Acura ILX 2016 – молодежный премиум из Японии

Acura ILX 2016 – молодежный премиум из Японии

Обзор Acura ILX 2016 : внешний вид модели, интерьер, технические характеристики, системы безопасности, цены и комплектации. В конце статьи— тест-драйв Акура ILX 2016 года!

Содержание обзора:

• Внешний вид
• Салон
• Характеристики Acura ILX 2016
• Системы безопасности
• Стоимость и комплектации Акура 2016 года
• Видео и фото

Так уж повелось, что автомобили японского бренда Acura, являющегося люксовым подразделением автоконцерна Honda, не пользуются большим спросом на территории России. Именно поэтому выход обновленного спорт-седана Acura ILX прошел мимо большей части отечественных потребителей.

На первый взгляд это кажется логичным, так как предшествующее поколение седана было откровенно скучным и не интересным, однако руководство Acura решило кардинально пересмотреть свое видение модели. В результате в компании инвестировали значительные средства в разработку нового дизайна, сделав упор на молодежную аудиторию, находящуюся в поисках премиального автомобиля с наилучшим соотношением цена-качество.

И, судя по имеющимся отзывам критиков и автолюбителей, ставка не прогадала и автомобиль имеет все шансы на то, чтобы стать одним из наиболее успешных автомобилей в классе «доступного» премиума.

Напомним, что впервые концепт-версия модели ILX была представлена в 2011 году, а спустя год автомобиль был поставлен на конвейер. Машина базировалась на девятом поколении Honda Civic, пользующимся большим спросом не только в Америке и Европе, но и на отечественном рынке.

Премьера Acura ILX 2016 г. состоялась в 2014 году в рамках ежегодного автошоу, проходящего в Лос-Анджелесе. Немного забегая наперед, хочется отметить, что «акуровцы» проделали колоссальную работу, в результате которой им удалось сделать действительно роскошный, динамичный, стильный и, главное, относительно доступный спорт-седан премиум уровня.

Экстерьер

Несмотря на уже имеющийся концепт, производство именно серийного автомобиля Acura ILX sedan рознилось видоизмененным бампером спереди и сзади и новым дизайнерским подходом к облику дисков колес. Однако уже на мотор-шоу в Лос-Анджелесе в 2014-ом, мировую презентацию получил ILX 2016-ого года производства, который приобрел кардинально другую составляющую по технологическим вопросам и видоизмененный внешний вид, а также усовершенствованный салон.

С внешней стороны, новую модель не так трудно узнать по немного измененной радиаторной решетке, расположившейся спереди оптике Jewel Eye со светодиодами и подкорректированными задними фонарями. Более того, для японского седана начали выпускать стайлинг-пакет A-SPEC, в арсенал какого включается наличие спойлера, накладок на пороги, противотуманные фары и диски колес с оригинальным дизайном, диагональю 18-ти дюймов. Весь автомобиль стал выглядеть более агрессивно и по-спортивному молодежно.

2016 Acura ILX

Upon first hearing Acura officials refer to the 2016 ILX as “The Gateway,” we imagine something ominous, like hooking kids on smack or opening a portal to a demonic underworld. Recalling our first go-round with this slight sedan in our long-term fleet, however, either option seems too weighty. And sure enough, the nice (or is that nicest?) people from Honda’s luxury brand explain that this model is meant to be the Acura that sets up the young and aspirational as “customers for life.” Which actually is pretty ominous.

New Power Source

Competing, as ever, in the class of $30,000-ish luxury cars that aren’t really luxury cars, the ILX remains essentially a fortified Honda Civic. Additional mid-product-cycle polish comes to its specifications mostly by discarding the old car’s 150-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder and five-speed automatic in favor of a direct-injected 2.4-liter four that makes 201 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque. Honda’s novel torque-converter-equipped dual-clutch automatic transmission now swaps eight forward gears and drops cruising revs to a palatable level, a great improvement over the old car’s high-strung powertrain. With this new combination, the same as used in some versions of the larger Acura TLX, we estimate that the 2016 ILX should hit 60 mph more than two seconds quicker than did last year’s 2.0-liter model.

The new gearbox is a sonnet to smoothness but an elegy to the enthusiast, as there is no longer a manual-transmission model in the ILX lineup. Also gone is the hybrid, which Acura canceled a year ago to neither much surprise nor notice. For most buyers, the new powertrain is the equivalent of getting upgraded to first class from that last middle seat on the plane, the one near the lavatory. But for those fewer than five percent of ILX buyers who opted for the old six-speed manual, which came lashed to a different, port-injected 2.4-liter four-cylinder, the performance differential will be insignificant. (The old engine made the same power but 10 fewer lb-ft of torque.) Lest those pilots remain content flying their old ILX models, Acura has made other mechanical upgrades.

New calibration to the electric assist makes the steering in the 2016 ILX a bit slower but weightier and more direct than before, which Acura says is helped in part by a beefier front subframe. The front suspension bushings are upgraded and the rear anti-roll bar increases by a millimeter in diameter to improve initial turn-in. The front brake rotors now measure 12.3 inches, up from 11.8 in the old 2.4-liter car, and the rears are bigger, as well. As would be expected from such changes, the improved brakes bite harder and the firmer pedal is easier to modulate than before.

Better, But . . .

Although the ILX now delivers more feedback and a more immediate response to the road, this also makes the conservative suspension tuning more apparent. Curb weight is up by about 150 pounds and the balance of that mass shifts forward from 61 to 63 percent over the front drive wheels, which doesn’t help with understeer or the feeling that the rear of the car is merely being towed around. When equipped with new 18-inch wheels, the back end is also prone to impact harshness and subsequent excessive vertical motion.

The bigger wheels are part of the new “A-Spec” package, which also replaces the 17-inch Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 all-seasons with 18-inch Continental ContiProContact all-seasons. The $1990 package otherwise is cosmetic, bundling fog lights, sill extensions, and a spoiler along with suede-trimmed seats and sport pedals. A-spec can be added to either of the top two ILX trim levels, Premium ($30,820) or Tech Plus ($33,820). The latter brings with it navigation, a premium audio system, and AcuraWatch, a suite of safety equipment including adaptive cruise control, front collision warning, and lane-keeping assistance. A base ILX starts at just $28,820, or $30,120 with AcuraWatch. While all ILX trims get new exterior styling cues, a bit nicer finishes inside, and most even adopt Acura’s double-touch-screen infotainment system, these revisions come across as less vital than those to the hardware.

The ILX is clearly improved over last year’s model, but Honda is still faced with the underlying problem that there’s not enough space between its mass-market products and those sold by its luxury marque. Or at least enough to overcome the Acura badge’s lack of snob appeal compared with its competition from Audi, Mercedes, and BMW, however unfair that may be. With the German luxury brands actively attacking the ILX’s pricing turf, standing out at the low end of the luxury spectrum is only getting more challenging.

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

BASE PRICE: $28,820

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 144 cu in, 2356 cc
Power: 201 hp @ 6800 rpm
Torque: 180 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 105.1 in
Length: 181.9 in
Width: 70.6 in Height: 55.6 in
Passenger/cargo volume: 89.3/12.3 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 3100 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 6.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 16.4 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.0 sec
Top speed: 135 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (MFR’S EST):
EPA city/highway: 25/36 mpg

What Drivers Are Saying

1 — 10 of 43 reviews

by ChipRinaldo47 from Little Rock, Arkansas on Mon Jun 11 2018

I have had this since mid August, 2016, and here is my in-depth review. The car has a solid «feel» to it. Climate control is responsive and throttles down once target temperature is about to be reached (auto setting). Mine has the ELS audio system and while it does sound good, it could be better. One, any audio that has been mastered «hot», meaning with high levels, the audio sounds as if it’s limited (compressed down). That is regardless if you have the volume set low or high. Two, .wav (uncompressed audio) is not supported. It would be nice if it was. Three, some midrange frequencies are accented, particularly around 500 Hz or so. That can make some vocals sound «honky». Moving on to the engine and transmission, the engine is fine. The transmission leaves a bit to be desired. It shifts up too quickly. I realize the engineers at Acura programmed it for maximum economy but when you are trying to accelerate to highway speeds, it could give the impression that the car is lacking in power when it actually isn’t. Of course, there is sport mode where you can use the paddles and do the shifting yourself but there is no happy medium, like there is with the TLX. Starting from a dead stop will sometimes make the transmission lurch and hiccup (likely a shortcoming of the DCT transmission). Fuel economy can be very good, in particular at highway speeds (60 to 65 mph). I have observed mpg range as high as 45 at 60-65 mph. Mileage drops once you reach 70 mph. I’m rather conservative in my driving style but I’m no slow poke. I tend to average 33 to 37 mpg and my driving is roughly 65% highway; 35% city driving. Wet roads will hamper mpg BIG time, thanks to the wide tires, but I like those wide tires for their cornering prowess. Adaptive cruise control is good and I can tell it has some fine tuning to do. The way it handles speed can be rather abrupt at times. «False» highway markings can sometimes trick the road departure sensors, thinking that you are leaving the lane / road when you aren’t. I’ve had the car warn me to «steer» the car when I keep the steering wheel perfectly still, with the lane keeping assist switched on. If Acura would have put sensors in the steering wheel to detect grip, that would have been good. The drivers seat is good for long distance driving. Lower back support could be slightly improved though. The navigation system is archaic. For 2016, it was even missing some not so new highways. I wished the head unit had Android auto / Apple Carplay. About the use of Premium fuel: Acura recommends it but it is in NO way required. My car runs 89 octane (mid-grade) unleaded fine. If you have access to ethanol free 91+ octane (premium) gas, give that a try. For me, my mileage went up, as well as the responsiveness of the engine.

Purchased a New car

Uses car for Commuting

Does recommend this car!!

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by Neon from El Paso on Sat Sep 23 2017

A perfect car if you wish to have the Honda reliability without the need to get a CVT transmission. Car is quick with it’s DCT transmission and will be much more reliable due to a NA engine.

Purchased a Used car

Uses car for Commuting

Does recommend this car!!

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by Albert from Fort Pierce, Florida on Tue Jun 06 2017

Love the car, performance is great ,looking foward to purchase the new model or uprade not sure yet .

Purchased a New car

Uses car for Commuting

Does recommend this car!!

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by Michael from Dumas Texas on Tue May 09 2017

It was nice and I really liked. And it was reliable

Purchased a Used car

Uses car for Commuting

Does recommend this car!!

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by TDM001 from Morristown, NJ on Mon Jun 19 2017

Great power, very comfortable, good tech, nice styling. Probably the best thing about this car is the transmission, very smooth shifting. When moving to sport mode, the car gets quicker, stearing tightens up, and car is more «confident» on the road.

Purchased a Used car

Uses car for Commuting

Does recommend this car!!

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by Mllrpck from Queens, NY on Thu Feb 15 2018

Very well rounded car, I had leased the A-spec version which was a relatively good looking car. My only complaint was the chrome rims they looked gaudy and not mature. Some sporty alloys would have been a better choice. But overall smooth ride good engine note and transmission.

Purchased a New car

Uses car for Commuting

Does recommend this car!!

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by Zeke from St Lucie WEst, FL on Tue May 09 2017

Great Style and handling! Trying to use up the hundred character minimum and am not doing a very good job at it , until now.

Purchased a New car

Uses car for Having fun

Does recommend this car!!

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by Indigo from Olympia, WA on Thu Jan 23 2020

Background: I’m an accountant in my 40s, and I’ve owned a 1995 Honda Prelude, 2001 Lexus IS 300, and 2013 Scion FR-S. For me driving is not just transportation, it’s an experience, and you can see I like sporty cars. After driving the FR-S for three years (loved it!) I wanted to get back to a sports sedan similar to my old IS 300, because my kids are getting bigger, and the FR-S was built for twisty mountain roads, not much fun for commuting. I set my sights on used Lexus IS 350 and Infiniti Q50 (didn’t want to play the lottery with German options which MAY be reliable). But when I test drove an IS 350 and Q50, they had a sluggish, big-car feel (too much «luxury», not enough «sport»). Nothing like the original IS 300, which was very responsive. I dismissed Honda cars outright, because they’re front-wheel-drive, but after being disappointed with the Lexus and Infiniti, I test drove an Accord and an Acura ILX. I was very surprised at the handling feel of both, but the smaller ILX really appealed to me, and I found a used A-Spec model. Here’s what I love about this car: — Genius 2.4L engine and 8-speed dual-clutch transmission combination makes it far more than an upgraded Civic. Aggressive acceleration in S-Mode (Sport) and snaps off shifts faster than I ever could manually. — Handling disadvantages of a front-wheel-drive only seem to show up in slow , tight corners. Sweepers are a blast! Several hundred pounds lighter than other entry level sport sedans = more responsive. — Sleek body styling can cause non-enthusiasts to miss that it’s a sedan. It also goes better with my accountant occupation than a Subaru WRX or Civic Si with boy racer body work and bookshelf spoiler. — 38mpg average on the highway! With a car this quick? That goes against what I know about performance vs fuel efficiency. Again, Lexus and Infiniti have larger engines, more weight, worse mileage. — Decent rear seat leg room for a small sedan, and rear seat folds forward to expand truck space (Lexus and Infiniti models I test drove did not) I’ve taken the wife and two kids on all-day trips, which makes for a much nicer drive than the minivan. — Seats are comfortable for longer drives, phone integration is good, plastic buttons feel high quality. — Honda reliability. Enough said. How about dislikes: — Load the ILX up with passengers and try to pass another car. You’ll immediately be reminded it’s a 4-cylinder engine. Larger cars with 6 or 8 cylinder engines will do much better here, but eat a lot more gas the rest of the time. — The ILX can feel a bit loosely sprung over dips and speed bumps, but that keeps the ride appropriately civil for a sedan. It’s stiff enough to corner and stop very well. — The steering is over-boosted and doesn’t have enough resistance. — A-Spec «sawblade» wheels. I tried to like them for 6 months and eventually swapped them out for aftermarket wheels. — This isn’t a complaint, but you have to accept that a $33,000 Acura is going to be missing some features you’ll find on a $55,000 Lexus. If I had to sum up the ILX, I’d say it’s a brilliant compromise that works great for me. If it was more hard core sports sedan, it would be less enjoyable as a daily driver. If it was larger with more comforts, it would be missing the quick reflexes that make it fun to drive more of the time. It scratches my performance itch while working very well with my everyday life.

Purchased a Used car

Uses car for Commuting

Does recommend this car!!

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by Acura.cardealia from Kennewick, wa on Fri Apr 20 2018

I love my Acura ILX! I love everything about it and only found 1 thing I dislike which is the small room in the back for passagers. I really love that it’s both a great family car and sporty.

Purchased a Used car

Uses car for Commuting

Does recommend this car!!

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by Roads97 from NC on Thu Jun 29 2017

This car has a touch screen and display screen. The seats are comfortable, with seat heaters! Plenty of leg room with memory positioning of the seats. Really fun and classy car to drive.

Purchased a New car

Uses car for Transporting family

Does recommend this car!!

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Our Take on the 2016 Acura ILX

The restyled 2016 Acura ILX is a competent, fun-driving car in the entry-level compact luxury field, but it doesn’t live up to some luxury-class expectations.

The ILX gets a lightly revised exterior, minor interior cabin updates, and more available technology and safety features this year. Acura also discontinued the base engine, leaving only one, and replaced lesser manual and automatic transmissions with a new eight-speed automatic that features the unique combination of a dual-clutch paired to a torque converter.

Another change for the Acura ILX is the number of option packages available, which serve as its trim levels. For 2016, Acura offers six trims instead of last year’s three. Read More

from the Cars.com expert editorial team

Acura has restyled and simplified the powertrain options for its 2016 ILX. But has the automaker done enough to be competitive in the entry-level luxury-sedan market? Watch the video for more.

The restyled 2016 Acura ILX is a competent, fun-driving car in the entry-level compact luxury field, but it doesn’t live up to some luxury-class expectations.

The ILX gets a lightly revised exterior, minor interior cabin updates, and more available technology and safety features this year. Acura also discontinued the base engine, leaving only one, and replaced lesser manual and automatic transmissions with a new eight-speed automatic that features the unique combination of a dual-clutch paired to a torque converter.

Another change for the Acura ILX is the number of option packages available, which serve as its trim levels. For 2016, Acura offers six trims instead of last year’s three. You can compare the 2016 model with the 2015 here. We tested a 2016 Acura ILX with the AcuraWatch Plus option package.

Exterior & Styling
The new Acura ILX A-Spec looks slightly different from the 2015, with a front end that really resembles the larger Acura TLX; it features the same linear LED headlights and a slightly pumped-up grille. Overall, the changes are subtle but well-done to my eye.

Aside from being a good-looking car, the Acura ILX won’t be mistaken for anything but an Acura. I think this is really important if you’re introducing a brand to customers.

How It Drives
Driving the Acura ILX has some drawbacks, but overall it’s rewarding compared with other entry-level luxury cars.

The 201-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder engine has good pow. Show full review

The restyled 2016 Acura ILX is a competent, fun-driving car in the entry-level compact luxury field, but it doesn’t live up to some luxury-class expectations.

The ILX gets a lightly revised exterior, minor interior cabin updates, and more available technology and safety features this year. Acura also discontinued the base engine, leaving only one, and replaced lesser manual and automatic transmissions with a new eight-speed automatic that features the unique combination of a dual-clutch paired to a torque converter.

Another change for the Acura ILX is the number of option packages available, which serve as its trim levels. For 2016, Acura offers six trims instead of last year’s three. You can compare the 2016 model with the 2015 here. We tested a 2016 Acura ILX with the AcuraWatch Plus option package.

Exterior & Styling
The new Acura ILX A-Spec looks slightly different from the 2015, with a front end that really resembles the larger Acura TLX; it features the same linear LED headlights and a slightly pumped-up grille. Overall, the changes are subtle but well-done to my eye.

Aside from being a good-looking car, the Acura ILX won’t be mistaken for anything but an Acura. I think this is really important if you’re introducing a brand to customers.

How It Drives
Driving the Acura ILX has some drawbacks, but overall it’s rewarding compared with other entry-level luxury cars.

The 201-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder engine has good power for the class, but there’s a lag when accelerating from around 40 mph or so. That’s because the eight-speed transmission is quick to upshift as you accelerate, so when you want to make a pass you have to wait for the transmission to kick back down several gears. This gives the impression that the engine makes less power than it does.

There are two ways to counteract this, one of which is to use the steering wheel’s paddle shifters to manually select gears — but how “automatic” is the transmission if you’re required to do anything? The other way around that is to use Sport mode, because then the ILX holds onto lower gears longer before shifting up.

The Acura ILX’s engine also stays revving at a higher speed when you lift off the gas for longer than other engines, particularly in Sport mode. The downside to all that, though, is that there’s a lot more engine noise. It’s really noticeable, and while I like the sound of the engine, it’s unexpected to have so much noise in the luxury class.

Further, the ILX is fairly loud inside overall. There’s the engine noise, yes, but I also heard a lot of road noise in my test — not only on rough roads, where you’d expect it, but also on smoother pavement. That’s odd considering Acura said it had added more sound-deadening material in the 2016 ILX.

But then there’s the ride and handling. The ILX is stiffer than a lot of compact luxury cars, and you’re rewarded with handling that’s better than most in its class. On smooth roads, it was a lot of fun to rush up to a turn, brake, and shoot away from the corner.

While the suspension does a decent job of absorbing normal bumps, the larger ones really send a shock through the car. It’s also not the most settled car on really rough, broken pavement. Others in the entry-level luxury class — notably the Buick Verano and Audi A3 — cope with this sort of road better.

The Acura ILX gets an EPA-estimated 25/36/29 mpg city/highway/ combined, and premium gas is required. The numbers beat the Verano’s 21/32/25 mpg, the turbocharged Verano’s 21/30/24 mpg and the Audi A3’s 23/33/27 mpg. While the ILX posts better figures, though, it should be noted that neither the A3 nor Verano require premium gas. That could make a difference when it comes to the cost of driving.

Interior
The biggest drawback I found in the ILX is its cramped headroom, both up front and in back. Granted, I’m 6 feet 2 inches tall and sit very upright when I drive, but this car was uncommonly tight. Up front, I could not wear a hat without it scraping the roof, and I couldn’t sit in back without my head itself touching the roof. The latter fact is particularly unfortunate, because there was adequate legroom in back for a compact car.

Also of note is the fact that a power moonroof is standard on all ILX models, and I have to wonder if not having that feature would give me a little more room up front? That’s often the case when a moonroof is an option.

Finally, as the Acura ILX is a sedan, it’s reasonable to expect it to be used to haul families, and our certified child-safety seat installers put the ILX to the test. Check out the results in our Car Seat Check.

The Acura ILX’s overall cabin quality is quite good, with good-looking — and good-feeling — materials. In particular, the buttons and switches have a substantial feel. Nothing feels cheap or flimsy.

Visibility is also good. Even with the cramped headroom, I was able to feel confident behind the wheel and make quick moves in traffic.

Ergonomics & Electronics
Acura does a nice job in this department. The steering wheel is practically covered in buttons, but with use — they become familiar. It felt as if someone at Acura sat down and figured what combination of controls should be grouped together, then installed the buttons based on that.

The multi-information center control panel took a bit longer to get used to, but that likely was because I was focusing on mastering the steering wheel. It’s worth noting that, in this era of vast touch-screen adoption, our test model did not have what Acura calls its On Demand Multi-Use Display touch-screen option, which allows people to set up shortcuts for things such as stereo presets and climate settings. It was refreshing to use a button or knob to adjust climate and radio controls.

The biggest issue with the electronics is how Acura has set up the ILX option packages. The ILX is available as a base ILX, ILX with Premium Package and ILX with Technology Plus Package. Those trims are joined by the sporty new A-SPEC Package for 2016, which is also available with the Premium and Technology packages.

What that means for consumers is that if you opt for the ILX with AcuraWatch Plus that we had, you get features such as adaptive cruise control, but you don’t get satellite radio. That’s an extra-cost, stand-alone option (excluding the subscription) on this version. Otherwise you have to move up a trim level for about $2,000. To my way of thinking, if you’re asking roughly $30,000, why not throw in satellite radio, given the system’s ubiquity even in non-luxury cars?

Cargo & Storage
The trunk is large, with 12.3 cubic feet, but the Verano has more space: 14.0 cubic feet. Those who wish to carry larger items will be happy to learn that there are folding rear seats; however, the opening the folded seats create is an odd shape. Hauling long items — such as skis — is easy, but bigger things like TVs or card tables can be an issue.

Inside the cabin, there’s a decent-sized center storage console for a compact car, plus a few cubbies that came in handy.

Safety
The Acura ILX received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s highest rating — good — in its tests for the 2015 model. The 2015 results apply to the 2016 but exclude a small overlap result, the results of which will be revealed in fall 2015 in the 2016 report.

Our test model came equipped with a number of optional safety features, including lane departure warning and a lane keeping assist system that will steer the car back into your lane if you wander. There was also a forward collision warning and collision mitigation system that sounds a warning and applies brakes to help avoid a collision.

The lane keeping assist system is interesting because it really feels as if it’s steering the car back into your lane, as opposed to other systems that use braking force to “steer” the car back into the lane. The ILX’s response is just obtrusive enough — in a good way — to let you know corrective action is being taken, but it doesn’t startle you.

I never had to test the collision mitigation system’s automated braking, thankfully, but I can report the collision warning that comes on first is effective. It flashes the word “Brake” in bold yellow letters in a way that’s hard to miss and sounds a chime that’s also hard to miss. It could be seen as annoying, but in this day when more drivers are distracted, a bit of intrusion in the name of safety might just be warranted.

You can see all the ILX’s safety features here.

Value in Its Class
The ILX carves out a niche for itself in the entry-level luxury class thanks to its driving dynamics. Stacking the ILX up against cars such as the Audi A3 and Buick Verano, maybe even the Mercedes-Benz CLA250, it offers the spunkiest performance. The Buick isn’t as rewarding to drive, but is much, much quieter on the inside. And while the A3 is more composed over rough, broken pavement, it can’t match the ILX for driving fun.

I also think the ILX excels in its interior quality, looking richer than either the A3 or Verano and sporting the most substantial-feeling controls and buttons, as well. You can compare all those cars’ specs here.

Also, the ILX’s starting base price of $28,820 (including $920 destination) is roughly $3,000 less than the Audi A3. (It should be noted, though, that the Verano easily trumps both, with a starting price of $21,990.)

After that, though, the Acura ILX starts to suffer in comparison. It’s easily the loudest car of the three, and both the Verano and A3 don’t pinch me for headroom. I’d describe the Verano as the most traditional luxury car, with its quiet interior, leather seats and comfortable road manners. The A3 is a more austere version of the same, with a chassis that can really cope with rough roads. The ILX is the sporty one that’s a little rough around the edges.

The Acura ILX is OK, but it doesn’t exactly fill your heart with aching lust for another Acura.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2016-20 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Acura ILX Premium 4-door

The Acura ILX was introduced in the 2013 model year and is derived from the Honda Civic. Beginning with 2016 models, the ILX was re-engineered with structural and occupant restraint changes to improve occupant protection in both small overlap and moderate overlap frontal crashes.

Action shot taken during the small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy’s position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver’s survival space was maintained well.

The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.

Forces during the crash contributed to a moderate risk of injury to the dummy’s left lower leg.

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Driver injury measures

2016 Acura ILX Tech Package

ONE OWNER LEASE RETURN ACCIDENT FREE CARFAX REPORT TECH PACKAGE This 2016 Acura ILX has just arrived here at Griffin Motors. With beautiful styling, great handling and superior reliability, this ILX is one not to miss. This one owner accident free sedan has been well maintain.

$1,737 Above Market

Discuss: 2016 Acura ILX review: Acura ILX doesn’t live up to premium aspirations

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• Roadshow
• Acura
• 2016 Acura ILX

With adaptive cruise control set, I don’t have to touch the gas or brake pedal in the 2016 Acura ILX as it bullets down the freeway. Self-driving phase one complete. Switching on its Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), I feel the steering wheel move under my hands as the car actively keeps between the painted lines. Self-driving phase two complete.

Then I loosen my grip, letting my hands hover over the steering wheel. The ILX maintains its lane position, but a warning message in the instrument cluster tells me «Steering required.» OK, maybe I can’t put up my feet and read a book for this hour-long freeway journey. Not yet, at least.

As Honda’s premium brand, Acura fits the ILX with a full load of tech features, a seeming strategy to elevate Acura’s smallest sedan well above its platform-mate the Honda Civic . But these features don’t quite lift the little ILX above its pedestrian roots, a problem partially mitigated by the car’s low price.

Acura’s smallest car takes on the premium segment with high-tech equipment. Wayne Cunningham/CNET

At only $28,820 for the base model, the ILX runs just a little more than a high-trim compact economy car in price. However, the model I tested, and pictured here, is the 2016 Acura ILX with Technology Plus Package and A-Spec, this latter piece including wheels and appearance touches, which comes in at $35,810. UK and Australian readers may never have heard of an Acura, as Honda doesn’t market the brand in those areas. The closest equivalent would be a high-trim Honda Civic, but with a completely different sedan body.

As for premium equipment, the driver assistance features in the ILX are very ambitious. Adaptive cruise control uses forward radar to track cars ahead, matching speeds when traffic is slower than your set speed. This system let me set three following distances, but it was a little too abrupt with its braking and acceleration, something that could be smoothed over with better programming. The forward radar also enables a pre-collision warning system, lighting up a «Brake» message in the instrument cluster when the car thinks you are about to hit something.

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LKAS worked well, although I noticed it correcting off the left lane line, then correcting off the right lane line, then correcting off the left lane again in a continuous oscillation. While this feature takes some of the work out of driving, I’ve never found it a must-have feature, albeit interesting a step towards self-driving. Acura also fits the ILX with something called Road Departure Mitigation, more of a conventional lane departure warning system.

Add in the blind-spot monitor and rear-view camera, and the ILX is as aware of its surroundings as many high-end luxury cars. However, I have seen similar equipment in a Ford Fusion .

2016 Acura ILX Review

Acura’s ‘gateway’ car gets a refresh for 2016

THE PROS & CONS

What’s Best: Acura has dropped the anemic 2.0-litre engine in favour of the peppy 2.4-litre unit for all models

What’s Worst: Ride is somewhat stiff, but will likely be more forgiving in lower trim with 17-inch wheels and higher sidewall tires

What’s Interesting: Eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic offers rapid-fire shifting

Safety

Passive safety technology earned the 2016 Acura ILX Sedan a 5-Star overall vehicle score, the highest possible NHTSA Safety Rating.

Acura throws so many active safety features into the ILX that most drivers will never need to verify that top rating. Most of these features ship as standard equipment on all ILX models.

I quickly got acquainted with the Blind Spot Information System (BSI) since it chirped at me each time I used my turn signal to indicate a lane change while a vehicle sat in my blind spot. Acura wants drivers to stay in their lanes, hence features like the Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS). Other useful acronyms to explore include CTM (Cross Traffic Monitor), RDM (Road Departure Mitigation), and FCW (Forward Collision Warning). This, by the way, is not a comprehensive list.