With cars such as the RL, TL, and TSX, Acura occupied a very narrow band of the sedan market, but now the ILX extends the brand down toward the compact segment, giving buyers real model differentiation. And the ILX brings Acura its first hybrid car.
I spent a day with the 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid in that cauldron of cars, Los Angeles. My CNET colleague, Antuan Goodwin, previously reviewed the ILX Premium, the non-hybrid, top-trim version of the car. When we had that car in at CNET HQ, Antuan pointed out where its Honda Civic foundation showed through the Acura veneer.
That's right, the ILX is based on the Honda Civic. Although not a case of brand engineering, as the ILX has a different body than the Civic, much else is the same, including the power train options. The ILX Premium used the same engine and transmission as the Civic Si.
