Whittling my list down to what I want to possibly get later this year to replace my TL.

Right now my short list of 3 is the following:

• 2013-14 Acura ILX 2.4 6MT
• 2014 Mazda 6 Touring 6MT
• 2013 Honda Accord Sport 6MT

I know the ILX has a bad rep around here, but I liked how it drove & it does everything I need it to do, along with being a little smaller than my TL. It's the front-runner at the moment.

The new 6 has recently caught my eye, since I've seen a few on the road here. Haven't driven one yet, so I don't have an opinion on that yet, but the reviews I've read on it are all great. It's also the only one out of these three available with nav. MazdaUSA is a little confusing on it though, because it specs that the Touring is available with a 6MT, but won't let you build it as such. Will have to stop in the local dealer & see for myself.

If the 6 Wagon makes it to the US with a 6MT before I make a purchase, it'll likely knock all 3 of these off the list. Looks like a fantastic car.

I drove an Accord Sport not too long ago & liked it, though it does feel quite large, which isn't necessarily a bad thing I guess, especially as my daughter gets older. I just wish it was available with the 6MT in more than 2 colors.
Not sure when we'll get 2014 Accord information, but I included it as an option in the poll. I don't imagine much will change, though.

The 6 & Accord are both cheaper than the ILX by a couple thousand (list price 34k for the ILX, 28k for the 6 & Accord), spec'ed how I'd want them, but both are about the same size as the TL in exterior dimensions.

All three are first year new models, so that's an iffy point for me as well. Though the '14 ILX should be popping up soon.
Never owned a Mazda before, so I don't have any experience with them aside from a couple friends that have had older ones ('90 Miata, '99 Protege, & a '96-ish 626). How are the newer Mazdas, reliability wise & build quality?

TIA

 

2013 Honda Accord Sport 6MT.

 

I am under the impression that Acura usually has quite a few discounts that will keep you well under the list price. Don't know if that applies to the ILX though.

 

If you keep your car a long, long time then I'd go with the Accord.

The ILX may be a nice car but it's still a Civic. The Mazda is too new to rate but I will say that their dashboard is goofy because of the way they recessed the nav screen.

 

I haven't even approached that part yet. Just test drives in the ILX & Accord so far.
The prices I quoted are just from "build your own" on the respective websites. I'm sure actual prices would be a bit lower. And I'm not opposed to just buying accessories & installing myself, so that would kick out any installation costs.

 

I typically put a lot of miles on my cars & this one will be driven a long time.
The whole "tarted up Civic" really doesn't bother me. I think it's a nice looking car & I drive a Civic on the weekends anyway (wife's car & has the car seat in it for our daughter).

 

Ok. Then I look at it as future-proofing. You have one kid now. If you have a second with dual car seats in the back, can anyone else sit in the back of an ILX? I doubt it. You probably could squeeze someone into the Accord for shorter trips. You definitely could put the car seat in the middle of the Accord right now and have two in the back.

In this case, I would say bigger is better.

 

Normally, I would say the accord but def drive the Mazda. We looked at a cx-5 a few weeks ago and that 6 looked incredible on the outside. Peered in the window and the dash looked kinda bland but...

 

I drove the CX-5 around the same time I tried the Accord. Maybe the '14 with the 2.5 is better, but that engine is auto only.
The 2.0 auto was painfully slow & they didn't have a 6MT in stock then.
They had a soul red 6 Sport that had just come in (still had delivery plastic on it). Looked great, but it was an auto, so I wasn't interested. It is definitely the most attractive car out of these 3, to me. Didn't get a great look at the interior, since it was still mostly covered in plastic.

 

6

 

Not considering the TSX Sport Edition 6MT?

 

Not a big fan of the 2G TSX, loved the 1G & looked for an '08 Tech 6MT for a while, then decided to look for new. And I'd bet they're getting harder to find, unless there is going to be a '14 TSX.

 

GF drove the 2.5 and I sat bitch, she liked the exterior, interior was ok (had everything just looked plain) but she said it had no power. The sales guy that was cool and super knowledgable said that the lack of power was the number one problem with the older CX-7.

6 looks mean and the sales guy was excited to have a manual, def drive it.

 

Mazda. It looks good, but the real surprise is how it handles. Very impressed with its sports-car like DNA (but remember, it IS a sedan!)

 

Going to try to stop by the Mazda dealer by my office & check out the 6. Online says they have a 6MT touring in stock.

 

Would you consider a VW GLI Autobahn?

 

My dad's company gave him a 2013 ILX and i thought it was a cool and nice car to drive around for the times that i had driven it. Seemed to be a nice all around car.

 

So, what's the word?

 

Probably not. The thought of driving a German car out of warranty isn't very appealing. I'll likely drive whatever I buy well past the warranty.

Didn't make it by there yesterday. Hoping to stop by after work today.
Luckily, I know a salesguy there, so there won't be any "so what do I have to do to get you to drive it home today" pressure.

Until I drive it, the Mazda is holding above the Accord right now. Based on appearance (looks a lot better than the Accord IMO) and the reviews on how it drives.
The tough decision is going to be: ILX or 6, I think.

 

VW do have some very reliable cars though. The Mazda is a nice car but I'd go with the Acura out if the 3!

 

C&D picks Mazda 6.

However, don't let a magazine or AZ member pick your car. You and only you can truly know which ride is best for your situation...

 

If i was in your shoes i would go with the accord all the way. You know with a Honda you can't go wrong. Reliability and personally i think Honda did a great job with the styling on the new accord.

 

This I know. But I'm open to discussion from people that have driven them & may know bits that I don't

It's been a while since I drove the ILX & Accord, so I need to get back behind the wheel of those again.
It'll still be a few months before we're really ready to start seriously shopping.

 

O.K.
Here is my two cents.

One of the best cars I've ever owned was the Mazda(speed) 6. If I had it to do over again I would have kept it. But this asshole inside me had to own a 911...

Check out C&Driver. they pick the Mazda 6 over the Accord.

 

I think you'll fall in love with the Mazda. If you have a choice, I'd do research on a dealer with a good service dept. I found that the Mazda dealer you buy your car from gives you better service if you buy the car from them. I'm not totally happy with my service dept. I went to get my wife's year old CX-5 aligned and they said "they didn't have the specs to do the alignment because they never had to align a CX-5 before."

which is crap, so I'm now in search of a competent Mazda service dept in the Northern VA area.

 

Funny, I didn't like my Mazda dealer either.

 

I've been reading a lot of the reviews/comparos online. Did the same with the ILX.

Hoping I have the time to stop by the dealer after work. I can almost see their lot from my 4th floor office.
Don't know anything about their svc dept though. Worst case, there's one that's only about 20 mins further away.

One thing that has me a little hesitant on the 6, is that I read somewhere that the head unit is already due for an update. Not sure when info on the '15 6 will start trickling in.

 

Stopped by the Mazda dealer after work. Toyed around with the 6GT that was in the showroom since I couldn't find the guy I know.

Turns out the salesguy I know wasn't there (even though I called & told him I was coming in), but a guy that works closely with him was there.
He was supposedly on his way back to the dealer, so I waited a bit & wandered the lot, looking at the 6s in stock. Surprisingly, a lot were unlocked on the lot & one had the key in the cupholder

The 2nd guy came out made a quick copy of my license & just gave me the keys to a 6 Touring with a 6MT (only one that had with a stick that I could find). Said to just take it out for a spin & walked off.

It's been a couple months since I drove the ILX & Accord, but I was really impressed with the 6. Coming from a TL, the 6 obviously doesn't have the power/torque that the TL does, but it has no problem getting up to speed.
Handled really well through the few turns I found to put it through.
I'm really used to a cable actuated throttle, so the electronic makes rev-matched downshifts a little different, but I imagine it's that way for most newer MT cars. The 6 could use a little more responsive throttle & a little shorter shift throws, but otherwise I really liked it.
The car definitely doesn't feel as big as it is, it's dimensions are really close to the new Accord & my '00 TL, but it feels much smaller on the road.
I got myself comfortable in the front seat & jumped in the back & still had plenty of room. I'm right under 6'1" & had probably just shy of 3-4" between the front seat & my knees.

The leather in the GT is really nice, but the leatherette in the Touring is just as comfortable. I think the perforated leather would be a catchall for everything, I don't eat in my car much but I could see it potentially being an issue, glad the Touring doesn't have it. The 6's seats definitely take an edge over the Accord's.

The guys at the dealer couldn't tell me if the Touring Tech package will be available with the MT (since technically, the MT Touring doesn't exist on the MazdaUSA website, Tech package adds: Nav, upgraded stereo, keyless entry, auto headlights, heated mirrors, rain sensing wipers & dimming ISRV mirror). But, he did say that nav could be added to the car with a module that replaces a tiny coin compartment on the bottom left of the dash. The car I drove had a nav button, but no nav installed.
I've also heard that there is an updated head unit in the works, but nothing concrete, or for which trims. The unit in the Touring was fine to me, but I think the Sport is the one that's been getting comments about being lacking.

Definitely need to go drive the ILX & Accord again sometime soon, while the 6 drive is fresh on my mind.

I thought I'd really like the white pearl, but even in the sun it didn't appeal to me much. The soul red looks nice, but I liked the silver & gray the most I think. The blue looks too bland.

I think it's going to come down to the 6 & the ILX in the end.

 

Regarding the NAV, that's cool of the dealer to tell you that. Mine did not, but I did my research before buying ours. You can find the unit for around $450, if you search around. Here's a link to one on Amazon. It literally takes 2 minutes to put in.

 

The guy at the dealer said it's about a $500 add-on. But hey $50 is $50

 

I would go Accord. Although, most here would probably go ILX if it offered more power. I think you should wait it out to see if Acura course-corrects on the ILX offering.

 

More power in the ILX? The 201 it has is sufficient to me. I think most would rather have the automatic available with the 2.4l.

The ILX & 6 were the most engaging/fun to drive. Accord offers a bit more room.

 

I'd say go with the 6, out of those three.

But what about an A4? Is it out of your price range?

 

Accord, it should have better resale too.

 

I'd go for the Accord for sure.

 

I like the A4, but likely outside what I want to spend & not a fan of the concept of a premium German car out of warranty.

Not worried about resale. I'll likely drive this one a long time.

 

Nothing yet?
You are more patient than I.

 

Time to retest the ILX? I like how thorough you are.

 

Budget limits. We're not quite ready to buy yet. Hopefully in the next few months.

It's really down to the ILX & 6 I think. The Accord is nice, but the ILX & 6 outdrive it IMO.

 

Tease