2018 Acura ILX Review
2018 Acura ILX Review





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Edmunds' Expert Review

byMark Takahashi
Correspondent
Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the Edmunds YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.
Pros
- Strong feature content for the price
- Precise steering feel
- Good crash test scores
Cons
- Unrefined ride quality
- Interior accommodations fall short of expectations
- Below average performance
- Technology interface can be clumsy
What’s new
A new Special Edition package with minor cosmetic additions debuts. Otherwise, the ILX returns unchanged.
Vehicle overview
In regards to price and feature content, the 2018 Acura ILX undercuts other entry-level luxury sedans by a considerable margin. That alone should get shoppers' attention. Unfortunately, the notion of value begins to fade when you realize that the ILX falls well short of the standards set by its more expensive rivals. The ride quality is overly stiff, the interior lacks refinement, the engine is comparably weak and the infotainment system leaves much to be desired. For these reasons, we don't consider it worthy of competing against Audi, Mercedes or BMW. Instead, we think of the ILX as a slightly nicer Honda Civic.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2018 Acura ILX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 8AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.32 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$183/mo for ILX Base
ILX Base
vs
$185/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Edmunds' Expert Rating
6.9 / 10On the surface, the Acura ILX has a lot appeal, especially when it comes to value compared to other entry-level luxury sedans. Unfortunately, it doesn't match other luxury brands for quality and ends up feeling more like a slightly nicer Honda Civic.
Trim tested
Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2016 Acura ILX Technology Plus Package (2.4L inline-4 | 8-speed dual-clutch automatic | FWD).
Scorecard
Overall | 6.9 / 10 |
Driving | 7.0 |
Comfort | 6.5 |
Interior | 6.5 |
Driving
7.0The ILX is available with only one powertrain, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 201 horsepower mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. It's about midpack acceleration-wise. Handling is decent, but at-the-limit responses should be better for a sport sedan.
Acceleration
6.5With a 0-60 mph time of 6.9 seconds, the ILX is slower than the Audi A3 and Mercedes CLA 250. Power feels soft at low rpm, and the automatic upshifts early, keeping revs low. The engine sounds great at high rpm, though.
Braking
7.5It stopped in a straight and controlled manner during our 60-0 mph panic test with some minor pedal fade on later stops. The brakes felt strong enough around town. The pedal is a bit soft, but the action isn't the least bit touchy.
Steering
8.0Steering is direct if lacking the precise feedback enthusiastic drivers crave. It goes where it's pointed with an intuitively quick turn-in when driven below its rather modest grip limits. The thick-rimmed steering wheel feels good in your hands.
Handling
7.5It feels sporty up to a certain point. It turns into corners with some eagerness and stays planted and secure. The suspension copes well with minor bumps. Near its grip limits, it becomes considerably less responsive to driver inputs.
Drivability
6.5The transmission can get confused at low speeds, and there were some midthrottle hiccups leaving a stop. We needed two downshifts to maintain 70 mph on a grade. The cruise control overshoots by up to 7 mph.
Comfort
6.5Although the ILX's front seats are comfortable and should fit a wide variety of bodies, they're completely lacking in lateral support, which is odd for a luxury or sport sedan aimed at enthusiastic drivers. Ride quality can be surprisingly bad over bumpy surfaces.
Seat comfort
7.5The front seats are comfortable; the cushions are firm but not overly so. The seats are wide and flat with near-zero lateral support. The door armrests are hard and positioned too low. The rear seats have soft cushions with decent contouring.
Ride comfort
5.0It seems hard to believe Acura could get the ride-to-handling compromise so wrong, but it did. The ILX is stiff-legged in general, and big highway bumps will literally bounce you out of your seat. Tall folks will hit their head on the ceiling.
Noise & vibration
6.0Either the tires are really noisy or there's minimal sound deadening because there's considerable noise in the cabin. The engine can be heard often, and the transmission causes vibrations at lower speeds. The engine is never thrashy and sounds great above 4,500 rpm.
Interior
6.5Honda/Acura keeps clinging to its central dual-screen infotainment setup. And we keep disliking having to look at two different screens. Headroom is lacking front and rear, partly because the ILX comes with a sunroof. Outward visibility is excellent for the segment.
Ease of use
6.0The gauges are clear and legible, and the climate control knobs and buttons are well marked and placed for easy operation. The secondary controls on the steering wheel and center stack take some getting used to.
Getting in/getting out
7.0The front doors are large and open wide. You have to duck your head a bit, but overall it's a decent entryway for the class. The rear doors don't open as wide; you really have to duck your head to miss the roof.
Roominess
5.5Headroom is tight front and rear for anyone near average height. The standard sunroof doesn't help matters. Rear legroom is reasonable, and footroom under the front seats is excellent.
Visibility
8.5The windshield pillars partially obstruct through corners due to the high driving position. Otherwise pillars are narrow all around. The rear three-quarter view is excellent, and the side views are good despite the short windows. Wide-angle backup camera.
Quality
6.0The interior doesn't give off same quality vibe as Audi, BMW, Mercedes. There's a fair amount of hard plastic trim, though most controls have reasonably good action. Soft-touch dash. We heard a couple of creaks from some trim pieces.
Utility
The door pockets, which are placed well forward, are too small. The front bin is tiny but has a security door. The center armrest bin is large. The cupholders make an attempt at anti-tip function. The trunk is competitive at 12.3 cubic feet, but the pass-through opening is tiny.
Technology
We don't love the stacked dual-screen infotainment setup. The top one is far away, though it's well-shrouded to prevent issues with glare. The bottom screen has low-rent graphics but the buttons react well.
Which ILX does Edmunds recommend?
Acura's collision alerts tend to be overly sensitive and annoying, so we suggest skipping the AcuraWatch package in favor of the Premium package that delivers more useful features. We also caution against the A-Spec package's 18-inch wheels that can hurt ride quality without any appreciable gains in performance.
2018 Acura ILX models
The 2018 Acura ILX is an entry-level luxury sedan that is available in seven different trims: base, a new Special Edition, AcuraWatch Plus, Premium, Premium A-Spec, Tech Plus and Tech Plus A-Spec. All trims are powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (201 horsepower, 180 pound-feet of torque) that sends power to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The base ILX comes with 17-inch wheels, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, heated mirrors, keyless entry and ignition, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, simulated leather upholstery, heated front seats, an eight-way power driver sport seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a folding rear seatback, a rearview camera, limited text messaging functions, Bluetooth phone and streaming audio, and a six-speaker stereo with active noise cancellation, streaming internet radio and USB/auxiliary input.
The Special Edition trim adds 18-inch wheels, extended side sills and the rear spoiler from the A-Spec package. The AcuraWatch Plus trim starts with the base trim's features and adds adaptive cruise control, a forward collision warning and mitigation system, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation and an updated driver information screen.
The Tech Plus includes all of the AcuraWatch Plus items along with a multiview rear camera and a 10-speaker premium audio system. The Premium reverts back to the base trim features and adds an iPhone-based navigation system and a seven-speaker audio system. Both the Tech Plus and Premium trim levels also include leather upholstery, a four-way power front passenger seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Siri Eyes Free phone control, a universal garage door opener, a touchscreen display, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, satellite and HD radio, and additional internet music apps.
The A-Spec is added to either the Tech Plus or Premium models and includes the Special Edition content as well as foglights, suede seat inserts with contrasting stitching, a dark headliner and metal sport pedals.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2018 Acura ILX.
5 star(52%)
4 star(24%)
3 star(8%)
2 star(5%)
1 star(11%)
63 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.25 out of 5 stars
ILX Tech pack.
6thman, 04/23/2015
2016 Acura ILX Technology Plus Package 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 8AM)
Got the ILX like 3 weeks ago, so far no problems, fast, corners nicely, good on gas, I like better than the A3, felt cramped inside, handles as well as IS250, anyone feels differently about you are subject to your own opinion, I am not a critic just a regular guy typing my own views...
5 out of 5 stars
I LOVE this car!
Shane Gochenouer, 09/01/2015
2016 Acura ILX Premium Package 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 8AM)
This car has met all of my expectations and surpassed most of them, it is everything I was looking for at a very reasonable price point. I previously owned a 2014 Civic EX 4dr, which I bought, at least partially, because Civics are traditionally modders, with a lot of potential for customization. Not so much the case (mechanically) anymore, unless you get the SI, but I work in the city … and bumper to bumper commuting with a manual, forget it. At any rate, the ILX offered everything I wanted my Civic to become, sporty, both in appearance and performance (big emphasis on performance), as well as more luxury and Honda/Acura's legendary reliability. I did a LOT of research before pulling the trigger on the purchase and I just don't think that anything out there can touch the ILX if price is at all an issue for you. Go to Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Infiniti, Lexus websites and "Build and Price" their entry level offerings with same/similar features and you will see what I mean. In NONE of those cases are you getting anywhere near the ILX in features, performance, quality or reliability for under 40K (the model I bought, w/ premium package, stickers at $30,820 with destination charges). If you are looking to buy a status symbol, this isn't the car for you, but if you want luxury quality and performance combined with unmatched reliability, this is definitely worth a look and test drive, I consider it a class leading example of what I call "practical luxury". Also worth mention, I had a 2015 ILX base model (with the 2.0) loaner for a day and a half while the dealership installed a remote start and was NOT impressed, the 2015 would not have won me over, I would still be driving the Civic, so if you have an earlier model and weren't pleased or it didn't meet your expectations, give the 2016 a test drive.
The only Cons I have to offer are getting into and out of the vehicle (at 5'11" with short legs and a long torso) can be slightly awkward and low speed crawl can be chunky at times (for the first week till you get used to shift points) however from the reviews I have read on its competitors it still excels in this area (I haven't test driven any of them).
UPDATE: After 8 months driving it every day, I still love this car. My only takeaway after 8 months is that without Navi the 2 screen layout can feel pretty redundant, but that's such a first world problem I don't even feel good complaining about it. Sport mode is awesome, whether or not you use the paddle shifters, which by the way can be used in normal drive mode as well.
5 out of 5 stars
Hard to Categorize
Eric, 04/30/2016
2016 Acura ILX Premium Package 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 8AM)
This is a great combination of luxury and economy. I paid $9,000 less than the dealer's best offer on a comparable BMW 320i. It's pretty quick at 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds ( .2 seconds faster than the BMW according to zeroto60times.com) but still gets 36 mpg (the same as the BMW epa estimate) on the highway. After driving the BMW 320i and the X1, the ILX interior materials seemed just … slightly inferior. And the noise and handling were just a little off. I am very sensitive to squeaks and rattles. So far, not a single one. The 8 speed DCT is very smooth and precise. Driving in sport mode changes everything. The shift points are at much higher revs and the engine responds much more quickly. This is my second Acura. I drove the first one for nearly 200,000 miles and all I did was change the fluids and bulbs...not a single problem. I can't attest to the reliability of the ILX, but I'm betting it will be similarly phenomenal. The expert reviews are all over the map on this one. Do you compare it with a Toyota Corolla, or a BMW 2 or 3 series? Therein lies the problem. They have to put it in a category to make sense of all the vehicles and this one doesn't fit. You have to read between the lines.
5 out of 5 stars
I love it
Holly Swanson, 04/30/2016
2016 Acura ILX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 8AM)
I absolutely adore this car. I have no idea what some people are talking about regarding the seats being uncomfortable. These are the most comfortable seats I've ever driven in. This car is just what I was looking for...a beautiful, reliable and luxurious commuter. The white model really turns heads and by the first week I'd already gotten so many compliments. Interior road noise is … perfect, road feel is excellent, steering is excellent, ever little detail in his car screams luxury. Really nothing bad I can say about this car, and no I've not been paid to say these things...this car is just that good.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 Acura ILX, so we've included reviews for other years of the ILX since its last redesign.
2018 ILX Highlights
Base
Base MSRP | $28,100 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 29 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $183/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 12.3 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Our experts like the ILX models:
- Collision Mitigation Braking System
- Warns if a frontal collision is imminent and will apply the brakes if the driver doesn't respond in time.
- Lane Keeping Assist System
- Warns if you are drifting out of your lane without signaling and will nudge the car back if no action is taken.
- Blind Spot Information System
- Indicates if a car is lurking in your blind spot and will beep if you signal for a lane change in that direction.
NHTSA Overall Rating
5 out of 5 starsThe National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverall5 / 5
- Side Barrier RatingOverall5 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront Seat5 / 5Back Seat5 / 5
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover10.7%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestGood
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestGood
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintGood
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