2016 Acura ILX A-Spec Second Drive Review - Automobile
The old Acura ILX embodied many of our criticisms of the Acura brand: It wasn’t different enough from its Honda equivalent, and it struggled to compete with entry-level luxury offerings from bona fide luxury brands like Audi and Mercedes-Benz. A 2016 refresh for the ILX brought a new dual-clutch transmission and plenty of other revisions, and we were mostly impressed with these changes when we first drove the new car in California. See three editors’ thoughts on the 2016 Acura ILX below. The cabin represents a noticeable step up in terms of quality and refinement compared to a Honda Civic or Accord, especially in terms of quietness. On the other hand, I’m impressed that such an affordable car offers features like lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control, which work very well in the ILX. Sadly, the Acura ILX still isn’t particularly satisfying to drive. With its horsepower peak at a lofty 6,800 rpm and maximum torque of just 180 lb-ft, the ILX isn’t especially quick in real-world driving. Accelerating and passing at highway speeds isn’t very brisk because, even when the transmission kicks down, the engine runs way below its peak output. The latest mid-cycle update has done a good job of distancing the ILX from its Honda Civic roots. Source: www.automobilemag.com
