Hi yall. I just saw the commercial for the new 2013 Honda Accord, and can't help but notice that Honda skimped out on some cool adds for the ILX. I mean come on, wheres our Blind Spot Camera, Forward Collision and Lane Departure warnings? It all seems trivial, but aren't we the luxury brand? I would love to have LED DRLS. (Some people don't seem to enjoy them) Heck, throw in some LED Tailslights for me. What the heck Acura. At least throw that precious green ECON button, I would certainly appreciate that. Don't get me wrong. I love the hell out of my ILX, but it wouldn't hurt to throw in some more goodies. Something has to make up for the hidden exhaust tips and 150hp AT.

 

I'll just give my two thoughts:

1. Pretty much all reviews for the ILX have deemed it overpriced as is. Adding these "options" would inevitably further increase prices on a low volume seller. An order of magnitude higher seller like the Accord can more easily swallow production costs. And this generation Accord is pretty much a must win for Honda! I think Acura settled into the best cost benefit situation for the ILX.

2. Second point is more of a question for you. Assuming you test drive the ILX before you bought it, you knew the absence of these features. In addition, you presumably knew about their additions to the new Accord. So why did you end up buying the ILX. For less money you could have gotten more HP, exhaust tips, and all those amenities on the Honda.

With all respect.

 

This made me laugh I don't understand the desire to have them on our cars. They would look completely out of place.

Honestly, LED tail lights I bet are available next year. My father in law put a set on his civic and they didn't come factory so i have hope for that.

The rest of the safety stuff would only be used if you were not a safe driver. I would rather not pay for features that I'm rather certain i wouldn't use. I think the ILX already comes loaded with quite a bit, so i'm not complaining.

Lastly, you don't put all your eggs in one basket. If they were to make our car have all the bells and whistles available... why would anyone want to buy a different car?

 

There's a list of things that other compact cars have that are either standard or options that the ILX doesn't, but I bet it's because:

1) Even though it's Civic-based, it's still a brand new model to Acura and they did have to spend the dollars to give it an extreme makeover to turn the Civic into an ILX.

2) They want to save some features/goodies for over its generational lifespan and the mid-cycle refresh.

3) They need to recoup the costs of getting this vehicule into production and want to make a profit from it, so as rxj27 said, this is essentially a good way for them to make money and to bring us even better innovations in the future.

 

You'll probably find these features on the upcoming TLX, not the entry ILX. Acura still needs to differentiate the ILX from the TLX.

 

Just a little jealous haha. I'm still sad about the navi lockout features.

 

Going out on a limb and will equate buying a new car with getting married. There will always be regret and the desire for newer "sexier" options. But at the end of the day you just gotta admire what you do have and tell yourself at least it's not a fat ugly Buick Verano!

 

I agree. I love my ILX. I wouldn't change anything about it. I mean sure I'd love to have a 600hp car that gets 40mpg, but given real world options, it is exactly what I want.

 

This made me laugh

Most of the stuff we have complained about so far is nit picking. Like my wifes cold feet. Without it, i'd probably complain i was hot all the time.

 

I just checked out the new 13 Accord EXL. There is no way I could pay 30+ for an ILX after seeing this. The ILX is way overpriced, it should have been the new Civic, not an Acura.

Is Acura counting on people being so stuck on image that they don't look for the value in the Accord?

 

2009 TSX driver here, lease ending soon. I was considering an ILX for a long time, and was hung up on the lack of split folding rear seats in the ILX -- I got over that, but now with the 4 cyl Accord Touring coming in under the ILX Tech price wise here in Canada, I'll be going with the Accord. I cross shopped from Honda to Acura the last time around and chose the TSX because of features / styling / value. Now it's the other way around.

 

Great news 3jack. Hope this forum has been of help to you during your search.

crcendo, I am also glad that you have found your new potential car. But you bring up a good point. Personally speaking, I did not and would not ever consider the Accord. Honda is counting on most people, like yourself, buying the "value" brand and going for the 250,000+ unit/year selling Accord. That is whats going to keep them in business! But what Acura is depending on is a particular niche (people like me) inclusive/exclusive of Accord shoppers who want something different. A car with the full benefits of being a Honda, but with uniqueness. The ILX will probably sell 30,000 cars this year (I have yet to see another ILX on the road here in STL and I love that!). People like me are willing to pay a little extra for this exclusivity (call it vanity if you must) and that is alright even if you don't understand it.

This just demonstrates the diversity of car buyer demographics. The ability to sell to buyers as different as you and I, speaks to the credibility and success of Honda Motor Company.

 

LOL, ok buddy.
The ILX compared to an EXL or touring is just a bad deal all around. Have you seen the new Accord in person? It looks like a higher end car than the ILX. 49 more HP with similar MPG, way more tech features at a lower price. I guess I'll join the common folk in the Accord. If the argument were for a new model TSX or TLX I would agree, but this new Accord vs. the ILX does not hold water.

I guess I was right about Acura depending on people looking to buy an identity through a brand, content be damned.
The 2nd gen TSX was a great example of Honda vs. Acura marketing, it was a brilliant execution of a value luxury brand.

 

Sorry crcendo, I haven't seen the new Accord and I was not comparing the ILX to the new Accord in any way, shape, or form. I completely agree with you that on every "value" level the Accord bests the ILX. But not all people buy cars based on best value, or else we would all be driving Camrys.

Its great you feel so passionate about the Accord, and I was in no way criticizing or attacking your beliefs. My only intention was to say that the ILX does appeal to other people.

Now that we are buddies, I figure its only fair of me to defend my decision to purchase an ILX as much as I respect your right to attack it.

 

Here is my opinion.

Honda Accord EX-L
Curb Weight : 3365
Only Available in 6 speed manual and CVT (Unless you want to jump to a v6)
Gas Mileage With 6 speed manual: 24 / 34 / 28
Gas Mileage With the CVT: 27 / 36 / 30
Horsepower: 185 @ 6400
Torque: 181 @ 3900

Acura ILX:
Curb Weight : 2970
5 Speed Automatic w/ Paddle Shifters and 4cyl
Gas Mileage With 6 speed manual: 22 / 31 / 25: 2.4L
Gas Mileage With 5 speed auto: 24 / 35 / 28: 2.0L
Gas Mileage With the CVT: 39 / 38 / 38: Hybrid (Where is Honda's Hybrid)
Horsepower: 150 @ 6500 2.0L
201 @ 7000 2.4L
Torque: 140 @ 4300 2.0L
170 @ 4400 2.4L

So taking that into consideration my car is a 2.0L.. my car gets the same gas mileage as the fun-sporty manual Honda Accord. Not sure where your 49hp figure came from as my stats came straight from Honda.com and Acura.com. Also in order to make the EX-L have the same options as my car (17" sporty looking wheels instead of the 12 spoke design, chrome/polished front end, and splash guards) the msrp was $30,883 msrp. Seems pretty close to what I paid for my car.

Yes the Honda has more cabin room.. good for it! Last thing i want to feel like I'm driving is a Buick. It's my wife and myself, i don't need a huge back seat, and I don't need 8" of headroom. I think the lower roof line makes the car feel sportier myself. All i wanted was a 4 door so i could throw my gym bag, my briefcase, and my groceries in the backseat. I don't need to fit another full grown adult in the back. If I have kids soon, a child will easily have room in the backseat without issues.

The ILX was designed to fit the age bracket of young professionals who are most likely starting families. I think they hit the nail on the head. If you like the Honda, that is okay, purchasing a car is all on personal preference.

 

other considerations accord vs ilx are

1) fun to drive
2) quality of materials
3) ride quality
4) some people want a smaller more nimble car

To me, the ILX 2.4 is a better value than the accord exl. It is quicker, handles better, rides quieter and doesn't make me feel like I am driving a boat. If I had a family, I would have gone for the Accord, no questions asked; with more cabin space and more trunk space and a softer suspension, it would at that point, be a better value for me.

Exclusivity, as mentioned, is another factor, but not too important to me. It is nice though, that 2 weeks after buying my ILX, I've seen exactly one other one while I see about 8/9 late-model Accords per day.

 

I've seen one in a parking lot in my two months of ownership. Two others have mistaken it for the new RL.

 

I was the 3rd in Omaha, NE to purchase one, but i have never seen any others on the road yet.

 

yeah the one I saw was actually in a parking lot, too. Same exact color as mine. Good thing that when I saw it my first reaction was "wow, that's a nice car!" before I fully realized what I was looking at. Then it was, "hey, get your own car!"

 

Accord Touring cheaper than my ILX 6mt, hmmmm, no (very close though)
Accord lighter and smaller than my ILX 6mt, hmmmm, no
Accord Touring more powerful than my ILX 6mt, hmmmm, no
Accord Touring handle better than my ILX 6mt, hmmmm, probably not
Accord Touring gas mileage better than my ILX 6mt, hmmmm, appears so (close but definitley a plus for Earth Dreams engine)
Accord Touring have more bells and whistles than my ILX 6mt, hmmmm yes

Did I want an Accord Touring, hmmmm, no

But thanks for your insightful thoughts anyway.

 

There will always be a better "value"...but, at the end of the day, I'm liking my ilx more and more, though I kinda wish there were more compartments for space.Tthe tsx had many more little pockets and nooks for stuff. There's also no space for sunglasses.

 

I put my sunglasses and garage door remote in the pocket on drivers door. Sunglasses are in a cloth bag that came with my Serengetti driving glasses.

 

I have my garage door clicker on my visor, and it has created a nice dimple on there. lol

 

my sunglasses either go on my face, the passenger seat, or the compartment just forward of the shifter. Change goes in one of the cupholders, water bottle goes in the door, most everything else in the armrest.

 

Be careful with change in the cupholders. They tend to leave nasty stains from the dirt, oils, etc that are on them. Plus, if they get wet, the metal goes through some sort of chemical reaction and leaves marks. Nasty stuff.

 

in my other car that has no coin pocket, i also use the cupholder, but i put a small plastic up and then the coins in there, that way no stains or scratches, and you can barely see the cup

 

Isn't it great that buyers have two very good cars to choose from? There is a reason that 400,000 people will buy an Accord next year while 30,000 to 40,000 will buy an ILX. Nobody should feel bad for being a part of either group since they are both good cars that serve different market needs. In my situation, I don't care how much "better" the Accord is, I simply don't want a car that big. In my opinion, the difficulty is not trying to find a "big car" with "big car features." There are lots of choices including the Accord, TSX and TL. The challenge is finding a good "small car" with "big feature" content (that doesn't nickle and dime you for every option).

 

yea, finding a good small car these days is damn near impossible. I don't like big cars and the accord is too big.

 

In all honesty , who is dumb enough to pay $30k for an ILX? It's a dressed up civic with an Acura badged. You can get a nicer tsx , or accord for the same. Is if cause of the MPG? Cause you might be getting 35+ but you still over paid thousands for the car?

No point of even getting this car... Every time I see one on the road , I always slow down to see the driver dumb enough to buy it.

 

How could I have been so DUMB! Jaxxx you are completely right! How could I have been so stupid. In fact, I seemed to have paid $35000 for even less HP! Crap! Crap! I must be doubly dumb. You know what I'm going back to St. Louis Acura and ask for my money back. PM me later so I can tell them that you sent me.

In fact, CAUSE you seem to be so good at doling out useful advice to dumb people like me, why don't you enlighten me on what to eat for dinner tonight, what to wear tomorrow, and when I can go to the bathroom...

Also for future reference, why don't you tell me THE POINT of buying a car.

 

^^ rjx27....While seeing rude and disrespectful posts is frustrating, please don't let it get to you. The ILX is a great car as is the Accord. As Colin said so well, both serve a specific purpose and a specific clientele. There is always an argument that something is always better than what you got....Don't let a person who has 8 posts since 2004 get to you. It is simply not worth it Noticed on how he hasn't receive a "Thanks" yet....


I have seen a white Accord today and I must say it looks good....actually, quite nice. Being a TL owner, I am eager to see what they will do with the TLX next year....

 

Haha, I know I violated the cardinal rule: DONT FEED THE TROLLS! But I was feeling snarky and had some time to kill this afternoon in lab. Appreciate the support. It's gonna take a lot more than that to get to me. But actually was seriously looking for dinner ideas ( my night to cook tonight!).

 

Deng, I didnt expect it to escalate this bad. I was merely just whining ahaha. I love my car, I don't regret buying it at all. It was either the BRZ or this, and I'm glad I chose the ILX. The only thing that bugs me is what I want to buy for it! So many choices. Tint first of course! Probably going with Euro Blue with my white (: Tryna be different!

 

CollegeHills sells this Homelink unit for the Accord. I wonder if it could be adapted to the ILX. I can't seem to find a picture of the overhead console in the ILX. Maybe take the homelink unit from this and with a dremel tool, some epoxy, and some paint make it look factory? Just an idea....

9th Gen...
http://www.collegehillshonda.com/sto...3/homelink.jpg

8th Gen...
http://www.collegehillshonda.com/sto...melinkhack.jpg

 

I almost did that when one passed me on I 85 in VA. Have not seen one in MD onther that the Hybrid Tech @ the dealer.

 

There are three buttons to the right of the driver side door. Maybe that could be used as home link buttons? You could probably adapt this kit to design something there, but I'm not sure about ripping apart the overhead trim. I'll take a look an see from there, I guess.

 

Yea, I don't understand why someone would come on here just to post that...some people make no sense to me. What did you have for dinner, lol.

 

If you look at his history this guy posts once every 4 yrs and none have been very insightful.

 

One thing I don't think people are noticing, is that the Touring trim is only available on the V6. The highest 4cyl trim is the EX-L & the highest trim available with a manual is the EX.

 

Haha funny you ask. Decided to go out to dinner with the wife. While driving, noticed someone speeding past me on the left. He was driving a 1996 Geo Metro painted neon green with chrome Wal-Mart spinner hubcabs. After passing me, he slowed down. I looked to see what he wanted. But ultimately he couldn't reach his passenger side window crank to talk with me. I just waved. My wife asked me who that was and I told her it probably was a nice Acura "enthusiast".

Trolls already have a home at Temple of VTEC. No need to bother us here.