2013 Acura ILX Reviewument

Excellent build quality, good fuel economy, and palatable starting prices make the 2013 Acura ILX an intriguing option for a compact luxury sedan. Still, there are other worthy alternatives that savvy shoppers should consider.

Vehicle overview

After a decade of moving upmarket and farther away from the entry-level buyer, Acura's back with a new-generation compact model, the 2013 ILX. Smaller and less expensive than the TSX, the ILX sedan is aimed at shoppers who want something a bit nicer and sportier than the typical mainstream sedan but aren't willing to step up to the higher expense of an established luxury car. Overall, the ILX is fairly successful in its mission. Nevertheless, you'll also want to be aware of the limitations of this strategy.

The 2013 Acura ILX is based on the Honda Civic, but it's slightly longer and wider and has unique styling that sets it pretty far apart from its Honda relative. Most importantly, there are significant engineering and interior enhancements. Dismissing the ILX as just a Civic wearing Acura badge would be unfair.

There's just a single sedan body style, but Acura's making up for the lack of coupe/hatchback options by offering three distinct powertrain options for the new ILX. The base ILX comes with a modestly powered but economical 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed automatic transmission. Markedly more performance comes from the ILX 2.4 and its larger, more powerful 2.4-liter four-cylinder. Unfortunately, this model comes only with a six-speed manual transmission. The third ILX model is the frugal Hybrid, which is the first hybrid-electric vehicle from Acura.

With a comfortable ride, comparatively spacious interior, and decent level of standard equipment, the base ILX is a new and interesting option for buyers looking for an affordable entry point into the premium Acura brand. The ILX 2.4 is compelling as a low-key premium sports sedan, but it is expensive about its absolute performance, and the lack of an automatic transmission limits its appeal. The ILX Hybrid delivers good -- but not outstanding -- fuel economy and also is relatively expensive.

The 2013 Acura ILX is one of but a few choices for a truly entry-level car from a luxury brand. The Buick Verano is one such model. It may not offer a hybrid version, but it's less expensive to start and offers a strong 250-horsepower engine upgrade as well as a nicer interior. There are also the Audi A3 and Lexus CT 200h, two premium models worth cross-shopping with the ILX, as they offer hatchback utility and fuel economy similar to that of the ILX Hybrid.

One other aspect to consider is the ILX's price once you've loaded it up with options. For the same money, you could also get a loaded version of a popular midsize sedan such as a Ford Fusion, Kia Optima, or Nissan Altima. You could also save some money and consider loaded versions of the Dodge Dart or Ford Focus. Most of these cars will offer the same number of convenience and luxury features as the ILX. But for somebody desiring a relatively affordable small sedan that's good on gas and gives off a premium vibe, the ILX is a smart choice.

Is the 2013 Acura ILX a Good Used Car?

In general, the 2013 ILX is a good used luxury small car. It gets great gas mileage and has a smooth ride. Its upmarket cabin provides comfortable seats and lots of features, and its exceptional reliability rating and good safety scores further add to its appeal. However, this sedan isn't as sporty as other cars in the class, nor does it offer the level of interior refinement or luxury that you'll find in many European-badged competitors.

2013 Acura ILX models

The 2013 Acura ILX entry-level luxury sedan comes in six trim levels: base 2.0, base 2.0 with Premium package, base 2.0 with Technology package, base 2.4 with Premium package, Hybrid, and Hybrid with Technology package.

Standard equipment is pretty much the same for both the base 2.0 and Hybrid and includes 16-inch wheels, a sunroof, full power accessories, keyless ignition/entry, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth phone, and audio connectivity, a rearview camera and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack, a USB/iPod audio interface, and Pandora integration.

Moving up to the Premium trims gets you 17-inch wheels, xenon headlamps, foglamps, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power driver seat, a more advanced rearview camera, active noise cancellation (Hybrid excluded), and an upgraded seven-speaker sound system with satellite radio. Acura also offers the Premium package-equipped ILX with the 2.4-liter engine configuration.

The Technology trim (oddly not available on the 2.4) includes the equipment from the Premium package and adds a hard-drive-based navigation system and a surround-sound audio system with digital music storage.

2013 Highlights

The 2013 Acura ILX is an all-new model.

Performance & mpg

The standard engine for the 2013 ILX is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 150 hp and 140 pound-feet of torque. The only transmission offered is a five-speed automatic that sends its power to the front wheels. In Edmunds performance testing, this powertrain brought the ILX from zero to 60 mph in 9 seconds. That's average for a compact economy car but slow for a compact wearing a premium badge. Fuel economy is pretty respectable at 24 mpg city/35 mpg highway and 28 mpg combined.

The ILX with the Premium package can also be had with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that's rated at 201 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; an automatic isn't available for this configuration. In Edmunds performance testing, the ILX 2.4 went from zero to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. This is average for both entry-level luxury sedans with a base engine and regular midsize sedans with an upgraded engine. Some fuel economy is sacrificed in return for more spirited performance, but not much: The ILX 2.4's ratings are 22/31/25.

The ILX Hybrid uses the same propulsion setup Honda employs in the Civic Hybrid: a 1.5-liter four-cylinder coupled with Honda's well-known Integrated Motor Assist, an electric motor that acts as an occasional power booster and to convert braking energy into electricity, which is used to recharge the hybrid ILX's modestly sized lithium-ion battery pack. The motor and gasoline engine produces 111 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque.

A continuously variable automatic transmission is standard. Performance-oriented gearing unique to the ILX Hybrid produces fuel economy of 39 city/38 highway and 38 mpg combined, markedly less than the Civic Hybrid's 44 mpg across the board. We can't say it did much for the car's performance, though, as the ILX Hybrid goes from zero to 60 mph in 10.4 seconds, which is slower than the Civic Hybrid. Still, that's the same as a Lexus CT 200h.

Used 2013 Acura ILX Performance and Interior

There are two powertrains available in the 2013 ILX. The base setup includes a 150-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain is weaker than many rivals'. It is better suited to drives around town than long-distance highway cruises. A 201-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder is available, and it comes with a six-speed manual transmission. This engine has better punch and produces quicker acceleration, but its exclusive pairing with a manual gearbox may be off-putting for some. With the base powertrain, the ILX gets up to 24 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway, which is great for the class.

The ILX has a smooth ride and forceful brakes. However, it is not a sporty entrant in the luxury small car class. It has vague steering that provides little road feedback, and there is noticeable lean when going through quick corners.

For the most part, the ILX has nice interior materials and handsome styling, though many entry-luxury competitors look and feel more luxurious inside. Cloth upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel come standard, while leather upholstery and a power-adjustable driver’s seat are available. The front seats have lots of padding to keep you comfortable. The cramped rear seats don't have much headroom, but most adults should be comfortable enough on short trips. Each of the outboard rear seats has a full set of LATCH child-seat connectors, as well as an additional upper tether anchor on the middle rear seat.

Lots of features come standard in the 2013 ILX, including dual-zone automatic climate control, a sunroof, push-button start, keyless entry, Bluetooth, a USB port, and a six-speaker audio system. Available upgrades include navigation, a surround-sound audio system, and satellite radio. The ILX's cabin controls are user-friendly and logically arranged. The audio controls are all made up of physical buttons and knobs. (Many competitors force you to use a touch screen for commonly used settings.) With only 12.3 cubic feet of cargo room, the ILX has a smaller trunk than most rivals.

How Reliable Is the 2013 Acura ILX?

The ILX has an exceptional reliability rating of five out of five from J.D. Power. Luxury small cars tend to have higher reliability scores than other vehicles on the market, but the ILX's rating stands out even in the class.

Safety

The 2013 Acura ILX comes standard with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, and active front head restraints. A rearview camera is also standard.

In government crash tests, the Acura ILX earned a top five-star rating for overall protection in crash tests, with four stars total for frontal-impact safety and five stars for side-impact safety. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the ILX a top score of "Good" for the car's performance in frontal-offset, side-impact, and roof-strength tests. In Edmunds brake testing, the ILX Premium 2.0 came to a stop from 60 mph in 121 feet, which is a little better than average. Curiously, the supposedly sportier ILX 2.4 stopped in 130 feet, which is longer than average. The Hybrid posted the same distance.

Driving

Nobody is going to mistake the 2013 Acura ILX for a BMW 3 Series, but overall performance is more than adequate for everyday commuting duty. The standard 2.0-liter engine's 150 hp delivers the sort of acceleration you'd expect from a non-luxury compact car, but the engine revs willingly and enjoyably, so wringing the most from it is not an annoying task. The ILX Hybrid is slower still but obviously benefits from dramatically improved fuel economy. It can't accelerate using electricity alone, however, and the hybrid system isn't as sophisticated or seamless as that of a Lexus.

The ILX with the 2.4-liter engine is a different animal, as its sporting exhaust note and greater horsepower translate to markedly quicker acceleration. We're also quite fond of the precision-machined action of the six-speed manual transmission, which is one of the easiest and most enjoyable to use in any car.

Acura's loyal band of driving enthusiasts might be disappointed that the ILX 2.4 doesn't come with any sportier suspension or steering calibrations, but the ILX in general is a sure-footed and pretty nimble car to pilot. The ride quality is an almost ideal compromise between control and comfort, although the tires do seem to generate more chatter through the cabin than we'd prefer, as do the small imperfections of broken pavement.

Interior

The ILX's interior is impeccably well constructed, but the materials used aren't a step up from top non-luxury sedans. Similarly, the design features Acura's typical high-tech vibe, but the inside doesn't exactly scream "luxury!"

Nevertheless, if you're looking for high-tech features to go along with that high-tech vibe, the ILX delivers. There is a 5-inch display screen topping the center stack for the myriad infotainment functions, and smartly placed buttons and knobs to control them. A 6-inch screen comes with the navigation/upgraded audio systems. Another nice feature is that even the base ILX audio can convert SMS text messages to speech.

Special care was used in designing the seats to be supportive, yet not give the impression of confinement or hardness. The ILX is also pretty spacious for a compact car, with a decent amount of backseat room. Trunk space, at 12.4 cubic feet, is average, and the opening is a little narrow. The rear seat folds down to facilitate carrying longer items, but the seatback is not split to permit a mix of long cargo and a passenger or two in the backseat. The Hybrid, due to its battery pack, drops to 10 cubic feet of space.