DeJesus

Dealer has 3 in stock. All three were the automatic gas model with tech. MSRP $32,295. Nice enough looking and lots of goodies - leather, sunroof, rear camera, NAV, voice recognition etc and it felt solid when I started driving. But it was beyond slow. I felt in danger trying to merge onto a highway. I did not get a bottom line price from the dealer as I really was not interested after the test drive, but it sounded like if there was any discount, it was hundreds not thousands. I'm no boy racer but I need a car than can accelerate at least somewhat. I'm passing on $33k for a 150-hp compact. Tested a top of the line Honda Accord EX-L V6 with 270-hp the same day and while it's not flashy by any means, the engine is light years better. MSRP $32,720 but with what sounds like huge dealer discounts instead of basically MSRP, I can likely get it for $4k or $5k less.

Obviously everyone has their own preferences, but this new Acura was a big disappointment to me. Planning on getting the Accord for a lot less and adding 120-hp. Before you buy it, I strongly recommend testing acceleration.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

get the accord!

Acura is going in the way of "smart luxury"
The ILX is anything but smart.

Rocket_man

Probably the same conclusion many will have after driving the car against the competition. As nice as the car may look it needs to perform against cars at a similar price point and it just won't. If you could get the ILX for $30K instead of $32K would it make a difference?

nj2pa2nc

Hoping when I am getting my tsx serviced next month, the dealer will have one with manual transmission. Would love to check it out. Not ready to buy.

WheelMcCoy

Your test drive confirmed my suspicions / fears.

I also thought the price would be a bit lower (under $30k) because the ILX is manufactured in the U.S. rather than in Japan. I know, the test car is fully loaded. Still, pricing is not that far from the TSX.

DeJesus

I don't think so. A 20-minute test drive probably doesn't show you how the vehicle would work for you in the long run. But my suspicion is the lack of power would prevent me from enjoying the car. And I don't want to mess with a manual as I do a fair amount of city driving.

dom

Didn't Acura at some point say that the 2.0L 5AT combo would be comparable to an AT TSX?

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

The AT TSX is pretty darn slow too......compared to my 2g TL-S. It honestly doesn't feel a lot faster than my Yaris 4AT in city driving.

The AT TSX actually feels a lot like the 8th gen and 9th gen Civic AT in terms of acceleration. I guess that's not too surprising. Even though the TSX makes 170lbft of torque, it's over 3500lb. The Civic on the other hand makes 130lbft of torque but only carries 2800lb. 20.6lb per lbft of torque for TSX vs 21.5lb per lbft of torque for Civic....not a huge difference. ILX is at 20.7lb per lbft of torque.

spdandpwr

yea, but the tsx at is bearable, a lot of people have them and seem complacent. The ilx is actually slower than a at civic from what I've been reading/hearing...when you're that slow it gets annoying. They should just drop the tsx (since it's priced way to closely to the ilx) and put the 2.4 in all ilx models...it will barely cost them anything and will get people to respect the ilx a bit more.

SSFTSX

Civic/Yaris are light weight cars with skiny tires 185~205 on 15/16 inch wheels. they are good for city driving.
ILX has 215/17 with 2900lbs weight with underpower engine. It is not going to feel faster than Civic. once some tests ILX on freeway they are not going to be impressed.
There is huge difference in high speed behavior of TSX and Civic 1.8.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

I haven't seen any actual road tests of the ILX yet. All I have seen are first drive reviews which don't have any performance numbers involved. I believe Acura tuned the throttle to be a bit more responsive to make it feel faster than what it really is. But then the extra sound deadening materials and refinement probably make the car feel slower. Based on the specs though, the ILX should be a tiny bit faster than the Civic, but slower than the TSX one is talking about a 0-60mph test or 1/4 mile test. However, for normal city driving, the difference shouldn't be that much. We will find out when we see the numbers I guess.

I'm not sure whether the TSX will be dropped or not (heard two contradicting rumours). If it stays, I'd imagine the next gen TSX will go up in price and luxury content. Otherwise, it doesn't make much sense for the ILX premium and TSX base to be so close pricing wise.

My Yaris has 175 on 14 inch wheels...and is probably 2000lb-2500lb or something.

wall e

the ILX is Acura's way of getting young people into the Acura line do diminish the stereotype that luxury is only for rich people, whihc is why its so the least $$$ model they offer

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

By the way, Acura will supposedly revamp the powertrains as soon as the Earth Dream powertrains are available. Acura will not wait until MMC to do so. We might see these changes as early as next model year (around this time next year). My guess is that we will see 10% gain in power and mpg.

dominik331

I am hoping for better powertrain options when the Earth Dream engines get introduced, until then I don't see myself replacing our 07 TSX with this.

the_razor

I think TSX will stay but the V6 engine only they will stop selling the I4.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Given the numbers, I am not the least bit surprised that the 2.0 AT model is slow. The target buyer of this car is not someone looking for a quick car, but rather a slightly more upscale daily driver.

Although after seeing the interior of this car on my recent trip to my local dealer, I even question the "upscale" part of the description because I feel like the interior of the latest Ford Focus and Hyundai's Veloster put this interior to shame (the Focus for material quality and the Veloster for style). Maybe it was just the light color of the interior, but the visible seams of the plastic used for the lower portion of the center console and the feel of much of the lower panels was pretty far below my expectations for the class and at least a step down from the materials currently used on the TL and TSX.

I am not yet seeing any redeeming qualities for this vehicle as the price-tag is too close to the TSX and there is just not enough of a benefit in terms of fuel economy or drivability to justify the rather paltry price difference.

On the plus side, the interior was not as cramped as I had expected...

jackal4eva

I guess I am not seeing it like everyone else for a particular scenario...

If someone is looking for a higher mileage car (particularly the hybrid ilx) with more luxury qualities and an attractive price, the ILX seems to make a lot of sense. I think it would be a great daily driver and am considering the hybrid. Of course I would love for it to be $2k cheaper... The TSX doesn't put up the mpg I would want. And, at 1 hour each way in the car to work, I would rather sit in the ILX than the Civic or Insight hybrids.

Just a bit of a different perspective I guess.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

And perfectly fair, except for the fact that you can get the same level of luxury qualities for less cost in a non-Acura, non-Honda branded car for a little less money.

Forget about competing against other vehicles in the Honda/Acura continuum. It doesn't really stack up well against other competitors in the marketplace.

An ILX Hybrid with the Technology Package costs about the same as a Hyundai Sonata hybrid which is a larger car that about the same fuel economy and has more usable storage space and many luxury features that the ILX will not have.

An ILX Hybrid with the Technology Package is about the same price as a fully loaded Toyota Camry hybrid which gets similar/better fuel economy numbers.

My point is that Acura compromised too much everywhere on this car.

It compromised too much on power and performance for it to be competitive against sportier cars. (WRX, BRZ, FR-S)

It compromised too much on interior design and quality to be truly competitive against plusher cars (CT200h, Buick Regal)

It compromised too much on fuel economy to really compete against other hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles (Prius, Sonata Hybrid, diesels)

They simply compromised so much on everything that the car has no single distinguishing characteristic that sets it apart in the marketplace. There is no question it is perfectly competent and capable of being a solid car and it will end up doing mildly well sales-wise because the lease rates on it will be excellent in fitting with Acura's existing line-up, but it lacks anything resembling character.

In a word, it's boring, much like the current generation TSX. Boring but competent. If that's the image Acura was shooting for, then mission accomplished.

5thTo2nd

Yet you bought one according to your signature. That's one more for their sales numbers.

Boring sells lots. Just look at Toyota. They've built their whole company on boring. I miss the good ol' days of fun-to-drive Hondas as much as the next guy but it seems like this isn't the direction they're taking. Personally I address that by modding

I might get an ILX to replace my CSX since it's inherently a very similar vehicle but I do agree that it's overpriced compared to what you can get from other manufacturers, especially Hyundai.

dom

I like the look and features but not of crazy about the price. I think this would make a great car for the wife but if the 2L is as underpowered as what's being speculated then I can't see myself buying this car. Pending a test drive. But a more powerful ED engine or the addition of an AT to the 2.4 will make this car far better proposition IMO.

TL_Guy

IMO they should slap the 2.0 from the RSX Type-S in the base model and beef up the 2.4 for the manual version. Atleast that would make it more fun to drive. Whatever happened to the 100hp/L?! This would be the pefect time for Acura to re-implement this into their new line up since every vehicle will undergo a change within the next 2 years!

Ken1997TL

Corporate average fuel economy + the death of the K20

The K24 would require some serious piston speeds to put out 240 hp...

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I just dont get why its priced so high!?

LawnPro

Im wondering how the 2.4L with the 6mt is going to be for pep. 2800lbs with that combo you would think be decent?

jackal4eva

Thank you - you make some great points and are engaging in your discussion through a quality post. Seems like to many boards these days are full of fluff.

Agree with you on the marketplace competition. However, I don't think Acura quality is the same level as a Hyundai and I personally think the quality of Toyota and Nissan products has gone very sub-par (particularly non-luxe).

I understand your point about compromise - but that seems to be the name of the game in a down economy (I think). Not sure about how it compares with Diesels in city driving where MPG is fairly low.

I disagree on boring - I like the way it looks and drives (have not driven the hybrid yet, full disclosure).

That said, you have brought up a good alternative in the Sonata Hybrid... Worth another look.

Thanks again for a good post.

beach109

It moves, simply put. Acura gave us 2.0L auto cars, Hybrids, and the 2.4L 6-spd to test track at the ride & drive. The 2.0L ILX moves really well. The 2.4L most feel is very powerful in the heavier TSX (myself included), but in the lighter ILX it is even more so with the slick 6-spd. Very fun car.

Robert4

I believe the 2.4 ILX is closer to 2900-2950 lbs. Even so, it's at least 500 lbs lighter than a 4 cyl TSX.

dominik331

What exactly do you mean by "I don't think Acura quality is the same level as a Hyundai "? Please elaborate.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

I think he means that Hyundai's quality is a step or two down from Acura. Although, my father-in-law, who also owns a Porsche Cayenne and has owned a variety of other German premium brands, bought a Sonata this past December and feels that the quality that Hyundai has demonstrated in recent years is really quite good. I suppose long-term reliability is yet to be determined.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

I agree that boring sells, as does reliability and familiarity.

And yes, my wife and I did recently lease one. We were forced into the decision due to pending engine failure on our previous car (we share one car) and we could not afford the downtime (less than a week to make a decision) needed to wait for the right combination of features and drive train to become available on a number of other cars that we were actually interested in buying. The TSX was the only car available at the time that met our needs and the pricing calculations worked out in our favor so we went with it.

Having personally had 5 Acuras over the last decade and closer to 20 including my extended family, I can honestly say that when it comes time to buy the car we genuinely want at the end of this lease, there is not a single car in the Acura line-up as it stands now, including known upcoming cars, I would consider.

dominik331

Ok, I see and I agree that they are much better than what they used to be (starting with the last gen Sonata). They have come a long way.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

I think Acura knows clearly that value wise, the ILX is no match for a lot of cars. This is why instead of having a sales target of 30000 a month like a Civic, Acura is only trying to sell 3000 copies. It's pretty obvious that most people will go for value these days. But some people, like jackal4eva, will see things differently. They want something compact but with luxury level matching mid-size sedans. On the other hand, they want something a bit more unique/rare than say a Civic, Focus, or Accord.

I have a friend in his early 30's who is an engineering consultant at a local firm. Due to his job nature and company size, he has to drive clients around in his own vehicle for site visit and/or business lunch. A few years ago, when he was searching for a suitable car, he wanted to get something comfortable, with some luxury features, good fuel economy, reliable, and something unique at around CAD$30k. He had a hard time finding something that would suit his requirements. Civic, Accord, Corolla, Camry are too bland and are everywhere. Altima interior is not luxury enough. The Acura CSX looks too much like a Civic. In the end, he went with the Mazda6 as it's the car with the least compromise. However, if he's in the market for a car again, the ILX would suit his needs perfectly - luxury enough, comfortable, it's relatively rare, doesn't look like a cheap compact sedan, reliable, and has good fuel economy. He's not a car enthusiast and to him, 150hp in a 2900lb car is decent enough. And with the ED powertrains, performance and fuel economy will get better.

The high revving K20 is not suitable for a entry luxury car......

However, a 2.4L high revving engine for the performance model is welcome

It's more like 2900lb. Performance wise, Edmunds got 0-60mph in 6.8s and 1/4 mile in low 15's at 90+mph. It's decent but not ground-breaking.

You might want to stay away from the Sonata Hybrid at this moment. From what I've read so far, it's a rather disappointing car. Here's a test from Car and Driver: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...ad-test-review

Even the the car achieves 35/40mpg according to EPA, in the real world, it's much worse than that. C/D got 27mpg. One might say that's number is obtained in a road test, so the driver must be more aggressive. That can be true, but take a look at the 2005 Accord V6 Hybrid: http://media.caranddriver.com/files/...brid-specs.pdf

It's rated at 30/37mpg, and C/D got 26mpg in a road test. That's worse than the Sonata hybrid, but the Accord is a much faster car (0-60mph in 6.7s vs 9.5s in the Sonata). And that was with the not-so-popular IMA system.

Edmunds also did a test on the Sonata hybrid. They got some better numbers, but they still don't really like it: http://www.insideline.com/hyundai/so...full-test.html

Motor Trend placed the Sonata hybrid in last place against the Camry Hybrid and Passat TDI: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...son/specs.html

Like Car and Driver, Motor Trend obtained 27mpg in the real world. That's well below the Camry and Passat (37mpg & 34mpg respectively).

Bottom line, don't just look at the EPA numbers, check out other road tests and try to find some real world numbers first. Also make sure you test drive it to see if the performance, ride, and handling are good enough.

JM2010 SH-AWD

^^ Hyundai/Kia seem to be gaining a reputation for puffing their fuel mileage numbers. Perhaps they've found a way to game the EPA tests, but it seems to be a recurring story across much of their product lines.

jchan2

I'm really curious to take an ILX 2.0 out for a test drive the next time I bring the TSX in for service- I should be right smack in the target market for this car but the powertrain doesn't seem to be enough to get me out of the TSX the next time I go car shopping.

We'll see. While my TSX is definitely not fast by any stretch of the imagination, it can accelerate fairly reasonably and handles extremely well...

sj993

I've driven a few of the ILX's, all 2.0's and I feel like the powertrain is a disappointment. It definitely is not on the level of the tsx. For the price point, I would have expected more.

CoquiTSX

And after reading about the new Dart on the most recent C&D the ILX is deep trouble. Everybody else seems to have the same or more features with more power for less $.

Nabooly

Forget features! No "high end", "smart luxury", or whatever u wanna call it should have under 200hp! What's acura thinking?

TeeSecks

No idea what they were thinking. After my test drive, I realized that my 1988 civic hatchback (1.6) from my college days would smoke the ILX.

Robert4

I test drove a 2.0 tech on Memorial day. Like most here, I found the flat out power to be just so-so. But it was very good in normal driving. The 2.0 is fairly refined and quiet. The car is definitely somewhat quieter than my '12 TSX base, with noticeably less tire/road noise.

I was impressed with the ride. It's supple on sharp bumps and bad pavement but firmer on larger undulations. Acura may have a good thing in these new 2 valve dampers.

I think transaction prices will moderate as time and market forces dictate, like on the TSX (now there's a bargain).

I would love to drive a 2.4 6 speed. That combo is fairly lively in a TSX, and an ILX is 500lbs lighter!

beach109

Great review!

Yes, the new Amplitude Reactive dampers in ILX and RDX definitely make a difference in the ride and handling. I drive a 2012 TSX daily, and initially felt the ILX had a bit more absorbent and settled of a ride despite it's smaller size and less road noise.

The 2.4L 6-spd manual car is very, very fun to toss around