Is going from a TSX to an ILX a huge downgrade in factory equipment level ?

 

It was very disappointing to see Acura has fallen into the same trap as Toyota/Lexus did - disabling functionality without providing a usable alternative. We leased a 2010 Lexus HS250h while waiting for Acura to come out with a hybrid/diesel TSX and have pretty much stopped using its navigation system since it's interface is so bad and the voice recognition is all but useless. Now we do most of our navigating via Google Maps on a cell phone. Based on our experience we'd say the car is 10 times MORE dangerous with the in-motion lockout and no usable voice commands versus having an easy to use interface that allows full functionality without having to be heads down too much.

We've told Toyota, Lexus, and Acura there is no way we could justify spending the money they want for a built-in navigation system that is of limited use when we need it the most (although the Toyota and Lexus are more functional while in motion). Unfortunately for Acura they bundle so much with the navigation system in the ILX hybrid that we are not interested in the base hybrid but refuse to pay the high price for the tech version with a partially crippled navigation system. So we've pretty much given up on the ILX. Like we told all of them - if we are going to spend $36K+ on a car the systems in it will work correctly and not get in the way of what they are supposed to do.

When I was talking to the national Acura rep I asked why the passenger can't fully operate the navigation system. Surprisingly he said "that a really good idea". Maybe in a year or two they'll figure out how to make that happen.

So as it stands now the most likely thing will be to purchase and install one of the lockout overrides to make the navigation system fully functional while the car is in motion. The company I talked to has them for the Toyota and Lexus models and the ones for Acuras are still in development with no timeline for availability.

 

Get off the soapbox, that's the last time I'll reply to your rants.

 

Coming from a 2008 TSX Navi, the ILX Tech is mostly a step up in terms of standard equipment. ELS audio is better. Leather is more comfortable. Center stack, display, and MID are modernized. Aside from the lack of passenger seat power controls, 2 driver memory, and the nav lockout, we don't feel like we've lost much going to the ILX. A TSX 2G would have been a more direct comparison but we weren't considering that as an option.

 

I think the biggest single feature missing from the interior is memory seats. Personally, I'd rather have manual seats if they're not going to include memory. Of course we "know" that it's the kind of thing they like to add as the car progresses through it's lifespan. If ED comes next year, I'd bet we'll see this added my MMC

 

Cadillacs have or will have sensors on the passenger seat that allows the Navi to be operated in motion if it detects there is a passenger present. Maybe that's the solution Acura needs to implement.

 

I was coming from a '99 Nissan Pathfinder and my wife from a Suzuki hatchback (yea gotta live Spartan as a med student). So I was looking to downsize and she was looking for something that wouldn't fall apart every month! My parents have switched between Hondas and Nissans for the past 15 years so it was a natural bias for me.

Unrelated, has everyone gotten their door latches replaced? Just got mine done Wednesday and it only took about 45 min. Experiences?

 

Couple of pics of the new ILX and my main means of daily commute (a road bike!).

 

Did you look into getting a roof rack for your bike? Know of anything out there?

 

Not sure of a roof rake. Just don't feel safe with my bike straight up in the air!

On an another note. Found a PDF online about safety precautions in case of an accident involving the ILX hybrid. Check it out, its pretty informative...

 

Has anyone else with hybrid considered getting larger wheels? And for that matter, why is the 17in OEM option not available for the hybrid tech? I have been thinking (and trying to convince my wife) to swap our 16s for some 17 or even 18 inch wheels. I think bigger wheels would really improve how the car looks currently. However, I am worried about the increase in road noise, bumpier ride, and potential change in fuel efficiency.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Will probably swap out the stock wheels for the 17" accessory wheels when it's time for new tires. The stock wheels come with low resistance tires so there might be an impact on fuel economy.

 

Just an update on fuel economy. We're on probably our 10th tank of gas now and the instantaneous readout mid-tank is 42.7MPG. Last several tanks have all been 41+ MPG. This is commuting approximately 10 city miles and 20 highway miles per day. We do leave the car in Econ mode. It doesn't actually affect the performance once you get use to the pedal and throttle response, and it keeps the engine from revving so eagerly. Overall, very happy with the car.

 

I have been averaging around 40mpg the last couple of tanks. Haven't been using ECON mode. However, I do use the instantaneous MPG gauge during my driving to curtail my lead foot. I find it more useful than the green ball indicator.

I was thinking about the factory 17's as well but the price for them is kinda steep... Seems like a lot of wheel options out there for a couple hundred dollars less.

 

I've gotta give Acura props for really hitting the published MPGs on this vehicle. In fact, I honestly believe they underestimated the highway MPGs.

However, other car companies do not seem to believe in the same ethics...
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/...ement/1677435/

"The U.S. government says it's never seen so many false mileage ratings from an automaker as it cataloged in a probe of Hyundai and Kia."

 

Could Ford and the eco-boost engines be next?

 

I'm thinking Mazda Skyactiv... no way...

 

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...em-we-drive-it

Honda has announced the new i-DCT hybrid system with promises of better fuel economy, electric only cruising, and more smooth/responsive ride....

 

Picked up my ILX-H ~2 weeks ago and took the car on it's first long road trip from DC to South Carolina (424 miles). I was able to go 407 miles on 10.9 gallons of gas; good for a 37.3 MPG. This was all non-stop and no traffic, going around 75mph the whole way. I'm confident if I drove around 60-70mph I'd be able to exceed my results.

Btw, fuel light came on around 43 miles remaining. I took it all the way down to about 23 miles. I'm a bit scared to push this threshold on the tank, but I estimate we must have at least a 12gal tank.

 

If I cruise at 60 in the 2.4, I can get the same mpgs. Not too enthusiastic about those results. Then again, I drive with half a tank, which weights less than a full tank.

 

Once the computer hits 0 you probably have about another 1 or 2 gallons. The tank size is a little disappointing. I wish it was a larger tank.

 

^I agree, maybe a 14 gallon would've been nice.

Gdamn this trunk on the hybrid is SMALL. There's some cool tray under the mat you can save some space on.

 

thanks for all your observations, folks. i just bought the hybrid tech for my wife a couple of weeks ago. we filled the tank today, 10.7 gallons, right after the idiot light came on. we clocked about 396 miles--so about 37 MPG. not bad. we used a mix of regular and econ modes.

the instant-read MPGs were reading close to 45 on some "cycles." wonder how to get it in that range all the time... we'll experiment not using econ mode for the full tank, maybe (ironically). btw, we're using premium fuel from the dealer, and just filled it up with 93 octane (91 wasn't available).

i came on here mainly to see what folks' impressions were about any sort of "reserve" fuel, like in my 06 TL 6MT (14 gallons, with 3 more reserve, if you will). i guess the reserve in the case of the ILX might be around 2 gallons? in other words, the computer calculates range and whatnot based on 11 gallons. maybe.

cheers!

 

Edmund says the hybrid as a 13.2 gallon capacity. My light came on at 43 miles Distance to Empty, and when I finally got gas with 23 miles left I pumped 10.9 gallons. Based on this I think once the gauge goes to zero you may actually have an emergency 20-30 miles before you are truly empty.

 

Does any understand why the hybrid version can only accept 16" wheels? Also is the suspension for the ILX replaceable with say...Tein basic?

 

UPDATE:

just got through our second tank on the hybrid tech. looks like we're filling up about every two weeks or so.

this time we only got 34.5 MPGs, compared to 37 last time. the difference? we kept it off ECON mode the entire time, whereas with the first tank we switched back and forth.

this next tank, we'll try to exclusively use ECON mode and see if we can't eke out 30 or 40 MPGs. with the current range (480 miles) displayed by the computer at fill-up, we should be on track to clear 40 MPGs and then some. but that will likely change as driving conditions and style change over the course of the tank...

what's everybody else been getting these days?

 

It really depends on the weather a lot. In the DC area for the few days the weather has been nice enough not to need heat my mileage has gone way up.

 

correction: that should have read 39 or 40 MPGs...derp.

 

On my 3rd fill up, avging 35.6-37mpg on 95% city driving (hit a best of 40.2 mpg at one point)

 

Finally starting to get the gas mileage I was expecting. I just finished a tank and went 502 miles averaging 42.5 mpg using 87 octane. Last tank was 41 mpg. I suspect that the warmer weather has a lot to do with the increase in mileage.

 

BTW, I've been using Fuelly to track our mileage.

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/satoauto/ilx

 

What bike rack is that? Are you wheels hitting the car in transit?