The Passing LaneFull disclosure: I have yet to test-drive the 2013 Acura ILX (a.k.a., the sweetest-looking Honda Civic ever made.)
I’m sure the ILX is more than adequate and it offers decent value for the money when it comes to entry-level luxury. And gracious, beleaguered Acura could sure use a hit.
But I’m already a tad pessimistic when it comes to this vehicle based solely on one intangible factor: its dreadfully awkward name.
Hey, I’m fully cognizant that just about every positive moniker has been registered and trademarked. And I know that when it comes to the luxury segment – with the notable exception of some Cadillac and Lincoln models – there is an obsession with giving vehicles horrid alphanumeric nameplates, ranging from A3 to Z4 (and just about every concoction in-between.)
Yet, when I see a car called the ILX, man o h man, do I ever pine for the days when cars were routinely named after animals such as Wildcat or Barracuda or even Bobcat.
Heck, I even pine for the good old days when Honda’s luxury division actually put some effort into coming up with cool albeit fabricated names (i.e., Vigor, Integra.)
But ILX?
Oh, I “get it”: Acura wants us to pronounce ILX simply as a shopping list of letters, I-L-X. And maybe those letters stand for something (I doubt it, though.) But when I see this nameplate, I read it as “Ill Ex,” as in, “Did you hear about my ex? She’s ill. She’s a very ill ex.”
Gracious, a name that conjures up a former romantic partner who is ailing doesn’t get my motor revving. Suffice to say, nobody in their right mind will record a song lauding this particular sedan.
Bottom line: enough with the alphabet soup in the auto game already. Can we just call a moratorium on these nonsensical alpha-numeric names that mean absolutely nothing and are even downright confusing?
Maybe somebody out there is just giddy about owning an Acura named the ILX. But ILX is no Corvette, Charger, or Mustang; in truth, ILX doesn’t even rank up there with Legend.
Nothing ; just stating I use to worry about the alpha designation direction Acura took ;but it no longer bothers me and in fact I tend to own an NSX one dayWhat does this have to do with the nsx? I love the nsx.
If I remember it was the interior everyone was up in arms about. If the Civic interior ends up matching the ILX it will be a step in the right direction. 2013 model Civic will be even better with the facelift.
The interior isn't all that bad but it can be improved. However I think the exterior could of used more of a facelift going from 8th gen to 9th gen. Sometimes soon we will see what Honda has planned for 2013.If I remember it was the interior everyone was up in arms about. If the Civic interior ends up matching the ILX it will be a step in the right direction
