Acura's entry-level premium sedan gets its first redesign since its 2013 debut. Although the ILX isn't radically different than before, this year's changes make it a legitimate alternative to compact luxury cars costing thousands more.
What's New for 2016
The ILX gets revised styling at the front and rear, an eight-speed automatic transmission and a bundle of available safety technology. The 2-liter base engine and manual transmission have been dropped.
Choosing Your Acura ILX
The first thing you'll notice about the refreshed ILX is its set of "Jewel Eye LED" headlamps, an upscale Acura signature that instantly makes the ILX look like part of the family. The interior benefits from the addition of active noise cancellation, contrasting upholstery stitching and silver-tone trim pieces.
Last year's optional 201-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder is now standard and comes with a new eight-speed automatic transmission. It's the only powertrain available on the revamped ILX.
The ILX starts out with heated front seats with driver power, leatherette upholstery, a rearview camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless access and ignition, a sunroof and a six-speaker sound system. All optional equipment is bundled into a series of progressive option packages:
There are no individual factory options for the ILX beyond the usual dealer-installed accessories.
The Premium package provides you with a properly equipped luxury car at just under the $30,000 mark, something we didn't think was still possible. The value isn't as good above this point -- a fully-loaded ILX with Technology Plus and A-Spec is only $610 cheaper than a four-cylinder TLX with the Technology Package.