CARGAZING A Luxury Value 2017 ILX Offers Good Bang For Buck, Sporty Demeanor

By Derek Price at higher RPMs when the driver wants CARGAZING.COM to have some fun. I thought the system did its job uying your first well. On the highway, while it’s not can’t be an easy decision. the quietest car in this class, the ILX is Older buyers, with either perfectly pleasant and more silent high incomes or big nest eggs than anything I can recall from its Bsaved up, might not care about cousins. And when you wind depreciation or the pricey cost of up the 2.4-liter engine, it lets out a maintenance that can result from pleasing wail as it approaches its peak driving a full-blown luxury barge. output of 201 horsepower. Younger buyers typically don’t Pricing starts at $27,990 and tops have the, well, luxury of not caring out at $34,980 when you opt for both about those expenses, though. the Technology Plus and A-Spec They’re more focused on what they appearance packages. get for the money. That’s got to be a major reason this car, the Acura ILX, is such a hit with buyers under age 35. What was tested? The ILX is the most popular car in 2017 Acura ILX Tech Plus A-Spec its segment for millennial buyers, ($34,980). Options: None. Price PHOTOS COURTESY OF ACURA ILX Acura says, which is no surprise when as tested (including $940 you think about it. Acura may not The Acura ILX has a sporty personality with good handling, minimal body roll and firm seats. carry the same prestige and cachet of Its dual-clutch transmission is incredible. destination charge): $35,920 Mercedes-Benz, Audi or even Lexus, : 105.1 in. but it’s got a lock on bang-for-your- lowest five-year cost of ownership of , a full-feature stitching give it an athletic look Length: 181.9 in. buck value. any luxury brand. Additionally, digital interface and a nicely refined inside, a good match for its firm, Width: 70.6 in. When you need money left over for Edmunds.com recently awarded lane-keeping assist system that makes supportive seats. baby formula and fun vacations, Acura for having the best retained the car nearly autonomous for brief Outside, the ILX is handsome but Height: 55.6 in. that’s a big deal. value of any luxury marque. moments. As long as the lanes are not too flashy. While this car looked Engine: 2.4-liter four cylinder Acura is racking up awards for it, What about substance, though? well marked, it can smoothly apply more comparatively aggressive when (201 hp, 180 lbs-ft) too. According to KBB.com, Honda’s My ILX tester checked off the right steering input to keep the car it was first introduced, recent out- Transmission: Eight-speed luxury division has the boxes for cars in this class, including centered on its own. of-the-box styling overhauls by Lexus While I wouldn’t call it exhilarating, and Infiniti make it seem conservative dual-clutch automatic the ILX’s performance is very in comparison this year. Fuel economy: 25 city, competent with strong acceleration, It looks nice, but it’s not the kind 35 highway crisp handling and good grip in of car you’d buy if you’re begging for corners. Like most cars in this class, attention. RATINGS including the Lexus IS and Audi A3, My tester came with the A-Spec the ILX emphasizes sportiness over trim package, giving it Acura’s most Style: 7 buttery comfort. aggressive look on this car. Black seat Performance: 8 From the driver’s perspective, trim, a black headliner, contrasting Price: 9 its standout feature is a brilliantly gray stitching, red lights on the Handling: 9 engineered dual-clutch automatic instruments and pedals made of transmission. Its shifts feel aluminum help to set it apart. Ride: 7 indescribably beautiful — faster I do hope Acura can come up with Comfort: 6 and more tactile than ordinary an even more eye-catching ILX Quality: 9 automatics, and smoother than the A-Spec look for the future, though, Overall: 9 clunky dual-clutch units fitted to more akin to the one on the 2018 some of its German competitors. TLX I drove a few weeks ago. The I’d almost recommend this car on new TLX’s A-Spec makes the ILX’s Why buy it? the strength of its transmission alone, version look subtle. It’s a lot of car for the money, but I realize not everyone is so nerdy To keep the interior quieter, every especially when you factor in about such things. ILX comes standard with Active Noise its strong resale value. Its The interior still benefits from a Control. It “helps eliminate low- Active Noise Control helps keep the ILX’s cabin quiet on the highway 2016 upgrade that emphasized its decibel booming noise entering the dual-clutch automatic is one while allowing the engine to resonate more loudly during aggressive sporty demeanor. Aluminum trim cabin,” Acura claims, while allowing of the best transmissions in driving. and eye-catching, European-style the engine’s sound to resonate nicely the world. CARGAZING

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ACURA ILX The Acura ILX has a sporty personality with good handling, minimal body roll and firm seats. Its dual-clutch transmission is incredible. A Luxury Value 2017 Acura ILX Offers Good Bang for Buck, Sporty Demeanor

By Derek Price looked more comparatively aggres- CARGAZING.COM sive when it was first introduced, recent out-of-the-box styling over- uying your hauls by Lexus and Infiniti make it seem conservative in comparison first luxury this year. It looks nice, but it’s not the kind car can’t be of car you’d buy if you’re begging B for attention. an easy decision. My tester came with the A-Spec trim package, giving it Acura’s most Older buyers, with either high aggressive look on this car. Black incomes or big nest eggs saved up, seat trim, a black headliner, con- might not care about depreciation trasting gray stitching, red lights on or the pricey cost of maintenance the instruments and pedals made that can result from driving a full- of aluminum help to set it apart. blown luxury barge. I do hope Acura can come up Younger buyers typically don’t with an even more eye-catching have the, well, luxury of not caring ILX A-Spec look for the future, about those expenses, though. though, more akin to the one on They’re more focused on what they the 2018 TLX I drove a few weeks get for the money. ago. The new TLX’s A-Spec makes That’s got to be a major reason the ILX’s version look subtle. this car, the Acura ILX, is such a hit To keep the interior quieter, with buyers under age 35. every ILX comes standard with The ILX is the most popular car Active Noise Control. It “helps in its segment for millennial eliminate low-decibel booming buyers, Acura says, which is no sur- noise entering the cabin,” Acura prise when you think about it. claims, while allowing the engine’s Acura may not carry the same pres- Active Noise Control helps keep the ILX’s cabin quiet on the highway while allowing the engine to sound to resonate nicely at higher tige and cachet of Mercedes-Benz, resonate more loudly during aggressive driving. RPMs when the driver wants to Audi or even Lexus, but it’s got a have some fun. lock on bang-for-your-buck value. right boxes for cars in this class, good grip in corners. Like most German competitors. I’d almost I thought the system did its job When you need money left over including adaptive cruise control, a cars in this class, including the recommend this car on the well. On the highway, while it’s not for baby formula and fun vaca- full-feature digital interface and a Lexus IS and Audi A3, the ILX strength of its transmission alone, the quietest car in this class, the tions, that’s a big deal. nicely refined lane-keeping assist emphasizes sportiness over buttery but I realize not everyone is so ILX is perfectly pleasant and more Acura is racking up awards for it, system that makes the car nearly comfort. nerdy about such things. silent than anything I can recall too. According to KBB.com, autonomous for brief moments. As From the driver’s perspective, its The interior still benefits from a from its Honda cousins. And when Honda’s luxury division has the long as the lanes are well marked, standout feature is a brilliantly 2016 upgrade that emphasized its you wind up the 2.4-liter engine, it lowest five-year cost of ownership it can smoothly apply steering engineered dual-clutch automatic sporty demeanor. Aluminum trim lets out a pleasing wail as it of any luxury brand. Additionally, input to keep the car centered on transmission. Its shifts feel and eye-catching, European-style approaches its peak output Edmunds.com recently awarded its own. indescribably beautiful — faster stitching give it an athletic look of 201 horsepower. Acura for having the best retained While I wouldn’t call it and more tactile than ordinary inside, a good match for its firm, Pricing starts at $27,990 and tops value of any luxury marque. exhilarating, the ILX’s performance automatics, and smoother supportive seats. out at $34,980 when you opt for What about substance, though? is very competent with strong than the clunky dual-clutch Outside, the ILX is handsome both the Technology Plus and My ILX tester checked off the acceleration, crisp handling and units fitted to some of its but not too flashy. While this car A-Spec appearance packages.

A CLOSER LOOK

AT A GLANCE: FACTS, FIGURES AND RATINGS What was tested? RATINGS Why buy it? 2017 Acura ILX Tech Plus A-Spec ($34,980). Options: None. Style: 7 It’s a lot of car for the Price as tested (including $940 destination charge): $35,920 Performance: 8 money, especially when you Wheelbase: 105.1 in. Price: 9 factor in its strong resale Length: 181.9 in. Handling: 9 value. Its dual-clutch Width: 70.6 in. Ride: 7 automatic is one of the best Height: 55.6 in. Comfort: 6 transmissions in the world. Engine: 2.4-liter four cylinder (201 hp, 180 lbs-ft) Quality: 9 Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch automatic Overall: 9 Fuel economy: 25 city, 35 highway