Acura ILX

Acura is a division of Honda Motor, a Japanese automaker. It specializes in luxury vehicles. Acuras have been available since 1986 in the United States. In 2012, the ILX model was introduced by Acura. This model is based strongly on the Honda Civic platform. The Acura ILX was rated 7.4 overall by U.S. News, which ranked 10^th out of 11^th in the Upscale Small Car category. While it offers several engine choices and is loaded with standard features, the Acura ILX blends into the crowd because competitors have better cargo space, gas mileage, and better performance.

Performance

The Acura ILX offers three powertrains, with test drivers preferring the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It is the most powerful engine, but only offers a six-speed manual transmission. Reviewers have complained that the four-cylinder hybrid model is incredibly slow, which is a huge drawback despite its strong fuel economy. U.S. News gives the Acura ILX a 7.2 rating. The standard automatic transmission has 5 gears, which is one less than its competitors. The base model gets 24 mpg for city driving and 35 mpg for highway driving, while the 2.4-liter model gets 22 mpg for city driving and 31 mpg for highway driving. The hybrid version of the ILX has an electric motor and 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and while it has solid fuel economy ratings, they are not very impressive for a hybrid.

Interior

The Acura ILX’s cabin materials are very high-quality and give the ILX an upscale feel. The interior received a 7.1 rating from U.S. News. Like most small sedans, the Acura ILX’s back row is a bit tight, although it should be able to fit two adults comfortably or three kids. There is plenty of room in the front. The controls are easy to use, as is the navigation system. It has a push-button start and six-speaker stereo with Pandora internet radio, auxiliary jack, and USB port. It also has voice text messaging, Bluetooth, and a dual-zone automatic climate control. There are also technology and premium packages available. The trunk has 12.4 cubic feet of space, which decreases to 12.3 cubic feet of space with the technology package.

Pros/Cons

The Acura ILX does not have as much cargo space as competitors, which is a drawback. It also does not have an automatic transmission with the 2.4-liter engine, nor are the technology packages available with the 2.4-liter engine. The standard automatic transmission only has five gears, while the competition offers six. The hybrid model is efficient on fuel, but also not as efficient as other models in the same class. The Acura ILX has a very nice interior and received a very high safety rating from U.S. News. It also has an abundance of standard features to choose from, and multiple add on packages available. The 2.4-liter engine has very impressive power.

Other Features

The Acura ILX is available in the following colors: Alabaster Silver, Bellanova White Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Fathom Blue Pearl, Polished Metal Metallic, Silver Moon, and White Orchid Pearl. The car is 14 feet 11.1 inches long, 5 feet 10.6 inches wide, and 4 feet 7.6 inches tall. It has a fuel tank capacity of 13.2 gallons, with Premium unleaded as the recommended fuel type. The Acura ILX scored excellent for safety, receiving a 9.4 rating by U.S. News. Safety features include driver and passenger front and side air bags, 4-Wheel Disc Brakes and 4-Wheel ABS, child safety locks, traction control, and emergency trunk release. Other Acura ILX features include two one-touch power windows, cruise control, heated mirrors, and transmission, audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel. The Acura ILX can be purchased from Acura for somewhere between $27 000 to $30 000.