^^ destroy a 3.7 TL SH-AWD might be a bit much? I know that a good driver that is effective at rowing their gears can create quite an efficient acceleration but what is the 3.7 is also a manual?

 

please dont get into semantics. it was a 2010 white auto.. and yes i destroyed im several times more than a car and a half length on him and I kept going he stopped.. any ways diffidently not the point of my post..

 

Honda's Marysville factory made my last three cars, all bought new: a 2002 Accord LX sedan 5MT, a 2008 Accord EXL navi 5MT, and a 2013 Accord EXL navi. I traded in the 2002 Accord in 2010 when it had c. 95k miles. Anyway, if I buy a new Acura ILX it'll be made at Marysville too. At this link if you scroll down and look to the left, there's an interesting online 2014 Fact "booklet" of Honda's Ohio operations:

Welcome to Honda Manufacturing of Ohio - Honda of America Mfg.

One interesting fact is that while the Marysville plant as an official capacity of 440,000 vehicles a year, in 2013 they ramped production all the way up to 492,000. More than 50,000 extra vehicles! Figures don't seem to be available for 2014, but I assume the numbers are similar. Most of those vehicles get sold in the US, but some go to Canada, of course, and probably to other countries as well.

If c. 400k or so Accords are made, I wonder what the breakdown will be in terms of TLXs and ILXs?

 

That sounds about right. If they expect to sell 50,000 TLXs (I don't really know, just a guess) and 25,000 ILXs, they've got some extra capacity. I guess when you've got a car as popular as the Accord, you need some extra capacity in case there is some extra demand.

Interestingly, Civics are produced in different places for the US. I was roaming around a Honda dealer a few months ago, and noticed that a Civic Hybrid was built in Greensburg (where the 2013-15 ILXs were built, and I'm assuming most US bound Civics), but a particular Civic LX on the lot was from Alliston, Ontario.

Just a side note, my dad had a BMW 328i loaner car a little while ago, and I looked on the door panel, and it was from South Africa. It was always weird to me how car manufacturers build cars in different places for the same market.

 

True they look ugly today but back in day, the Legend was special. So special in fact Acura dropped the name Legend because most folks never called it an Acura! It was known as, "the Legend". I don't find many styles of old that appealing. The Benz was quite ugly back in the day in my opinion.

 

I agree. When the ILX arrived, I was excited about the prospect of a leaner, meaner car with my TSX's wonderful 2.4/6MT drivetrain, but the excitement disappeared a few minutes into my test drive. As you mention, ride quality and NVH were issues, but the sloppy steering was a real problem too IMO. It just didn't compare favorably with my TSX dynamically, but I thought it should have. (I later tested a Focus ST, which was perhaps more revealing. It's in another universe as a driver's car, and yet seemed to have less road noise than the ILX.)

But it appears Acura has tried to address these issues, and if they've been successful I agree the ILX will be a hit. I've always liked its looks and interior, and I think it's a great size, so if the suspension, steering, and NVH have been vastly improved it should sell. It could even replace my TSX when the time comes -- if I can give up MT.

 

Well, if there's no price increase with all of these upgrades to the ILX, then my guess is going to be that the 2016 ILX will be a surprise hit. In fact, I think it might even start outselling the TLX once they ramp up production. But we'll see. I assume pricing will be released soon?

 

I agree, but remember that a Premium '15 has $3K dealer cash which lowers the transaction price (relative to MSRP). Assuming the '16 doesn't have this, I expect to see an 'effective' price increase.

 

If Acura really gets that aggressive with the pricing of the 2016 ILX, I assume they are thinking a few things: make a splash with the automotive media on a completely overlooked model, and at the same time get rid of high incentives for the foreseeable future. Still, I'll believe it when I see it....Here's hoping!

 

2016 MDX price is out
http://hondanews.com/releases/best-s...ety-and-luxury

It is confusing as heo but this should give us an idea what to expect as far as package/trim pricing.

The acura watch package is 1800$ more than the base -all price below include destination. And the tech +acura watch is about 5.5 to 6k more than the base
Base 28k
Base +acura Watch 29.5k
Premium 31.5????
Tech plus is about 33.5k

Just estimate base on MDX

 

Take my money please

The press are suppose to drive the car this week but so far i dont find anything online

 

As you say, they are driving it this week, but there's probably a blackout until next week.

That Feb. 10th "on sale" date seems off to me. Don't they normally make a vehicle for at least a month, to build up a small inventory, before they go on sale? Since they made the first 2016 ILX just a week ago, I guess I'm agreeing with the salesperson who guessed end of Feb. for actual sales to commence.

 

With the Honda City soon to be announced for the US, anybody find it odd the City and the new ILX will share the same front grille?

 

^^^
Yeah, hadn't thought of that. But I think they both look very good. Honda/Acura styling, after several years in the wilderness, seems really on track to me now. One of the things that bugs me about the styling of some cars, including even some past Honda/Acura models, is that a few of them look like they are in a bad mood or are even mad. I think someone once described the last gen Pilot as an "angry robot" lol. These cars look happy to zip around and even go fast.

When does the City go on sale? And will it be made in Mexico too, alongside the Fit, or somewhere else?

 

I don't think there is an embargo for the 2016 ILX since it is not a full model redesign but knowing honda/acura they like to keep everything hush hush until last minute

Start making the car from 1/27 and go on sale 1/10 that is about 2.5 weeks. I am sure not all dealers will get them at the same time but that is the official on sale date

 

I hit the Philly Auto Show today, and no 2016 ILX. I hope and assume logistics made it difficult to have a 2016, because otherwise it seems they should be promoting the refresh and generating excitement when it supposdedly goes on sale next week. I'm seeing advertisements for it, such as the inside cover of the Car & Driver issue I received this week, which indicates they ARE trying to promote it, which in turn makes its absence all the more perplexing.

Maybe they're trying to promote the 2015 models in the hope of selling all they can over the next few weeks. That seems shortsighted to me, but wouldn't be surprising.

(BTW, no refreshed 2015 Focus ST either, so Acura's not alone in this, but I'd bet the Focus ST isn't as important to Ford as the ILX is to Acura.)

 

I don't know. I kinda figured it was an issue of getting one there. The Philly auto show (while an important market) isn't all that important. They have all the other models in the area, and trying to get a 16 ILX would probably mean that they would have had to plan to get a pre-production one there. I know Honda uses a lot of rail to transport cars, and that takes some time, so it probably would've been very difficult to have an Ohio built factory one there.

 

Agreed, they look good.

I'm not sure when it's going on sale but I have a feeling it'll be introduced at the Chicago Auto Show sometime after Feb 12th

Mexico currently imports the Honda City from Brazil where they're made...so they will either come from Brazil or be made over at the plant in Celaya, Mexico

I have a feeling we'll see the 2016 ILX at the Chicago Auto Show...

 

http://www.torquenews.com/1574/2016-acura-ilx-design-hints-serious-sportitude

The reviews are coming . dang honda

 

^^
I like this quote from the article above:

"Pricing will begin in line with the 2015 ILX, and, as with the Honda CR-V substantial refresh, Acura will carry the tradition forward offering greater standard value than the competition without inflating the $ bottom line. We believe that Acura has upgraded an already good car to “great car status,” giving all comers in this segment a true run for their money."

 

Will the 2016 ILX have an IDS? I assume not, since I don't recall it being mentioned....?

 

can't wait for this launch. i'm already starting to eye replacement for my IS350 as daily driver in a year or so, and the '16 ILX is not top of my list if the reviews are positive and prices are competitive.

 

Disclaimer: I have not driven a TLX with IDS and can't opine whether it's really all that noticeable for changes in steering, throttle and sound.

Based on 2016 pictures, I'm to assume that the ILX will only have the old "S" transmission mode that effects shift points and engages the nearly totally manual shifting "M1-M8"with the flappy paddles? HOPE IT HOLDS FIRST GEAR (unlike our '13 RDX that shifts to second even in M1 if you aren't pedal to the metal.)

From Acura:So I bolded the parts that I don't think the ILX will have in the "S" transmission mode. This is segment marketing at its finest.

Also assuming no Economy mode in the ILX

 

The media blackout for the 2016 ILX ends on Monday:

2016 Acura ILX to feature attainable ?performance, proportion, prestige? - Torque News

“Performance, Proportion, Prestige,” is Acura’s new call to arms as this relatively small brand takes on all comers. We’re convinced that ILX will be another winner for Acura and for anyone regardless of age...

 

Acura will find the way to water down the ILX performance , even with the weight advantage VS the TLX.

 

"Following Honda’s marketing lead, we believe that pricing will start in line with the exiting 2015 ILX($27,050) and land on the high-end slightly under a mid trimmed 2015 TLX i-4. - See more at: http://www.torquenews.com/1574/2016-acura-ilx-feature-attainable-performance-proportion-prestige#sthash.mNaTLFqK.dpuf"

That sounds like top of the line model will be around 32k --if they are referring to the base TLX? OR Were they referred to the TLX as mid trim model ??or the mid trip model of the TLX (as in tech model)

 

LOL, it's like getting your palm read. They give enough vagueness that they're 'always right'. IMO, a Tech A-spec could/should come in between base and tech TLX. $33K would be OK IMO. It does seem that the AcuraWatch package is around $1500 based on MDX pricing.

 

The reports of jerky/harsh shifts from the 8 speed DCT on the TLX are giving me some worries. I assume they'll fix it with some kind of software and mechanical upgrade, but still....

Right now, in any case, I'm still enjoying my 2008 Accord EXL 5MT navi too much to need a new car right away. I'm glad, every time that I drive my Accord, that I got exactly what I wanted, because for 7+ years and 72,000 miles it's been a pleasure. I want to take the same kind of care with my next car purchase.

 

I'm a fan of the ILX. I know it's based on a Civic platform, doesn't have 300hp ,blah blah blah but it's a nice car, looks good (IMO), feels light and is fun to drive. I wouldn't sell my TL for it but I always thought it was a good entry model for Acura. I hope the 2016 does well and becomes a favorite for car enthusiasts. Acura is in need of another big hit right now.

 

It's waayyyy past time for Honda to start selling the City in the US. I remember seeing them when I traveled to Asia years ago. It reminded me of a 4 door Fit. It's going to do well here. Although the grills aren't identical on the City and ILX, they are extremely similar. I bet Honda changes the City's grill on the US models.

 

If the price stays similar it won't be that surprising. The ILX was already an extremely high margin vehicle at msrp(like all of the luxury segment, being able to charge more for prestige has essentially turned automobiles into the regular vs luxury garment business). We already know the base models will have leatherette like the TLX and the entry level Lexus cars are doing, if there is a mid premium trim it will likely just be Leather appointed seating and a couple other cosmetic amenities. There will likely be some other cost cutting and the car is still on the Civic platform so they have a lot of wiggle room in what price they can offer consumers while trying to compete in the 25-32k area.

Personally I'd like to see one of the trims offer ventilated seats. Its annoying its only available on the V6 TLX and not the 4cyl. I've been really back and forth for a few months now on whether I think I should lease an ILX because of the great incentives, save a lot of money in payments etc or buy a TLX/ES350/IS250, the new ILX looks awesome and I think the previous is actually one of the best looking sedans all around. I'm just sorta curious what the pricing will be for the higher trims and if it will drive Acura to offer an incentive for the TLX

 

^^ I agree, I think the ILX looks great and is a neat little package. We have the 2.0L and despite the "low HP on paper", it feels pretty quick and is very nimble. The only knock against it is the excessive road harshness on certain types of asphalt. Otherwise, I love this little car and I think the proportions are great. I am a small guy so I don't mind the interior space.

I am in the market for a new car this spring because my TL is gone as of last fall so I am left with the g/f's ILX and our little Hyundai Accent as our daily driver. I am unsure what I'll get but I have a deposit on a vehicle currently on transit....

But the vehicles I am debating/considering are (in non specific order):

1. BMW 235i
2. Audi S5
3. Cadillac ATS (V6)
4. Lexus IS350 F Sport
5. ILX (2016)
6. TLX SH-AWD Tech
7. CLA AMG

I am aware that these are all over the place and not in the same segment but I am not looking for a specific segment as simply the car that will bring me the most fun and pride of ownership.

One option that is really out there and really think about seriously is the NSX as a purchase and keep it for a LONG time but my g/f thinks I am nuts for doing so. I am starting to think she is right so I will not likely get it....but I am lusting over the idea of owning one

 

 

I'm with you on the ventilated seats; you can get them on the "luxurious" Kia Forte.

 

from the Wards review:

....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....

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.

 

This shows that the feature alone doesn't make a luxury car. Thus, it must also be true that lacking such a feature doesn't exclude a car from being 'luxury'... still, it would be nice to have LOL.

I'm a little concerned that some things seem to be missing from the statements on lower trims like SiriEyesFree.

 

from LeftLaneNews:

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 four-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 eight-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.

 

from Motor Trend:

Acura lost the 2.0-liter engine and dropped in a 2.4-liter, direct injection, 16-valve four-cylinder engine that creates 201 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. It also introduces the first dual-clutch eight-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 first 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 one 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.

 

With all the comments about the lack of refinement in the outgoing car, I can't help but wonder if this wasn't a domino effect of the Earth Dreams drivetrains not being ready at launch. The old automatic transmission ILX a little over 2900 pounds. The new model, according to the now removed review,) weighs around 3100 pounds.

Once they knew they had to "make do" with the only drivetrain that would fit in the engine bay (2.0 L +5AT), maybe they went on a heavy diet? Make the glass thinner, take out sound deadining material, remove power passenger seat, and do other things to keep the weight down. The net effect of all of this was that the car no longer had that (hard to define) "premium feel" that so many accuse the car of.

Now, with 50 additional horsepower, they can add content and refinement without destroying the power to weight ratio. Although they have kept the list price in the same range, it's (arguably) finally worth that money. I saw somebody wonder aloud if current owners would be upset, I'm assuming that these people did not pay list price for their car, and probably got somewhere between $3000 and $4000 off the selling price. Assuming the new cars sell at or near list price, I see no reason to be disappointed considering the money spent.

 

Colin I'm guessing that had something to do with it - what's clear though is that...whatever the case, Acura, at the time, didn't want to spend the money or take the time to really get the ILX right...and the market really shifted on them. It seems like they've done a much better job this time around...

Though I wonder what Acura would have done if the 8DCT hadn't come along.