Unfortunately, Alex is a little long winded. You'll have to set aside ½ an hour for this.

2160p, if you're equipped for it.

He explains the torque converter for the 8 DCT. Maybe people will finally get it if they hear it from him. :-)

The last few minutes he's comparing the ILX to other vehicles you might be considering, and why in his opinion the ILX has come far enough to be the one you should consider.

I don't shop in this segment, but I take the 2016 ILX as a good sign for where we're going with future Honda and Acura vehicles. I like it.

 

And it's funny hearing praise for the dual mode dampers. When they first came out, people were critical of the compromises, and now they seem to love the idea.

0_o

Certainly among the FWD RLX owners, there was a lot of criticism of the idea when it came out in the 2014 model year.

 

Definitely a great review! Thanks for sharing.

 

6.25 seconds 0-60!

 

Very nice. Looking fwd to getting some seat time in one of these soon.

 

^^ I wasn't overly impressed but maybe the ECU hadn't learned yet, or maybe its the DI engine but it didn't feel engaging and the sound didn't sound as sweet as the previous I4 engine

 

Well, I think maybe you're comparing it to the car in your picture that costs c. $15,000 more? For a c. $45k msrp the Lexus IS350 should be impressive.++

I still think that for that price you should potentially consider getting into a TLX V-6 SH AWD....

 

^^ No, I am comparing it to our 2014 2.0L ILX....I drove it yesterday and today since lots of snow has melted and our ILX felt MUCH more fun than the 2.4 DI engine I drove 2 weekends ago. I know it seems illogical but I am sincere when I say that it felt better so I am thinking it has to to do with the ECU learning?!

 

Thanks for posting this! Nice and detalied

 

going to have to defend the 2015 2.4 here. Reason he was a full second slower was because he can't drive the car well enough to get a better time. easy to say the new model is a second faster when the new automatic trans is doing all the work for you. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4 Premium Long-Term Test Wrap-Up ? Review ? Car and Driver
here is a review of the 2013 model with the 2.4 not just a test but a 40000 mile test. After 40000 miles they tested the car's 0-60 to be 6.2 seconds (.2 seconds faster than new) go figure.

 

LOL.... :-) Yeah, you're never going to be able to fault Alex for not being "detailed" enough.

He's so detailed he can drive you crazy. He's very analytical and it's not unusual for a review to run over 30 minutes.

But you have to appreciate the way it's not all spin and show, and how he puts every vehicle in perspective with others you might be considering at the same time.

He has an entire range of videos that just tell you how easy it is to put a baby seat in a car he's just tested. Sometimes his infotainment reviews have to be separated out because they're too detailed.

Very valuable...but a little annoying if you're pressed for time!

I appreciate what you're saying. I don't think I'd fault Alex for not being raised a drag racer the way that so many of us Honda people have been raised. Those people are disappearing, I'd bet.

To this day, I will annoy Honda drag racers because I did my shifting on road courses for 15 years. It's different, and it's slower than if you're going for a ¼ or 0-60 time.

But...I think that in 2015 most of us are *not* going to be drag racing, and on those occasions that we need great performance out of our cars we will be dealing with those rare occasions that pulling out into traffic is especially hopeless, or we have to merge quickly from a ramp's 25 mph into 70 mph traffic.

I take your point well, but I still think that the Acura DCT 8 is an awesome progression in the DCT world and it is probably the ideal solution for the overwhelming majority of us.

I have a DCT 7 in my Sport Hybrid, and there are very few occasions I feel I would be better served by a 6-6. I came to the RLX from a 4G TL 6-6 SH-AWD, and my commuter car before that was an Accord 6-6 HFP Coupe.

I know that they build great manual transmissions...but even as much as I love manuals I would (in general terms) have to agree that their day is probably done.

 

Wowwwwwww. That is a nice turnaround for the ILX. He's not the only reviewer saying that, either.

As an RLX owner, this review warms my heart. It also gives me hope that Acura can turn things around for the RLX with a MMC. We didn't get one in 2016, but maybe 2017?

 

I'm not sure what to say. The 5G Legend is a very odd duck in North America as the "RLX."

You and I own the best one that's out there but when people ask me if I'd buy it again, my answer is still...maybe.

People just don't understand it or appreciate it, and it's good at things nobody would expect and cannot be used for things that people evidently think they ought to be able to do with it.

Wrong place for me to get long winded, but I'm sure you know where I would go.

:-)

 

Excellent review and it seems Acura did an excellent job, but his comments on road noise are a slight bummer, especially since Acura has made such stellar progress in this area with the TLX. It's not a huge problem in practical terms, but a quiet cabin helps create the perception of luxury, so I think it's important in the market.

I tested a 2.4/6MT ILX within a week or two of driving a Focus ST in the same area, and I swear the Ford had much less road noise, which was surprising, and definitely colored my opinion of the ILX. (Heck, I think the Focus ST might be quieter on the highway than my TSX, so maybe it's just really good for its class.)