Overview & Reviews
Take one part car shoppers' desire for improved fuel economy, add two parts automakers' never-ending quest to bring younger buyers into the fold, shake well, and you have the Acura ILX.
Although based on the Honda Civic platform, the Acura ILX has enough different about it to fully justify its position as Acura's most affordable luxury sedan. It starts with sleeker styling as well as a higher-quality interior. There's also an impressive list of standard and optional luxury features that aren't offered on its more affordable cousin. The suspension has also been reworked for a better balance of ride comfort and sporting handling. Under the hood not much changes from the Civic, but there's still a choice of three different powertrains including the Acura brand's first gasoline-electric hybrid.
Put it all together and you have an entry-level luxury car that is both the smallest and most fuel-efficient model in the Acura lineup. For shoppers looking to step up to a small sedan that's notably nicer than the norm yet is still very budget-friendly, the ILX should work out nicely.
Current Acura ILX
The Acura ILX is a compact sedan that's offered as a gas-only model and as a hybrid. Powering the base gas-only ILX model is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 150 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic. The performance-oriented ILX 2.4 gets a 2.4-liter four-cylinder good for 201 hp and 170 lb-ft. This engine only comes mated to a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox.
The Acura ILX Hybrid model is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder working in concert with an electric motor for a total of 111 hp and 127 lb-ft. The latter employs a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that's tuned for crisper response compared to the unit used in the Civic Hybrid. As expected, EPA fuel economy estimates are quite good with the Hybrid, with combined mileage in the high 30s.
Standard equipment on both hybrid and gas-only base models includes keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, a sunroof, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and a six-speaker audio system with Pandora Internet radio control. The Premium trim (not available on the Hybrid) adds features like xenon headlights, foglights and a rearview camera. The Technology trim (not available on the 2.4) builds on the equipment of the Premium with amenities like a voice-controlled navigation system, digital music storage and a 10-speaker surround-sound audio system. Feature content for the various trims differs slightly between hybrid and gas-only models.
In reviews, we've found that the ILX is a nimble little urban runabout, but is hampered by its underpowered engines. The 2.0-liter engine offers adequate power for getting around town, but is much slower than every other luxury-branded compact car. The more spirited 2.4-liter engine improves the situation, but even its acceleration is slower than average and its appeal is limited due to its obligatory manual transmission. The Hybrid is similarly slow compared to other hybrids and more notably, its fuel economy is worse.
Within the cabin, upscale touches give the ILX a noticeably more premium feel than the Honda model on which it's based, but don't match other luxury-branded compact sedans. On the upside, you get a lot more features for your money.
Used Acura ILX Models
The Acura ILX debuted in 2013. It's remained mostly unchanged, but 17-inch wheels, leather upholstery, a power driver seat and heated front seats were added to the standard features list for the gas-only model in 2014.
User Reviews:
Showing 11 through 20 of 69.00-
Excellent Value! - 2014 Acura ILX
By pda2 - February 25 - 8:55 pmWell, I have the smaller engine in the automatic and it aint a beast..but with the shifter paddles you can manipulate the gears slightly for a little bit more oooumph. From a quality to price standpoint, this is VERY hard to beat. I looked at Chevys, Toyotas, even the Mazda 3 and 6, all similar price points. The quality inside and lines out, make this look like and feel like a much more respectable and high quality ride. What car would you rather show up in at a clients house? What car would you rather trust with a child inside? LCD screen is VERY small BUT the trunk holds 2 sets+ of golf clubs. It rides very smooth, seats adjust easily, the interface is user friendly with simple buttons
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Great performance and great value - 2014 Acura ILX
By stevenrose - October 29 - 7:39 amI have to say my new ILX is a great car. The engine is really responsive and the shifting is really smooth. The interior is finished very well and the leather wrapped steering wheel feels great on the hands. Handling is excellent, the car goes exactly where you point it. After the car is broken in, the car is really sporty to drive. I think the car is underrated. Consumer Reports does a great job recommending the ILX, other reviewers complain that the ILX is underpowered, but I would give it a test drive. I drove the new Accord and the Subaru Legacy and I liked the ILX a lot better. I like how compact and zippy it feels. I am an Acura Fan and in love with the ILX
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best deal in town if you do your homework - 2013 Acura ILX
By sethwas - April 22 - 9:52 amHow to sum this car up - there are no other vehicles in this size that have this many features at this price. That could be good or bad. There are larger vehicles that have this many features at this price (with no gas mileage penalty) and there are plenty of vehicles that are this size that are less expensive and have less features. So if you could lease a Civic EX-L or a premium package ILX (same monthly payment after you factor in gas and insurance) which would you choose? If you could buy a loaded Accord or Mazda6 for the same price which would you choose? Does the badge or dealer experience matter? All are amazing vehicles - you just need to decide where you want to be.
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An Excellent Car! - 2013 Acura ILX
By geiim - January 28 - 4:22 pmI have had my ILX now for over a month and 1,500 miles. It is an excellent car. The complaints about the 2.0L engine being slow are not accurate. I find it to be very peppy and responsive. Plus I drive 64 miles back and forth from work 5 days a week and I have never gotten less than 30 MPG, with an average of 29 MPG city/hwy driving overall. The interior is of excellent quality and the ride is smooth and quiet. The electronics are excellent and the sound system is very good, I use the XM radio all the time and it never drops out. Im 6 ft tall, 250 lbs and I fit very comfortably in the car. Ive even ridden in the back seat and that was comfortable. It looks great and rides great!
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Polished metal metallic/Parchment Premium Pkg. - 2013 Acura ILX
By ilx2013je - January 21 - 9:00 am3 months of ownership and Im extremely satisfied with my new ILX. Very peppy for a small 4cyl. engine. Ride and handling are very impressive. Excellent use of space on the interior. Im coming from a mid-size and dont miss the little extra room I previously had. I dont want to see many of them on the road, but everyone should give this car a try.
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So excited to buy my new Acura ILX - 2013 Acura ILX
By stevenrose - November 10 - 3:43 pmI have owned many cars from Jeeps to Volvos and I keep coming back to Honda products. I owned a 1996 Acura Integra and I always refer to that as my favorite car. I owned a 2007 Volvo S40 that was pretty to look at, but drove very choppy. The 2013 Acura ILX is really smooth and fun to drive. I have read reviews that the ILX car is a Honda Civic in a tuxedo. What is wrong with a Honda Civic? My 2006 Honda Civic EX Coupe drove 10 times better than my Volvo S40 and the new ILX I just purchased drives even smoother and is 10x more luxurious than my Honda was. I think I have found that perfect blend of performance, luxury and style. I think I might have found my new favorite car.
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Happy with my Acura ILX after 4000 miles - 2013 Acura ILX
By jeepcolorado - September 15 - 10:54 pmI purchased the Acura ILX after owning a Jeep Grand Cherokee for seven years. I really wanted a new JGC Overland, but decided it made more economic sense to look for a comfortable 60 miles/day commuter that would still give the feeling I was driving a solid entry level luxury car with most of todays tech features. The ILX has a very well engineered interior that seems well above the luxury level of a Civic or other lower end cars and in line with most other cars up to about 40K. It is a very pleasant place to relax while commuting a couple of hours a day. With a low 30s budget I compared against the Audi A3, VW GTI, Lexus 250H, and Suburu Outback and decided this was the best choice.
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Getting 43 Mpg on daily commute - 2013 Acura ILX
By mahowald - August 11 - 2:19 pmI love this car. Gas mileage, suspension, and stereo are great. Bluetooth integration and Pandora integration work perfectly. Suspension and noise cancellation work amazingly well. Although it looks small, it has plenty of room and has always been big enough. Gas mileage has been from 42 to 45 without really trying.
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Driving this car to work everyday.... - 2013 Acura ILX
By hleong - July 26 - 7:00 pmThis is the second month I am driving this car to work, everyday for 70 miles. Certainly dont feel like driving a Civic. Indeed, I owned a 2 doors Accord for 9 years and ILX is way more luxury than Accord, hence I dont know why people said it is just an upscale Civic?! Drive before you judge.... Compare to Lexus CT200h and CT200h is not even close to ILX, in luxury and design. ILX designers/engineers are really serious in doing the job and they do it very well.
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Go fast with looks - 2013 Acura ILX
By central25thst - July 22 - 3:33 pmGrown up with a 6 speed. Smooth shifting tranny. Soft touches allover. Smart phone integration is incredible.
