2015 Acura ILX: A-Spec package a winner

Published 12:00 am Friday, May 22, 2015

Acura had a clever idea when it first offered its luxury ILX compact sedan a few years ago. Prices of so-called entry level luxury sedans had been steadily increasing, so Acura undercut them by offering a slightly smaller car that was still distinctively styled, sporty yet quiet on the road, and loaded with technology features and premium touches like quality leather seats.

But the automotive world hasn’t stood still. Mass production car companies from Chevy to Nissan are now offering luxury and technology features on their compact cars. And luxury manufacturers like Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz have brought out their own compacts.

The 2016 ILX is caught in the middle of the trends, which is still not a bad place to be. The well-equipped mass production compacts may cost less than the ILX, but they are not as refined. And while the compacts from the older luxury companies may be more sophisticated than the ILX, they are also more expensive. So for those buyers looking to split the difference, the ILX is still a reasonable choice.

And for 2016, the ILX features a number of upgrades — including a new engine, exterior redesigns and option packages — to make it stand out even more.

The ILX is related to the Civic that Acura’s parent company Honda produces, but upgraded enough that the driving experience is completely different. The exterior lines are similar, although the ILX has a larger, more aggressive grill and a more chiseled rear end. The interior is much more luxurious, of course, but it also includes a conventional gauge package in front the driver instead of the functional but slightly annoying split dash in the Civic. (Take a hint Honda: Sometimes traditional is better.)

The ILX also benefits from the dual display screen set up now available on Honda’s and Acura’s that greatly reduce the number of control buttons, resulting in a much cleaner dash.

Our test car came with the all new 2.4-liter inline four with 201 horsepower. While not as powerful as some of the turbocharged or V6 engines available from other manufacturers, the eight-speed automated manual transmission was responsive enough that getting up to speed fast enough was never a problem. The transmission also had a Sport mode and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters more fun, but we think most driver will rarely feel compelled to use them.

Our test car also came with three option packages, two of which were technology-oriented. One was the logically-named Tech Package, that included a navigation system with mulit-view rear camera, an upgraded sound system, and a GPS-linked Dual-Zone Auto Climate Control System. The other was the AcuraWatch Plus Package, which included about every safety and warning device available today, including adaptive cruise control and lane and front collision warning systems, along with collision mitigation braking.

The most visible option set was the A-Spec Package, however, which outfitted the ILX with flashy 18-inch alloy wheels, sport seats with suede inserts, a black headliner, fog lights, and both exterior and interior trim pieces. It definitely added to the sporty impression.

With all of the options, our test car was priced at just under $36,000, which is less than comparably equipped cars from some other luxury manufactures. But the ILX also starts at $27,900, which is not that much more than a mass produced compact with a few options.

Of course, the ILX still has the drawbacks of most compacts, including a small back seat and a smallish trunk. But those are the kinds of tradeoffs that everyone make when trying to figure out how much car they actually need versus the increasing prices of larger models. At least with the ILX, there’s always Acura’s recognized level of quality to compensate.

2015 Acura ILX

Base price: $$27,900.

Price as tested: $35,810.

Type: Compact luxury sedan.

Engines: 2.0 inline 4; 2.4 inline 4.

EPA estimated mileage: 25/36 (as tested).

Overall length: 181.9 inches.

Curb weight: 3,137 pounds (as tested).

Final assembly: Marysville, Ohio.