The Acura ILX – Beauty And Grace In A Small Luxury Car

2013 Acura ILX
Do the bones of a Honda Civic make a decent Acura?
I drove the ILX for a week and my conclusion is yes. A big thumbs up for this small
luxury car.
VIDEO: The Acura ILX Beauty And Grace In A Small Luxury Car

credit: GEOFF ROBINS/Getty Images

This is the brand new, entry level Acura that comes with three engine choices. A 150
horsepower engine and five speed automatic, which I drove, a hybrid that gets
around 39 miles per gallon, or the 201 horsepower Civic/Acura with a six speed
manual. This engine will squeeze out 24 miles per gallon in the city and 35 on the
highway. And it’s quite peppy connected to the automatic transmission with
sequential sports shift.
The interior is handsome and well done. Good solid and soft materials, a great
navigation screen and rear camera. No trace of the low rent materials found in the
Honda Civic. The seats are very cushy and supportive, and the tech package includes
seat heaters.
The rear seating is roomy for a car this size and the flat four makes riding shotgun a
pleasant experience. The trunk is large enough for golf clubs and a Costco run. All
the controls have a solid feel. This is a very nice steering wheel and the mounted
controls are well laid out.
To power up, you push a very classy start‐ stop button.
The ride is smooth thanks to the four‐wheel independent double‐wishbone front
suspension and the 4 wheel disc brakes are more than competent.
The new corporate grill is a step in the right direction. Overall, this Acura ILX with a
$31,000 dollar sticker price just might win over the 20 to 30youth with maturity
market. That’s what Acura is betting on.