Introduction
After a decade of moving upmarket and farther away from the entry-level buyer, Acura's back with a new-generation compact model, the 2013 ILX. Smaller and less expensive than the TSX, the ILX sedan is aimed at shoppers who want something a bit nicer and sportier than the typical mainstream sedan but aren't willing to step up to the higher expense of an established luxury car. Overall, the ILX is fairly successful in its mission. Nevertheless, you'll also want to be aware of the limitations of this strategy.
There's just a single sedan body style, but Acura's making up for the lack of coupe/hatchback options by offering three distinct powertrain options for the new ILX. The base ILX comes with a modestly powered but economical 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed automatic transmission. Markedly more performance comes from the ILX 2.4 and its larger, more-powerful 2.4-liter four-cylinder. Unfortunately this model comes only with a six-speed manual transmission. The third ILX model is the frugal Hybrid, which is the first hybrid-electric vehicle from Acura.
One other aspect to consider is the ILX's price once you've loaded it up with options. For the same money, you could also get a loaded version of a popular midsize sedan such as a Ford Fusion, Kia Optima or Nissan Altima. You could also save some money and consider loaded versions of the Dodge Dart or Ford Focus. Most of these cars will offer the same number of convenience and luxury features as the ILX. But for somebody desiring a relatively affordable small sedan that's good on gas and gives off a premium vibe, the ILX is a smart choice.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2013 Acura ILX entry-level luxury sedan comes in six trim levels: base 2.0, base 2.0 with Premium package, base 2.0 with Technology package, base 2.4 with Premium package, Hybrid and Hybrid with Technology package.
Standard equipment is pretty much the same for both the base 2.0 and Hybrid and includes 16-inch wheels, a sunroof, full power accessories, keyless ignition/entry, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a rearview camera and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack, a USB/iPod audio interface and Pandora integration.
Moving up to the Premium trims gets you 17-inch wheels, xenon headlamps, foglamps, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power driver seat, a more advanced rearview camera, active noise cancellation (Hybrid excluded) and an upgraded seven-speaker sound system with satellite radio. Acura also offers the Premium package-equipped ILX with the 2.4-liter engine configuration.
The Technology trim (oddly not available on the 2.4) includes the equipment from the Premium package and adds a hard drive-based navigation system and a surround-sound audio system with digital music storage.
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