2021 Acura ILX Review

Name: 2021 Acura ILX Review
Brand: Acura

Price Range: $21,888 - $27,998

Acura ILX Technology and A-SPEC Packages Sedan Exterior Shown

+141

The 2021 Acura ILX feels like a car stuck in time. It looks fairly stylish and in line with Acura's other products, but the interior, powertrain and technology features are dated and not up to the standard set by the segment leaders. That said, the ILX is significantly less expensive than rivals such as the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

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Price & Payment

11 cars

$24,596 avg. price

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2021 Acura ILX Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

Navigation system adds real-time traffic information
Part of the first ILX generation introduced for 2013

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 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 $3.52 per gallon for premium unleaded in Texas.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Texas

$154/mo

$140/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4.5/5Excellent

#1 out of 26 among Luxury Compact Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Acura ILX from 2008-2022.}

$372/yr

vs. $554/yr
for Average Luxury Compact Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.86x/yr

vs. 1.57x/yr
for Average Luxury Compact Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

4.4%

vs. 11.1%
for Average Luxury Compact Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Acura ILX Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.2

27 reviews

5(67%)

4(11%)

3(4%)

2(11%)

1(7%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2020 ILX an Incredible Vehicle

Rob, 05/14/2020

2020 Acura ILX Technology and A-SPEC Packages 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 8AM)

Before purchasing this car, I did a TON of reading both professional and consumer reviews as well as watching YouTube review videos. Some professional reviewers get behind the wheel, floor the gas pedal, and then say it's noisy and not fast enough. But the truth is most drivers don't floor the gas in everyday driving. For a driver like myself going to work every day in a normal commute I …

The Best Car I've Ever Owned

Scott, 07/04/2020

2020 Acura ILX Premium Package 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 8AM)

I first saw the ILX at the auto show near me in February and was immediately drawn in by its styling, logical controls, and price. My daily driver was a 2011 Civic at the time, which had been consistently reliable and had a nice character to it. (It's now my second/backup car; why get rid of a perfectly good vehicle?) Honda's reputation for quality and reliability was the first factor in … my decision to look further into this car. When I started researching it, I was shocked to see so many negative reviews. Then I realized what they were comparing the car to. This isn't one of those cars that young people drag down the freeway. It's also not an Audi or Mercedes in terms of price (I even cross-shopped the Mercedes-Benz A220 along with the Honda Accord). What this car truly represents is a step between mainstream vehicles (Accord, Camry, etc) and full-blown luxury (BMW 3 Series, Audi A4). It's a spot which, at one time, belonged to the Oldsmobile Cutlass. You bought a Cutlass to step up from Chevy and after you had your performance car phase with Pontiac. It wasn't a Cadillac, but you didn't need a Cadillac--just something that was a little nicer than your Malibu. Oldsmobile (and Mercury, for that matter) are long gone, so many people have trouble placing a "step up" model these days. What the ILX gives you is a car that is fun to drive, is very comfortable, and is easy to use. Controls are often difficult to figure out on new cars; even something as simple as shifting into drive can be a challenge for someone who hasn't bought a new car in a while. The ILX uses traditional controls and was very easy to learn, even coming from a low-tech model like a 2011 Civic. It's also nice to see a car with a non-turbo engine and a regular automatic transmission rather than a CVT. You even get a CD player. Some of us appreciate the old-school touches like that, especially knowing what long term reliability and proven performance look like! I have no problems with the interior materials, and I even sat in the A220 and rented an Evoque last year! The leather is high grade and the plastic, in no way, feels cheap. The steering wheel has a very nice feel to it as well. The dual screen setup, to me, is a huge perk. I worked with a similar system on an older Accord a few years back and I'm shocked Honda seems to want to phase it out. It was easy to learn and works very well. Again, it's a proven winner. Regarding comparisons to Civics--I have a Civic and have driven the current model. These are two entirely different vehicles in character and refinement. The Civic may have more performance options in the Si trim, but if you're buying the ILX, you're probably looking more for refinement, not to win a drag race. That's what this car gives you--a lot of luxury in a small package. Just because it's derived from the Civic doesn't make it a Civic. Remember, the CR-V was also derived from the Civic platform and is an entirely different vehicle. As a longtime Civic owner, I can also tell you that being related to the Civic is a good thing. Aside from age-related maintenance like a muffler and brakes, my Civic has never let me down, 145K miles later. I drove an Accord as well and it's a similar car in terms of feel, but smaller. In fact, the ILX feels more like a small Accord with a few refinements. A comparably-equipped Accord is bigger, but $5000 more. If you don't consistently haul around passengers but want the luxury, go for the ILX. The Accord is a little bit quieter in terms of road noise if that matters to you, but also has a steeper learning curve with some controls. To sum this up: test-drive the ILX and see for yourself what a wonderful car it really is. I've enjoyed every minute behind the wheel of mine since purchasing it and am looking forward to having it as my daily driver for a long time.

Good bang for the buck

D, 03/19/2021

2021 Acura ILX 4dr Sedan w/Technology and A-Spec Packages (2.4L 4cyl 8AM)

Great entry level luxury sedan, from the sporty look and feel to the excellent handling. We opted for all the upgrades, A-spec, premium and technology packages. Nice jump off the line, but not as robust once going 60 or more, but that is a tradeoff. The voice navigation system is well done, allowing for hands free lookup and routing to restaurants, shopping and other points of …

Very satisfied

Percy, 10/11/2020

2020 Acura ILX Premium Package 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 8AM)

I purchased a 2020 ILX Premium. Not my first Acura. This car is everything it is designed for. Easy to drive, stylish, comfortable for four, power when you need it, smooth on the highway, smooth in town traffic. Fit and finish, very satisfied. Price is great. It is not a Civic, it is not a BMW. If I wanted one of those I would have bought one.

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Acura ILX, so we've included reviews for other years of the ILX since its last redesign.

See all 27 reviews of the Acura ILX

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2021 ILX Highlights

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$25,950
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	28 MPG
Cost to Drive	$154/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	12.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the ILX models:

Collision Mitigation Braking System: Warns if a front collision is imminent and will apply the brakes if the driver doesn't respond in time.
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

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover10.7%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Acura ILX Review

Price & Payment

2021 Acura ILX Review

What's new

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 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 $3.52 per gallon for premium unleaded in Texas.}

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Acura ILX Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

2020 ILX an Incredible Vehicle

The Best Car I've Ever Owned

Good bang for the buck

Very satisfied

2021 ILX Highlights

Safety

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2021 Acura ILX Review

Price & Payment

2021 Acura ILX Review

What's new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 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 $3.52 per gallon for premium unleaded in Texas.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Acura ILX Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2020 ILX an Incredible Vehicle

The Best Car I've Ever Owned

Good bang for the buck

Very satisfied

2021 ILX Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2021 Acura ILX info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Acura

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 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 $3.52 per gallon for premium unleaded in Texas.}