Topic: Test Drive: 2013 Acura ILX Dynamic

[Autos_Editor]

The ILX Dynamic is an entertaining car, but its similarity to the Honda Civic Si will cement Acura's status as a luxury brand wannabe, says Grant Yoxon.

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[takwu]

At first I thought the ILX is much more differentiated from the Civic than CSX and EL ever were...  But then the 2013 facelift moves the Civic more upscale (at least in styling) and might attract some potential ILX shoppers, especially since the ILX pricing has increased over the CSX.

[JohnM]

This looks like a great value and quite a bit of sporty fun but the 2700rpm at 100km is mindboggling.   Just about everything in that category should be turning 2000rpm or lower.  The engine definitely has the torque.

Swapping in different cogs would seem to be a priority at the 2 year upgrade mark.

Cheers,
John M.

[hemusbull]

Honda Acura is in the similar situation as Nissan with Altima/Maxima/GX. Cars without clear (price) and value advantages between themselfs: What's the point buying TL over TSX (don't mind, there was a V6 version of the latter) and continuing why someone gona buy ILX instead TSX (even considering just the price) and finally as the autor suggests where is the market for ILX against Civic SI?

[Solstice2006]

How many reviews of the Acura ILX do we need?  This is the 3rd one, and the others were not first drives....  In comparison, I don't as much coverage for the Buick Verano Turbo, or the Cadillac ATS as an example....I can see if it was high volume car, where one needs a lot of opinions, but Acura won't sell a lot of these.

[redman]

Still can't get over the new front end look of the Acura's, they're both ugly and antiquated I.M.O. I would rather have a funkier looking Civic Si and save a few bucks.
This front end needs a makeover. Reminds me of what Subaru went through a few years back with there cleft lip grill.

[Solstice2006]

How many reviews of the Acura ILX do we need?  This is the 3rd one, and the others were not first drives....  In comparison, I don't as much coverage for the Buick Verano Turbo, or the Cadillac ATS as an example....I can see if it was high volume car, where one needs a lot of opinions, but Acura won't sell a lot of these.

What do you mean by not a lot? I think this could very well be their best seller next year. In fact, I'd wager it outsells both the ATS and Verano Turbo.

What I mean is, to have three extensive reviews, in the past month on a low volume model (compared to any other compacts, and midside vehicles) is kind of weird. Is there a shortage of cars to review? The new Ford Fusion, when the Cruze first came, there was 2 reviews, and that car sells thousands more than an ILX,and yes even the Verano. 

It should be their best seller, usually the most affordable car to a premium brand is the best seller.  And I am sure it will outsell the Buick Verano Turbo (one specific trim), maybe the Verano (the whole lineup), but not a rear wheel drive sports sedan like the Cadillac ATS. 

But the comment was more about number of reviews in less than a month, than sales figures.

[SaskSpecV]

I agree with you on the reviews but these guys can only review what the get----they can't demand cars.

I can only imagine what we'd be reading about if they could demand what cars they would get to test...

"Today's $200K ultracar shootout: Porsche TurboS vs Audi R8 V10 vs Lambo Gallardo vs Ferrari 458 vs MB SLS.  And just to show we're not snobs, we also brought 2 "value" competitors, a GT-R and ZR-1..."

[dewey9315]

How many reviews of the Acura ILX do we need?  This is the 3rd one, and the others were not first drives....  In comparison, I don't as much coverage for the Buick Verano Turbo, or the Cadillac ATS as an example....I can see if it was high volume car, where one needs a lot of opinions, but Acura won't sell a lot of these.

What do you mean by not a lot? I think this could very well be their best seller next year. In fact, I'd wager it outsells both the ATS and Verano Turbo.

At this point, the Verano is outselling the ILX in Canada, and easily outselling it in the US. ATS is very close, and it's only just ramping up production.

[Solstice2006]

I agree with you on the reviews but these guys can only review what the get----they can't demand cars.

I can only imagine what we'd be reading about if they could demand what cars they would get to test...

"Today's $200K ultracar shootout: Porsche TurboS vs Audi R8 V10 vs Lambo Gallardo vs Ferrari 458 vs MB SLS.  And just to show we're not snobs, we also brought 2 "value" competitors, a GT-R and ZR-1..."

I can subscribe to Road and Track if I wanted to read about unattainable cars, instead MotorTrend is a little more realistic. 

Not sure what data you were using about the MDX, but the CSX was not available in the USA, so the sales numbers are quite low, and the old RDX wasn't as mainstream as the new one.  So I predict in the future Acura sales top 3 leaders will be the ILX, RDX, MDX

[BernardP]

Still can't get over the new front end look of the Acura's, they're both ugly and antiquated I.M.O. I would rather have a funkier looking Civic Si and save a few bucks.
This front end needs a makeover. Reminds me of what Subaru went through a few years back with there cleft lip grill.

+1 on that.

Even more, the ILX is very ordinary looking overall for a brand-new design. The car has nothing style-wise. It could be an older Toyota. For 30 k$, I would like to be able to like my new car's looks when I come out of the house in the morning.

[Fobroader]

Never got the EL/ILX thing, what was wrong with a Civic Si 4 door?? Save yourself the money, have a much better looking car and not look like you are trying to overreach financially.

[Ace]

Wow, I didn't realize that most Acura ILX owners are likely to have big butts

[nlm]

"To get the engine operating in the most fuel efficient gear requires more shifts than a five-speed manual or a six-speed with two overdrives. So you learn to take short cuts using a 1/3/5 or 2/4/6 pattern or some other more direct route to letting your left foot rest and taming the noise."

That's the beauty of manual transmissions, taking the short cuts between gears when you want!

Interesitng comments so far. My initial impression was the ILX Dynamic serves as a nice go-between from the TSX and the Si. I can see some older folks preferring the conservative and upscale style of the ILX over the Si. And the ILX comes in at a better price point than the TSX, which has also grown in size so despite the same powertrain it may not feel as nimble.

I wish there was something in the article on driving impressions. For sure a comparison to the original TSX, which was similar in size and price? Maybe Autos.ca can find a used first gen TSX and conduct another great comparo! I'd even settle for a TSX, ILX and Si showdown (hard to see how the three would be cross-shopped though at the different price points)!

[TheHire]

Never got the EL/ILX thing, what was wrong with a Civic Si 4 door?? Save yourself the money, have a much better looking car and not look like you are trying to overreach financially.

While I absolutely love the Civic Si, the stigma around that nameplate is that it's a boy-racer car. I like to refer to the ILX Dynamic as a Civic Si for grown-ups.

[Fobroader]

Never got the EL/ILX thing, what was wrong with a Civic Si 4 door?? Save yourself the money, have a much better looking car and not look like you are trying to overreach financially.

While I absolutely love the Civic Si, the stigma around that nameplate is that it's a boy-racer car. I like to refer to the ILX Dynamic as a Civic Si for grown-ups.

Really, I dont see it that way at all. Sure, theres a lot of teenagers with cut springs, fart cans and a bunch of "canadian tire" performance parts  driving them but a Civic driven by a responsible adult is no more a rice rocket than a Corolla. Sure, the Civic started the whole import upgrade scene, but a 4 door Civic doesnt scream race car to me any more than any other compact 4 door sedan.

[TheHire]

Never got the EL/ILX thing, what was wrong with a Civic Si 4 door?? Save yourself the money, have a much better looking car and not look like you are trying to overreach financially.

While I absolutely love the Civic Si, the stigma around that nameplate is that it's a boy-racer car. I like to refer to the ILX Dynamic as a Civic Si for grown-ups.

Really, I dont see it that way at all. Sure, theres a lot of teenagers with cut springs, fart cans and a bunch of "canadian tire" performance parts  driving them but a Civic driven by a responsible adult is no more a rice rocket than a Corolla. Sure, the Civic started the whole import upgrade scene, but a 4 door Civic doesnt scream race car to me any more than any other compact 4 door sedan.

I'm inclined to agree with you, because I'm one of those people who truly doesn't care about being judged based on the vehicle I arrive in, but my experience while spending a week with the Civic Si HFP swayed me. While I absolutely love the car, there was no denying that tons and tons of younger guys in other sport compacts were continuously trying to race me at traffic lights. I wanted none of it and would go on my merry way, but it's almost as if the way the car looks was bringing out others' insecurities. I'm a pretty low-key guy, so I suppose I wouldn't mind driving around a debadged, black or dark grey Si sedan, but an HFP Coupe in a flashy colour? No way in hell.

[OliverD]

The lack of a split folding rear seat seems like a pretty big oversight for a "premium" vehicle.

[TheHire]

The lack of a split folding rear seat seems like a pretty big oversight for a "premium" vehicle.

I might be wrong on this, but didn't Accords lack that for many, many years?

When I was growing up, my mom drove Camrys exclusively and got a new one every ~4 years. At one point I mentioned to my dad that the Accord was much more fun to drive and he should take a look at one, and he refused to because they lacked a split folding rear seat.

[SaskSpecV]

The lack of a split folding rear seat seems like a pretty big oversight for a "premium" vehicle.

I might be wrong on this, but didn't Accords lack that for many, many years?

Accords still lack them (the 2013 Coupe at least, not sure about the sedan).  Completely stupid way to cut costs IMO - you can't use the "structural integrity" argument, because the seat already folds down.  So why not make it fully useful and do it 60/40?
And it makes no sense that the ILX doesn't have a 60/40 seat, when the Civic Si does. 

So in my personal accounting ledger my these cars:  Civic Si is more practical, has a real LSD, and is 4K cheaper.  ILX has more features (power seats, leather), a much nicer interior, and classier exterior (to me).  Both have great powertrains, but poor gearing. 
End result: Both vehicles have fairly significant compromises and I probably wouldn't buy either one.   
Perhaps the Civic Si's shortcomings can be fixed somewhat for the 2013 "refresh"?