At first glance, the 2021 Acura ILX looks like a luxury sedan bargain, as it wears a premium exterior styling treatment and an attractive starting price.
Look closer though and you'll notice that the smallest Acura sedan is merely a reskinned previous-generation Honda Civic with a less desirable standard features list. Its infotainment is woefully out of date, and it lacks the sporty driving dynamics we expect in this class.
Its 2.4-liter four-cylinder is at least fuel efficient, and its ride is smooth and agreeable. But if you're looking for something that will truly impress your neighbors and friends, more modern small luxury cars such as the Audi A3, the BMW 2-series Gran Coupe, and the Mercedes-Benz A-class are all worth spending extra to purchase. Otherwise, the all-new 2022 Honda Civic offers better bang for the same amount of bucks.
Engine
The sole powertrain is a 201-hp four-cylinder with front-wheel drive mated to a smooth eight-speed automatic transmission. The engine revs easily and although the ILX isn't the quickest car in its class, its character makes us pine for the VTEC-powered Honda and Acura sedans from years gone by.
Handling is poised and confident, but not particularly memorable; road and wind noise permeate the cabin here more than in rivals such as the Audi A3 or the Mercedes-Benz A-class, especially at highway speeds. Still, the smallest Acura sedan has excellent brake-pedal feedback.
Fuel Economy
The ILX earns fuel-economy ratings of 24 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway—competitive with front-wheel-drive versions of the A3 and A-class. Over our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, the ILX delivered exactly what its window sticker said it would: 34 mpg. For more information about the ILX's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.
Interior
As with other cars in this segment, the Acura ILX's cabin is roomy for the driver and the front-seat passenger but cramped for those in the rear. Standard equipment is plentiful and includes a sunroof, heated sport seats with power adjustments for the driver, and dual-zone automatic climate control.
However, the dashboard design looks outdated compared with the slick-looking screens that adorn the dash of the A-class. While its interior cubby storage is nowhere near as useful as inside the Civic, the ILX has a large trunk that belies the sedan's subcompact classification.
0 Comments