Just finished reading update 3
2013 Acura ILX Long-Term Update 3 - Motor Trend
If you've been following our Motor Trend garage updates, then you know that we've been spending a lot of quality time in one car, with the bulk of my drive days in L.A. spent in our 2013 Acura ILX long-term loaner. When you're in one car for a while, you start to take a lot of things for granted, a fact that's highlighted after you spend some time wheeling around in something else. I recently had a chance to jump into a loaded-up Cadillac XTS Platinum for the weekend to shuttle some fat cats around in (the parents), and it proved to be a more than capable cruiser, with a ton of room, a plethora of in-car connectivity, and a plush, boulevard-cruiser style ride. Then I got back in the ILX, and I was reminded once again what makes this compact attractive: its relative agility and fun-to-drive nature. I found myself immediately more aggressive. I ratcheted up the six-speed up to redline, downshifted with abandon, went harder on the brakes that still feel strong and assured. I realized again that in the ILX, it's much easier to navigate L.A.'s notorious concrete craziness, easier to park, easier to move into and out of tight situations.
Yes, I realize the XTS and ILX are two completely different automotive beasts (although both have really original three letter alphanumeric names), but the experience reinvigorated my desire to wring out the ILX, hit that off ramp and run to redline, gear-after-gear, take that bend a little tighter. A lot is made of the ILX's kinship (at least the 2.4-liter/six-speed manual car we have in) with the Civic Si. Believe me, that is not a bad thing.
Speaking of the parents, they recently became part of the migratory subspecies Parenticus Snowbirdicius nesting in Arizona, so we rode out in the ILX to the outskirts Phoenix to see them. My wife initially wasn't thrilled about taking the Acura compact on the six-hour trek, but was quickly won over. It's not the quietest car in the cabin at speed, but between 75-80 mph, the 2.4-liter hums along around 3300 rpm and isn't noisy or abrasive. Hit a pothole or other road imperfection and the ILX won't punish you like some other luxury/sport-leaning compacts.
The ILX's seats are unquestionably one of its strong suits, delicately towing the line between comfort and sport. As I've previously outlined, for a compact, there's a fair amount of room for cell phones and other small items, two deep cupholders that hug your mug, and a surprisingly big trunk that gulped down our gear for the trip. And while our ILX doesn't come with all the Acura bells and whistles on the tech front, it's not exactly barren, with features including Bluetooth integration that allows music on the device to be streamed from my iPhone. It's a 360-plus mile or so trip door-to-door, so I did my best to get there on one tank, but fell short each way. My best tank during the trip was 339.8 miles, which averaged out to around 30.91 mpg combined. Any compact car's range is generally constrained by a smallish fuel tank. That said, the ILX continues to live up to its EPA ratings, with its MT combined mileage still running around the EPA bulls eye. Recently, the service wrench light went off again and a fog light isn't working, so it's back to the Acura dealer soon. More on that in my next update.
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2013 Acura ILX Long-Term Update 3 - Motor Trend
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