Acura ILX Sedan. 1st generation, 2018 restyling
The Acura ILX is a compact luxury car, which has been produced since 2012 by Acura (Japan), Honda’s luxury car division. It is available as a sedan. There are hybrid modifications. In 2021, the buyers can purchase the first generation car after the second restyling in 2018. In 2018, the car underwent the second restyling, which brought the improved designed and new technical options. Below you’ll find more information about the upgrades.
Position
The Acura ILX is not the pinnacle of luxury car automotive industry, nor is it a competitor for such models as the Audi A3 and Mercedes CLA in terms of variety of finishes, although technically not inferior to them (albeit much more limited). The ILX is marketed as the first car for people aged 20-30 year who aspire to the heights of financial success, but have not yet achieved it. They may not reach it, but they can afford an Acura, thus joining the world of luxury cars. Of course, the ILX is the smallest sedan of the brand, belonging to the subcompact executive class, but you need to start somewhere, don’t you? Why not with an upgraded version of the very reliable Honda Civic?
In 2018, the car was restyled. This is the second restyling in a row (the first one took place in 2015). The car was significantly redesigned. And one of the advantages of the restyled version of the 2018/2019 Acura ILX is that now the sedan has quite a few trim levels: Basic, Special Edition, AcuraWatch Plus, Premium, Premium A-Spec, Tech Plus and Tech Plus A-Spec. However, they are quite similar. It should be noted that compared to the first, rather faceless, sedan, the restyled 2018 model looks modern and attractive. And most importantly, Acura does not stop there, that is, the 2021 Acura ILX looks more attractive than the restyled 2018 Acura ILX just as the 2018 ILX looks more attractive than the restyled 2016 ILX.
Exterior and interior
After the last restyling, the new Acura ILX has clear, sharp, but moderately aggressive features, balanced front and rear ends, compressed sides, interesting headlights and parking lights. In 2021, all design elements were improved in the same direction. At the same time, despite its focus on young people, the ILX’s exterior cannot be called sporty.
On the other hand, the interior is quite ‘sporty’, with racing seats, ergonomic and well-placed controls, a flattened steering wheel and other exciting items. The trunk volume is 0.3 cubic meters, which can be expanded due to the folding rear seats. The 2019/2020 Acura ILX offers the following standard options:
- 17-inch alloy wheels;
- rearview camera;
- dual-zone climate control;
- keyless entry/start;
- heated front seats;
- LED headlights;
- multi-information display with a 5-inch screen and the ability to connect via Bluetooth and more.
Various trim levels offer 18-inch alloy wheels, a navigation system, a larger 8-inch screen, a sunroof, fog lights and a premium ELS sound system, a rear spoiler, side skirts, aluminum pedals and other nice options.
Engine and chassis
The new Acura ILX is powered by a 2.4-liter I-4 engine producing 201 hp, paired with an 8-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. The car features a McPherson strut front suspension with anti-roll bar and an independent multi-link rear suspension with anti-roll bar. The sedan is good, dynamic, but, oddly enough, in contrast to its target audience, it is not racing or sporty: acceleration to 100 km/h occurs in 7.7 seconds, and the top speed reaches 215 km/h.
Safety
The sedan’s safety is guaranteed by the solid wheel base and sturdy design of the Honda Civic. In addition to the standard safety options offered by every modern luxury vehicle, the 2020/2021 Acura ILX also offers Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning System, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring System and Cross Traffic Alert.
However, despite all this, and oddly enough (especially for the Japanese luxury segment), the new Acura ILX does not have the highest safety rating. Thus, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has awarded it a maximum five-star overall safety rating, but a four-star frontal collision and rollover safety rating. The IIHS reports that the Acura scored ‘good’ (highest rating) in crash tests, but the sedan’s standard LED headlights do not adapt well to changing environments… Many of the 2018 flaws have been eliminated with later refinements.
