Yesterday Acura announced some pricing info on the new ILX.

From Jeff at ToV....

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Acura is hosting a media event for the 2013 Acura ILX and RDX this week in Arizona. Tonight was the first night of the event and we were treated to introductions to each model. Tomorrow and Tuesday we will get detailed technical briefings on each vehicle, but the one new nugget we heard tonight was that the 2013 ILX will be priced at a starting point of around $27000 when it goes on sale next month.

UPDATE from the morning technical meeting:
The 2.4L 6MT and 1.5L Hybrid models are expected to start at around $30k. The cars go on-sale officially May 25th, 2012 and will be built at Honda's new Greensburg, Indiana facility.

A few other notes of interest:

2.0L engine has a balancer shaft, Acura says it delivers performance that matches TSX 2.4 5AT.

Hybrid powertrain is nearly identical to Civic Hybrid powertrain but it has been retuned extensively, delivers city-speed responsiveness approaching the level of CR-Z in sport mode

ILX features Amplitude Reactive Dampers for improved maneuverabilty and ride comfort

That huge glovebox has a 7.4L capacity

To be built and sold in North America and exported to China

Earth Dreams powerplants will be introduced to the line about as soon as they're available. Not necessarily waiting for a hard date for an MMC event.

Driving impressions of the ILX are embargoed until April 20, 2012.

From a "premium" standpoint, the ILX is a pretty clear step above the 9th generation Civics. This is from the standpoint of build quality, features, materials, and design details.

The ILX body is composed of 62% high strength steel, with aluminum hood and and bumper beams to keep body weight as low as possible

The 6MT 2.4L version lacks the limited-slip differential found in the 2012 Civic Si.

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There are a few new pictures too...

http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=1048046

 

Remember that the entry level car has cloth seats and starts at $27K? I think they are a bit on the high end. I was hoping a fully equiped ILX would stay under $30K. I guess Acura has different hopes than me.

 

So I was interested in buying an ILX but they plan to release the new earth dreams drivetrains at a later date. Why would I bother getting an ILX when it comes out when I know I'll have a better drivetrain choice down the road? I'm very interested to see what kind of reviews this car gets...

 

Acura, cloth seats at $27K? I was expecting things to be at least a couple grand cheaper. This is definitely TSX territory.

 

30K for the premium 2.4 6MT? SE TSX IS 30K. WTF? I hope 30k includes the TECH PACK. Or this is a fail. Also, why not include the limited slip?

 

 

fail.

 

I agree I was excited about this car but after hearing more details I think the likelihood of me switching brands for my next car just doubled.

 

I was all excited to get a 2.4 Tech but now that I know they won't be making that car I'm not sure what I'm going to do... Maybe they will offer a MT with Tech once the Earth Dreams drivetrains arrive???

 

wth?

 

 

Honda Prices Acura ILX to Attract Geny-Y Buyers from BMW

Honda Motor Co. (7267), seeking a 46% jump in U.S. Acura brand sales this year, priced a new “near premium” compact sedan to attract car buyers in their 30s and keep them out of competing BMW and Audi models.

The 2012 ILX which goes on sale in May starts at about $27,000. It’s aimed at older “Generation-Y” customers who aspire to own a luxury vehicle and have limited income, Jeff Conrad, vice president of Honda’s Acura unit, said this month. Honda’s U.S. sales target is 40,000 annually of the ILX, which shares underpinnings with the Civic compact.

The target “seems pretty ambitious,” because younger drivers have been hurt the most by weakness in the job market since 2008, said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst for researcher Edmunds.com. “It’s a bit risky aiming your new vehicles at this group is that’s basically falling off the map.”

Acura was the 1st U.S. premium brand from an Asian carmaker. Sales have been volatile, peaking at 209,610 in 2005 before plunging to 105,723 in 2009. The company sold 123,299 Acuras in the U.S. last year, less than half the 247,907 luxury vehicles sold in the U.S. by Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) AG’s BMW, No. 1 seller last year of luxury cars and trucks.

Honda says the recession left consumers more cost-conscious and potentially open to Acura vehicles that sell for less than BMW, Volkswagen AG (VOW)’s Audi and Toyota Motor Corp. (7203)’s Lexus. Honda wants to raise total Acura U.S. sales to 180,000 vehicles this year.

‘Gateway’ Model

“They are making more-rational purchase decisions within the luxury category,” Conrad told reporters in Scottsdale, Arizona, this month. Both the ILX and new 2012 RDX compact sport-utility vehicle which goes on sale in April are for people with “aspirational goals, but affordability is an issue.”

Along with ILX, the company is targeting annual sales of 30,000 RDX SUVs annually. Next week, Acura also will show a revamped large sedan at the New York auto show that will replace the current RL late this year, followed by a new NSX supercar due in about 2 years.

“The ILX will act as the gateway to the Acura brand,” said Lee DaSilva, a senior product planner for Tokyo-based Honda.

A median Acura buyer is 49, male and married, according to San Diego-based Strategic Vision, a consumer research company. The median age for all luxury auto buyers is 56, said Alexander Edwards, president of Strategic Vision’s automotive practice.

Audi and Nissan Motor Co.’s Infiniti attract a slightly younger customer, with a median age of 48. Lexus buyers have a median age of 58, according to Strategic Vision.

With ILX, Acura will offer 4 sedans, including the $29,810 TSX, $35,605 TL and $47,700 RL, Conrad said. There are no plans to discontinue any of those models, he said.

ILX Options

The base ILX has a 2-liter, 4-cylinder engine with standard “connectivity” features including Bluetooth, Pandora and text messaging function. For about $30,000, buyers can choose a 2.4- liter, sport version or 1.5-liter, hybrid ILX, Conrad said.

The car is positioned against small models, including Audi’s A3 hatchback, General Motors Co. (GM) (GM)’s new Buick Verano sedan and Lexus’ CT 200h hybrid hatchback, Conrad said. Base prices for are $27,270 for the A3; $23,470 for Verano; and $29,120 for the CT 200h, according to company websites.

The ILX will be built at Honda’s Greensburg, Indiana, plant and arrives at dealerships May 25, the company said. The factory also assembles Civic compacts. The hybrid ILX, with a lithium- ion battery pack, gets a combined 38 miles per gallon in city and highway driving and will be Honda’s 1st gasoline-electric auto built in North America.

Acura is based in Torrance, California. Honda’s American depositary receipts fell 1.6% to $38.20 at 12:06 p.m. New York time.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alan Ohnsman in Los Angeles at aohnsman@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jamie Butters at jbutters@bloomberg.net

 

This was the best info in the whole article. Sounds like the TSX is saved!

 

I wouldn't get too excited Acura_Dude. What would you expect him to say? Acura doesn't want to kill sales of the TSX. But just like Honda announced today that Fit production is moving to Mexico to lower the impact of the Yen/Dollar exchange rate, the TSX needs to do the same. Since they are not going to manufacture the JDM Accord in the US, the writing is on the wall.

What was interesting.... they they expect to sell 40,000 of these a year. That would make this car thier top seller. At this price point I think that will be a tough sell.

30,000 new gen RDX's per year I think will be more achievable than 40,000 ILX's.

 

Ok riddle me this. Who in their right mind pay almost 30k for ILX when you can have 2.4L TSX for that price? I still think TSX will be done after 2013.

 

I didn't think about ALL of that. Just read that sentence and quoted it fast.
I know.

 

Next Euro Accord will be further upgraded with earth dream engines, push button start etc. so TSX price will move away from ILX. Make no mistake Acura need 4 cylinder TSX class vehicle to compete IS250 class vehicle. as Acura has only 3.5L engine V6 going forward.
Yen is declining on long term basis anyway.

 

For once I agree with SSFTSX.

 

Next Accord is world wide from what I gather. Further indication of the TSX's demise.

 

Oh I don't know... maybe someone looking for a faster car? It's got a better power to weight ratio than the TSX. Maybe someone looking for more tech or a back up camera or something smaller and easier to park? Maybe someone looking for leather + 6MT? You make it sound like the world revolves around you and your value system. BTW, I agree that the TSX is likely gone after 2013. Maybe G2 will come back as a CLX coupe?

 

A TSX with Tech can be had for 30K easily. My argument is that if the TSX was to stay in the line up the ILX would have started closer to 25K for base.

P.S. ILX will not be that much faster or if at all when compared to TSX with 2.4 6 MT.

 

Looks like you guys missed this bit of news....



http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...n=awdailydrive

 

^

 

Honda is unable to create world wide Civic let alone world wide Accord.
I highly doubt USDM Accord is going to be smaller than Camry/Passat/Altima.

Again what is the size of G/A4/BMW 3 and soon to be larger IS250.

ILX is too down market and small to compete against this segment.

you can pretty much figure it out that interior of ILX is borrowed from RDX. it is more of an SUV interior design than sedan.

 

The more I look at the ILX, the more I think Acura has lost its way. Reminds me when Nissan put a dress on the Sentra and called it the Infiniti G20

I guess it just shows what a gem the 1st-gen TSX was...I miss my 2008

 

The interior looks ok, i'd have to see it in person. Though im sure they could've done better. The 1G TSX is still in high demand on the used car market. They hold their value amazing well. I've seen 06+ go for $20K! I few grand more and your in a new TSX.

 

I just can't get warm up to the ILX. There is just so much I don't like about it when I compare it to my TSX, and that's just from looking at it alone. I'll go test drive one when the opportunity presents itself, but I definitely can't see it in my garage.

 

G20 was one sick car. I bought one for $250 bucks to drive stick on, it was 96 I believe. Build quality was amazing as the car was still mostly intact with 180k Miles on it!

 

Well, yea. It was never meant to compete in that segment. It's competitors are the Verano, CT, A3, etc.

Can you explain how is it a SUV interior? I'm not sure I follow...

 

Been waiting for an Acura hybrid for over a year now, I was super excited to hear about the ILX hybrid last year but as more info and pics emerge, I'm thinking about hanging on to my 05 TL w/ navi (just broke 100k miles!). I think Acura messed up on this vehicle, but I'll reserve my judgement after test driving one.

 

The EPA mileage went up from 35/38 in the pre-preliminary estimates to 39/38/38 in the newer preliminary estimates for fuel mileage, so that keeps me interested in the vehicle.

Where can I find more info on these Honda "Earth Dreams" engines?

 

The engines in the ILX are not Earth Dreams. That won't happen for a year or two. The ILX hybrid is the same drive train as the Civic Hybrid so look there is you want to know more. Otherwise Google "Honda Earth Dreams" to learn more....

http://www.google.com/search?q=honda...rlz=1I7GGLS_en

 

ROCKET_MAN FOR THE WIN!

 

Wow what a let down the ILX just became to me cause I was from a dealer that fully loaded price I was looking like 32k and I was like awsome a brand new acura for 32,000 plus taxes and all that other stuff so I figured like 34 or 35 out the door but now after reading this and getting more of understand on the pricing and the size of it I'll pass on the ILX and maybe pick up a used 2010 RDX sh-awd with tech for that price or see how much they can put me In a new rdx for but anyway ..... 35,000 for a luxury civic is a waste of money in my eyes idk maybe that's just me but yeah

 

I wouldn't think of this car as a 'luxury Civic' anymore than the TL is a 'luxury Accord.' If you are interested in the car wait until it comes out and look at it, drive it, before you decide. BTW you can get a base TSX for that price or less. That is the problem with the ILX price point, why spend that kind of money on entry level when you can have the TSX for just a bit more (or less!).

 

I know buying a new car isn't the wisest financial move, but in case of buying an Acura; buying one thats 2-3 years old is still expensive compared to buying one new. I've seen 1st and 2nd gen TSX's in the high teens and low-mid 20s with atleast 30-50K miles on them. I can add a $3-6K to the budget and buy a brand new TSX with no miles on it. That's the only negative I see with buying an acura 2nd hand. They hold their value very well.

I remeber looking at an 08 TSX, researching, and the dealer wanted $23K for it and it had 30K miles on. $4-5K more you could get a new TSX. Besides the used car market is inflated and so are the prices.Don't even get me started on the MDX.

 

I agree. I recently leased a 2010 Subaru Forester. It only had 15,000 miles and the buyout was only $16,000 after almost 3 years. The local dealer was selling used Foresters with more miles for $23,000. My parents ended up buying out the lease, because it was so much cheaper than getting a new one. I leased a new TSX sport wagon.

 

Just wondering if anyone thinks if this car will be able to be leased for around $300/month - 36/12k (no TTL).

I was supposed to inherit my brother's old car. So now I'm actually in the car market again.

Looking at 2.0, either base or premium most likely.

Not sure if I'd get much of a discount since from what I've read the car will be just arriving when i need to secure the car (memorial day weekend).

 

Cloth seats?? You have got to be kidding me! Why not opt for leatherette like BMW and Benz?? This is a horrible marketing strategy IMO. Let's just re-package the Civic and put the Acura label on it - they'll never know!!!! Muahahahaha! I'm concerned that this "cheapening" of the brand will make Acura less appealing as a upscale brand, lowering its overall value. Only time will tell I guess.

 

In Canada you can buy a tsx with cloth seats and no Sunroof