Acura ILX Tech gets many things right
Optimism tends to take flight when a promising rendition of an otherwise staid “compact luxury” sedan comes to fruition. Case in point: the Acura CSX (or EL, depending on how far down memory lane you look). Jazzing up a compact car with an array of luxury bits is something many would appreciate.
But, where the CSX and original EL fell short was in execution.
As you can expect from Acura, the ILX wears the matte silver front grille treatment, affectionately known as the “beak” among Honda and Acura aficionados.
The beltline seems higher than on the Civic, and considering how the C-pillar window and roofline is cut (more on that later), rear sightlines can be a slight problem if you’re backing up or parallel parking, though the backup camera helps. It is a handsome, upscale-looking car that’s much, much more than just a gussied-up Civic. But that’s where the love affair with this car ends.
The front seats are quite comfortable and supportive, and the dashboard layout is rather sexy and TSX-like. But unlike the exterior, it lacks execution. Yes, there are softtouch materials everywhere, but some spots on the dashboard are as mushy as my memory-foam pillow.
Acura’s entertainment system also needs work. Rather than opting for a clean and intuitive touchscreen, there is a low-resolution eight-inch display mounted on top of the dashboard and a barrage of buttons and knobs below it.
The roofline compromises headroom considerably in the rear. Legroom is scarce for taller passengers, with narrow openings below the seats for feet and very little knee room behind the seat back.
Under the hood is where the ILX shows its Civic roots. Our tester shares the 2.0-litre engine found in the Civic, pumping out 150 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. It sends power to the front wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission. The best way to describe it is merely adequate. It gets you around town just fine, but on the highway, it does seem to fall flat, making merging and passing a slow, noise-riddled affair.
There is quite a bit of room for improvement, especially if Acura wants to take on the compact luxury sedans on the horizon.