Road Test: 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid

So, as a “premium compact hybrid,” (i.e. small package, big car features and excellent fuel economy), you would think I would be singing the praises of the 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid. But after a brief drive last spring, and a more recent full week with the car, the sum of the new Acura sedan’s parts don’t exactly add up. To recap, the new-this-year ILX is heavily based on Honda’s best-selling front-wheel-drive, five-passenger, four-door Civic sedan. But unlike its predecessor — the slow-selling CSX, which, during its last model year sold, 2010, saw sales drop to just over 2,000 in Canada — the ILX is much more than a Civic with different front and rear fascias. Reverting to the 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 outside. You also get a cabin that feels a lot more upscale than the Honda’s, which has come with standard kit like keyless entry, push-button start and SMS text messaging. Like other “premium” cars, the ILX also 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 from the Atari era than the iPad age. Base-level $27,790 ILX models come with a 150 horsepower 2.0-litre four-cylinder (carried over from the CSX) and a five-speed automatic transmission. There’s also a sportier $29,990 ILX Dynamic, which borrows the 201-hp, 2.4L four and six-speed manual transmission from the $26,190 Civic Si. My ILX Hybrid came with even more ambitious pricing: $34,990. While that’s a good $10,000 more than what Honda charges for its Civic Hybrid, you don’t get any extra performance with the Acura. Both use a 1.5L gas engine assisted by an electric motor, together making 111 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque. It doesn’t help that according to Transport Canada, the Acura hybrid sips more fuel: 5.0 L/100 km in the city and 4.8 on the highway, compared to the Honda’s respective 4.4 and 4.2 ratings. What you do get standard in the ILX Hybrid are goodies — a lot of them, such as leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, upgraded 365-watt stereo system, multi-view rear camera, Acura’s ELS Surround audio system, navigation and what Acura calls its Active Sound Cancellation system. Beyond its exterior sheet metal and guessed-up interior, the biggest difference between the Acura compact sedan and the Honda compact sedan is when cruising at highway speeds. No question: the ILX is considerably quieter than a Civic. 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-valve piston absorbs sharp impacts, while the firmer one becomes engaged over big dips or sharp cornering. Especially over bad pavement, the Acura is a more comfortable place to be in than the Honda. Over the Civic, the ILX also gets a quicker steering ratio and a stiffer steering rack. But the electronically assisted steering is still relatively light to the touch. And the power, or the lack thereof, from Honda’s relatively weak hybrid system, certainly doesn’t feel premium. When pressed, the ILX Hybrid’s small motor protests, and the switchover between gas and electric modes when the stop/start is in play is less refined than systems from Ford or Toyota. And while the CVT in the new 2013 Honda Accord is more natural in its actions, the older version on the ILX Hybrid still delivers the stereotypical “rubber band” effect when you put your foot down on the accelerator. Stuffed with luxury car goodies and features, the new 2013 ILX certainly qualifies as a “premium” compact. And hats off to parent Honda for making the Acura look decidedly different than the mainstream Civic. But Acura’s ambitious pricing may make Acura sales folks work a little harder. The already frugal and just-as-well-equipped gas-engine $32,290 ILX Tech is the better buy. Also not helping the ILX Hybrid’s value/price proposition is new 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Turbo Hybrid. I haven’t driven that car yet, but its spec sheet says the VW hybrid compact sedan offers more interior room, trunk space, power (170 hp and 184 lb-ft) and better fuel economy estimates (4.5 L/100 km city; 4.2 hwy.) than the Acura hybrid, all within a price range between $27,875 and $34,025. Road Test: 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid Type of vehicle Front-wheel-drive compact sedan Engine 1.5L SOHC four-cylinder gas engine and electric motor Power 111 hp, 127 lb-ft of torque Transmission Continuously variable automatic Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABS Tires P205/55R16 Price: base/as tested $34,990$34,990 Destination charge $1,945 Transport Canada fuel economy L/100 km 5.0 city, 4.8 hwy, 6.4 as-tested Standard features Air conditioning, cruise control, intelligent keyless entry system, rear window defroster, tilt/telescopic leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-wrapped shift knob, heated front seats with eight-way power adjustability for the driver, leather seating, 365-watt surround-sound stereo, Bluetooth, USB/iPod integration, rearview camera, navigation, HID headlights, fog lights, dual-tip exhaust, rear spoiler

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