Photo: Acura
The posher half-brother of the Honda Civic has been updated for the 2017 model year. In the process, Acura hiked the starting price to $27,990.
The $90 difference between the 2016 MY and 2017 MY could buy you 90 hash browns from McDonald’s. Instead of thinking about food, let’s find out what those $90 add over the 2016 Acura ILX. More power? No. Better fuel economy? No. More standard equipment? None. The diamond pentagon grille that debuted on the redesigned Acura MDX? Sorry, but no.
Acura, in its infinitely shallow wisdom, decided to give the ILX three new exterior color options to go along with the three that were already available. That, dear reader, is the daftest thing Acura could do to make the ILX more relevant in its already competitive segment. I’m trying hard to understand why Acura, the carmaker that struggled to sell 18,531 units of the ILX last year, went for this sort of irrelevant update instead of something a little more useful, more to the point.
Due to its poor sales, the ILX is a distant fourth in the Acura lineup. Put plainly, it’s a disappointing seller. On the upside, the refreshed ILX offers an improved interior, great fuel economy, and a comfortable driving experience. The heart of the ILX is a 201 horsepower 2.4-liter direct-injected i-VTEC mill paired with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Jewel Eye LED headlights are another highlight worth mentioning. At the other end of the spectrum, the most costly ILX is the one with the Tech Plus & A-SPEC packages. The crème de la crème holds a suggested retail price of $34,980 before destination.
For less than that, you could opt for nameplates such as the Volvo S60 sedan, Mercedes-Benz CLA or GLA, Buick LaCrosse Hybrid, BMW 2 Series Coupe or X1, Cadillac ATS sedan, Dodge Charger R/T, Mazda CX-9, Ford Explorer, Lincoln MKC, and the list goes on and on and on. If it were your $34,980, what car would you buy for that money instead of the Acura ILX? I'd go for a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata and cash to spare.
Acura, in its infinitely shallow wisdom, decided to give the ILX three new exterior color options to go along with the three that were already available. That, dear reader, is the daftest thing Acura could do to make the ILX more relevant in its already competitive segment. I’m trying hard to understand why Acura, the carmaker that struggled to sell 18,531 units of the ILX last year, went for this sort of irrelevant update instead of something a little more useful, more to the point.
Due to its poor sales, the ILX is a distant fourth in the Acura lineup. Put plainly, it’s a disappointing seller. On the upside, the refreshed ILX offers an improved interior, great fuel economy, and a comfortable driving experience. The heart of the ILX is a 201 horsepower 2.4-liter direct-injected i-VTEC mill paired with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Jewel Eye LED headlights are another highlight worth mentioning. At the other end of the spectrum, the most costly ILX is the one with the Tech Plus & A-SPEC packages. The crème de la crème holds a suggested retail price of $34,980 before destination.
For less than that, you could opt for nameplates such as the Volvo S60 sedan, Mercedes-Benz CLA or GLA, Buick LaCrosse Hybrid, BMW 2 Series Coupe or X1, Cadillac ATS sedan, Dodge Charger R/T, Mazda CX-9, Ford Explorer, Lincoln MKC, and the list goes on and on and on. If it were your $34,980, what car would you buy for that money instead of the Acura ILX? I'd go for a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata and cash to spare.
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