the interior quality a notch and not be afraid to have its interior materials feel as good as they do on the more expensive cars, utilize the Earth Dreams motor that is in the base 2013 Accord as the standard motor, and offer the 6-speed manual and 2.4L TSX motor in a properly Integra GSR inspired model that offers, at a premium in cost and comfort, truly great performance. If they do that, without blowing the pricing too far out of line, they will finally be back on the path to recovery.

Until then, they are simply trying too hard to be too many things to too many people.

4cruizn

Feedback is pretty much what I / we expected to hear --

ILX excels in drivetrain and suspension:

• Slightly better observed MPG
• Tight handling in the corners
• Smooth shifting 6MT
• Fun-to-drive factor

Buick is a better long-distance ride:

• Much quieter (wind, engine, exhaust noise)
• More refined materials
• Softer suspension

It's no mystery that Buick has a tough time with manual transmissions. It's never been their game. Styling is subjective. Personally I can't stand the "Angry Bird" chrome eyebrows on the Verano's tails. The front end of every Buick looks the same to me with that waterfall grille, but I know people say the same thing about all Acura sedans having a family resemblance too.

This person's comment on the article sums up my take:

I personally would take the ILX because it appeals to me more. More responsive and communicative, better handling, faster, better fuel economy, Honda reliability. I would take those tradeoffs for the noise and lack of navigation.

Trentimus

As you might notice the refreshed Civic looks much better than the ILX interior.
And, the Verano has no trace of Cruze to it!







Am I far off?

aaronnn

i lined up next to a new civic si sedan today.
i died a little inside. but i remembered at least mine doesn't say "civic". I'm not saying thats a terrible thing, but its more of a nameplate and how other's look at me when I'm showing up to some business function. If i pulled up in a honda, I would get way less credibility than what I pull up in now. It may be a rebadged civic, but it's got the "A" logo on it.. and some leather.

I don't care much for that comparison because the ILX still sounds like the winner? I don't care for the plushness, quiet, etc.. I like the noisey little engine that can keep up with competitive turbo motors. I love the undisputed champ of a gearbox that honda throws in their cars. minus the comfort and quality of our cars, I can't say its a terrible purchase. At least I found a 2.4 6MT, in SEVERAL dealers around the area. If i were to Google the verano manual transmission trim, I wonder how many would show up. If any..... unless they're special order only.

BDoggPrelude

What on earth does the Verano do with all of that power? 260lb/ft of torque and all it could muster was a 6.8 second 0-60 with a manual transmission? That is seriously weak. It has 25% more horsepower, over 50% more torque and only weighs 10% more than the ILX, yet it gets smoked off the line by it.

Otherwise, I think the Buick is a better overall package than the ILX by a long shot. Honestly, I think if you took away the badges and did a comparison between these two vehicles with a wide variety of consumers, the Verano would win by a landslide.

My boss just bought a Verano a couple months ago. I wasn't overly impressed with it but it is a nice vehicle. I checked out the ILX at the dealership when it came out and I was not impressed in the least. It's a pretty big step down from the TSX and is moving Acura in the wrong direction. I actually just saw an ILX on the road for the first time last week. How long has it been out now?

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Gearing and clutch take-up likely sap a fair amount of the power off the line in exchange for a smoother power delivery. Not exactly surprising considering many small turbo motors are more tuned for low-end power delivery feel than actual straight line performance. See Hyundai Sonata numbers as another example.

pabarile

Yeah, I'm with you on this. The pics you posted below of the cruze/verano interior look awfully similar to me. My parents own a Civic EX, and while its a decent car, the ILX feels much more substantial to me. But maybe i'm biased.

psunuce

My previous car was a civic and I agree that the ilx is a significant upgrade over what Honda put out. I would consider the tsx as a more apt comparison than the civic for the ilx. I liked the styling of the ilx over the verano, but that is a personal preference. I do have to agree with the reviewer that the ilx is more fun, but less comfy than the verano. When I test drove it, it just felt like it had no soul. If I were to change the ilx, I would add adjustable lower back support, and more sound insulation.

Granted, my wife has the Nissan juke, and she loves her "froggy car". Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

ChaiLatte

AB mentioned that the tall gearing really hampered the Verano's acceleration but when up to speed it pulled on the ILX. Also, as a previous owner of an Optima 2.0T (the Sonata's identical twin power-train-wise) I can say that that car is quick all throughout the powerband. The reason it posts such disappointing numbers is that it has a TQ restriction system in 1st and 2nd gear. It only has full power 3rd and up. It can't even chirp the wheels on take-off .

Anyways, I think the ILX is a nice car on its own, but the existence of the Civic inevitably leads to comparisons between the two with utter disregard of the higher profit margin premium brands are supposed to pull in. The ILX is better than an similarly equipped Civic, no doubt. But is it (on average) 8-10 thousand dollars better?

SSFTSX

TSX looks taller substantial car with much nicer curved interior and seats. even the interior meters are more unique.

BDoggPrelude

Ugh. What's with that giant trip/odometer button sticking out of the cluster? Agreed on the gauges though. They look straight out of a Civic and definitely a huge step down from the TSX.

dwest1023

Plus the TSX had dual exhaust tips, that keep it from looking like an econo box!

spdandpwr

Not for nothing, but the TSX from which you are comparing the ilx isn't that great either. I mean, yea the seats are great, but the car looks so much more identical to the Accord than the ILX does to the civic. I think that was more half-ass on Acura's part than the ILX being built off the civic.

Trentimus

I lol'd at this one HARD...
Have you ever looked at the Civic's guages?? Be honest............................................ .....

Not trying to be rude but people really need to learn to form their own opinion of things.

BDoggPrelude

Have I ever looked at Civic gauges? Lol. I work in the automotive industry. I've sat behind the wheel of nearly any car you can think of. Let me restate my original thought. The ILX gauges look like they came out of a Civic. Not the new Civic, as those are obviously quite a bit different. They look like they closer to the 2005 Civic gauges.

ILX gauges:
2005 Civic gauges:


Where the TSX gauges have a nice 3 dimensional look to them, almost like nautical gauges with the raised bezels that protrude above the gauge faces, the ILX gauges have a bland flat look to them. Furthermore, the TSX fuel and temperature gauges continue with the raised bezel theme and the ILX fuel and temp gauges look like more of an afterthought.

BDoggPrelude

And the only thing you should be lol'ing HARD at is that you got duped into buying an ILX. Acura wants you to buy it over the TSX. You spend a little less, they make a shitload more. There's no money to be made in the TSX at its current price point because it is a much more substantial vehicle riding on a much more sophisticated platform. Acura couldn't increase the price of the TSX because any increase would bring it too close the TL. Their solution was to build basically a cheaper TSX built off a cheaper platform using cheaper materials and a lower overall build quality. The TSX is a more substantial vehicle and a better value for your money, period.

Trentimus

Lol

rsx2rdx

The guages on the ILX have the same layout the rest of the refreshed Acura lineup (RDX, RLX, etc.) and has some subtle premium elements. The guages themselves are in fact rasied, and the dimmer controls the brightness on the LED info section where the mileage readout is located.

I'm not a particular fan of the ILX body-style, which is where Acura gets the bulk of criticism, but don't kid yourself if you think a new model doesn't offer better value than something built 5-10 years ago.

Trentimus

I had a TSX the 2 superior elements for me that were better in the TSX were the ride confidence (more rigid and confident feeling in turns) and the road/wind noise was less noticeable. My ILX was 4k cheaper than a TSX.. The ILX looks more like a modern design than the TSX.. My opinion. And the only thing "straight out of the Civic" is they it's got a speedo, tach, gas and oil gauge... Lol

rsx2rdx

Maybe in time, the look will grow on me. I know Acura is trying to shed the racer-boy image, but I don't see the ILX as a family sedan. Looks matter and if sales are what they are after a couple of simple tweaks could broaden the appeal. (A.k.a Lexus IS, differentiation from Buick, etc.)

• Black out the grill
• Choose more menacing rims - 6 spoke looks pretty nice
• The underbody kit and a spoiler makes a world of difference
• Add some variant of jewel eye so everyone knows you're driving an Acura vs. a Honda.
• Put back those tailpipes or at least offer it as an accessory.
• Make it a coupe!

Trentimus

Yeah.. Just got back from the Dallas autoshow.. The ILX interior quality is just fine. The Buick seats are more fluffy.. Other than that.. The ILX is a solid purchase for anyone who wants a Honda built motor with a interior quality that is on par with 30-45 thousand dollar cars I'd say go for it. The CLA looks really awesome in person. Seeing the TSX and ILX side by side I like both and after seeing from 15k cars to 300k cars I didn't feel a bit bad about my purchase. It's all up to what you want in a car.. Personally the A8 is ridiculously awesome.. I liked it better than any of the other luxury cars, honestly.. I don't even like big cars.

Oh, and the new civic interior is not as good as the ILX lol.. I laughed when I sat down in it.. I was like oh now the civic has an interior as good as the Dart so it's better than the ILX? I just disagree I guess.

SSFTSX

You dont need to be a rocket scientist to figure that out. same dealer.

Trentimus

Rocket scientist to figure what out? I own an ILX and came from a TSX.. They both have ups and downs in comparison to each other.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

What's the point you are trying to make? Both cars have good and bad points, neither car is a clear winner overall.