First Drive & Video: 2013 Acura ILX

By John LeBlanc SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – Honda’s premium Acura brand is in the midst of one of its largest product makeovers ever. And one of Acura’s most important new vehicles for the Canadian market is the new 2013 Acura ILX compact sedan, the brand’s latest entry in a segment it virtually created almost two decades ago. Aside from the new front-wheel-drive, five-passenger ILX, Acura is launching two more freshly made over models for 2013: the RDX compact crossover (that joins the ILX in showrooms this spring), and a new RLX flagship sedan, set to go on sale later this year. Not to be left out, the mid-size TL sedan and MDX crossover are due for their redos some time next year. And last but not least, the reborn NSX super car arrives by the end of 2014. The new ILX is Acura’s latest offering in a segment it virtually created with the first EL for 1997. With little competition, almost 9,000 ELs were moved after its first full year on sale, with the Honda Civic-based four-door making up just over half of all Canadian Acura sales. Since then, though, the idea of an easy-to-park, less-expensive, small sedan—that’s also good on gas, yet stuffed with “big car” features—has become more popular. Leading to a suddenly crowded segment, with the likes of the Buick Verano, Volkswagen Jetta, and Lexus HS 250 Hybrid—not too mention new models coming from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Infiniti—giving Acura competition it never had in the past. The last Acura small sedan, the CSX, never came close to matching the popularity of the original EL. Knowing that much of the CSX’s competition came from the car it was based upon—the Honda Civic)—sales of Acura’s small cars have continually petered out. The last model year the CSX was sold, 2010, saw sales drop to just over 2,000 per year. Trying to revert that trend, Acura has gone out of its way to make its new luxo small sedan look and feel much different than the more mainstream four-door it’s based upon. Stylistically, unlike the CSX, the 2013 ILX is much more than a Civic with different front and rear fascias. Reverting to a classic “long hood, short rear deck” proportions, Acura designers pushed the Civic’s A-pillar and windshield base backwards to get an extra-long hood. Rebounding from criticisms some of Acura’s recent designs have been too aggressive or just plain weird (i.e. the ZDX coupe-SUV), the rest of the ILX’s crisp sheet metal is tastefully upscale. Also dissimilar to the outgoing CSX, the new ILX will offer a gasoline-electric hybrid version as one of three engine choices. As Acura’s first hybrid model, the $34,990 ILX Hybrid sits at the top of the range. Borrowing the Civic Hybrid’s powertrain means a 1.5-litre gas engine is assisted by an electric motor. Together, they make 111 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque. And like the Honda version, the Acura hybrid’s fuel economy is excellent, rated at 5.0 L/100 km in the city, 4.8 on the highway. The polar opposite of the hybrid is the $29,990 ILX Dynamic—the model for driving enthusiasts. It utilizes the 201 hp and 170 lb.-ft. 2.4 L four-cylinder and six-speed manual transmission from the Civic Si. The least expensive model is the base $27,790 ILX. It’s powered by a similar rendition of the old CSX’s 2.0 L four-cylinder, making a 150 hp and 140 lb-ft. With only a five-speed automatic transmission available, it scores 8.6 L/100 km in the city, and 5.6 on the highway. For buyers looking to upgrade from the base model, the $29,990 ILX Premium adds leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, upgraded 365-watt stereo system, multi-view rear camera, and what Acura calls its Active Sound Cancellation system that apparently quiets the cabin. And for an additional $2,300, the ILX Tech trim model gains Acura’s ELS Surround audio system, and navigation, among other niceties. Beyond the extra 10 hp over the Honda compact’s base 1.8 L four, what do you get for your extra money with the ILX you don’t with a well-equipped Civic? Well, for starters, you get a cabin that feels a lot more upscale than the Honda, which has come under criticism for its low-rent digs. Plus standard kit like keyless entry, pushbutton start, and SMS text messaging. Like rivals such as the Verano and Jetta, the ILX comes with optional two-tone interiors. But the ILX’s centre console stack still has a lot of buttons to deal with, and the resolution of the graphics on the digital screen look more like they came form the Atari era, not the iPad age. I was able to split my day’s drive in and around Scottsdale, Arizona in half, between the base ILX in the morning and the ILX Hybrid in the afternoon. I then sandwiched a brief stint in the sporty ILX Dynamic during the lunch break. The good news is, no matter what ILX I drove; the Acura is considerably quieter than its Honda counterpart. Acura took the Civic’s strut/multilink suspension and added Honda’s so-called “amplitude reactive dampers,” which are a two-stage shock absorber with two concentric pistons. The softer valved piston absorbs sharp impacts, while the firmer one becomes engaged over big dips or sharp cornering. The roads in Arizona are relatively pot-hole-free, so it was no surprise to find the ILX’s ride was more comfortable than a Civic. Over the Honda too, the Acura gets a quicker steering ratio and a stiffer steering rack. But the electronically assisted steering is still relatively light to the touch. Even the sportiest version, the ILX 2.4L, didn’t feel as sharp as the older CSX in its reactions when pushed hard. Since Acura’s first premium compact, the type of vehicles the brand sells in Canada has changed dramatically. Last year, the RDX and MDX crossovers made up over half the brand’s sales. But along with the raft of updated and all-new Acura coming within the next year, the new ILX sedan is being counted on to more than double CSX sales numbers, helping raise Acura’s annual Canadian sales to over 20,000, compared to just over 15,000 in 2011. In a premium compact segment that industry analysts are predicting to explode, the ILX should be a winner. First Drive: 2013 Acura ILX /Dynamic/Hybrid WHAT I LIKED: Strong visual identification from Honda; quiet and comfortable interior; plenty of drivetrain options and luxury features available. WHAT I DIDN'T: No really new ideas; rivals are more fun-to-drive; will buyers pay the ILX premium over a Civic? Base prices: $27,790/$29,990/$34,990 Type of vehicle: FWD, five-passenger compact sedan Engines: 2.0L I4/2.4L I4/1.5L I4 and electric motor Horsepower: 150/201/111 Torque lb-ft.: 140/170/127 Fuel Economy L/100 km: 8.6/9.8/5.0 city; 5.6/6.5/4.8 highway Transmissions: Five-speed automatic/Six-speed manual/Continuously variable transmission Competition: Buick Verano, Volkswagen Jetta 2.5/Jetta GLI/Lexus HS 250, Jetta TDI

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