Used 2018 Acura ILX for sale 

The base Acura ILX starts at $28,100 all the way up to the A-Spec trim with $35,100. Every trim in the ILX family shares a similar 2.4L 4-cylinder engine, while successive trims add more convenience and technology. The AcuraWatch Plus gives you active safety features and the technology Plus offers a suite of infotainment features. 

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Given that the high-end versions encroach into the more accomplished German Luxury Sedan territory, we recommend sticking with the lower trims. The AcuraWatch Plus is a must-have package that adds a full suite of active safety features.

Although the car is a bit pricey for its output, Honda has engineered refinement and character in the humble ILX. The 2.4L inline-4 motor is tuned to put out 201 horsepower, which stands above most other mid-size sedans. The torque output from the motor is 180 foot-pounds, which is again quite adequate and well designed. The gearbox is an 8-speed DCT automatic, which is a mixture of sporty and refined characteristics. While the drive is pushed down exclusively through the front wheels.

The Acura is surprisingly responsive on the road. The output from the motor does not point towards sluggishness at any RPM. Although characteristic from naturally aspirated motors, it does take a bit of well-positioned throttle input to really get it going. The engine offers great response even at higher acceleration with an almost linear output. The Acura ILX’s DCT is quite a bit quicker than the torque converter automatics most of its competitors are outfitted with.

The ILX has been rated for the highest top speed amongst the competition, which can be pointed to its superior number of gear ratios over the competition. The sedan is also the quickest off the mark for the 0-60 acceleration. The Mazda has been well-tuned with a lighter chassis that helps it catch up to the Acura at the quarter-mile. While the Kia Optima lags behind both Japanese cars by quite a bit.

Most sedans by the Japanese or Korean manufacturers are attuned to offer some standout MPG figures. The Acura ILX is quite sparing in its fuel consumption, though the added horsepower over the competition, which has similar NA engines, shows up in lower efficiency. The 8-speed gearbox does a great job of maximizing the output in cities, where the powerful motor is completely reigned in to get competitive efficiency. The overall efficacy of the ILX is comparable to its competition.

The Mazda 3 is one of the most fuel-efficient cars in the segment, which is the only car in the competition to touch the 30 MPG mark combined. This gives the Mazda enough range to go up to 400 miles on a full tank. The Kia Optima has the largest tanks with 18.5 gallons, which helps it surpass 500 miles on a full tank. The Acura is not far behind its competitors, though it only archives about 380 miles on a full tank.

While the Acura ILX is based on an older Honda Civic, it does stand apart in terms of interior comfort and design. Honda has put great sound dampening measures both in and out of the cabin to almost feel akin to a luxury car. Although there is quite low headroom at the rear, and the legroom, although capable, is much less than what most competitors offer. The cabin is filled with soft-touch materials all over. You'd have a tough job finding plastic bits, which is a great boost to the build quality.

At the front are supportive bucket seats, which have a decent amount of bolstering and under-thigh support. The base spec ILX comes with synthetic leather upholstery, while the higher trims get real leather. The ILX offers a power-adjustable driver’s seat, while added packages offer an electronic front passenger seat. The standard powered moonroof eats into headroom, particularly in the rear seat. The interior comes with great touches like Active Noise Cancelling and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The boot space is right and competitive with the segment, although we’d have expected more at the price point. The Kia Optima has the best boot space in the segment. On the rear row space, both the Optima and the Mazda 3 offer better headroom as well as legroom. Although they do missout on material quality and refinement seen in the plush cabin of the ILX. Standout interior features in the Acura ILX are:

• Power Moonroof
• Synthetic leather upholstery
• Optional real leather upholstery
• Power adjustable driver’s seat
• Optional power-adjustable front passenger seat
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Active Noise Cancelation
• Dual-zone automatic climate control

How intuitive is the 2018 Acura ILX’s infotainment unit?

The infotainment system comes in an updated dual-screen setup. The system has a 7-inch touchscreen and separate 8-inch non-touch display sitting far in the middle of the dashboard. Although the base trims are outfitted only with the 5-inch touch screen. The 7-inch display is well positioned, though seems a bit too far, it even has a hood designed around it to act against glare. The touchscreen has a quick response, though it seems at a much lower resolution than the larger display.

The Acura is missing out on either Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system offers great phone linking capabilities, which can give remote starting and climate control capabilities, amongst a few. The system has Bluetooth, satellite radio, and HD radio available. The sound system is a 7-speaker premium audio system.

• 7-speaker audio system
• Dual screens with a 5-inch touchscreen and a 7-inch infotainment display
• Bluetooth compatible
• 4G LTE WiFi Hotspot
• Satellite radio and HD radio
• Remote starting and Automatic Climate Control

The Acura ILX has a sedate and refined build. It does remind you of the older Honda Civic from certain angles. It gets a large chrome lip in the middle of the front grille, which seems a touch too much of chrome, and a lot less sporty. There are standard jewel LED headlamps as well as LED tail lamps. The side profile does not fit as the rear looks a bit disjointed to the front and the doors. The exterior is a bit all over the place and feels exceedingly dated.

The A-Spec appearance package, available with the Special Edition package, or optional on the Premium and Tech Plus packages, adds a spoiler on top of the trunk, a more aggressive body kit, particularly on the side skirts and 18-inch wheel rims. The chrome bordering the windows is the only tasteful styling touch in our opinion.

Give it to Honda for optimizing the build of the Acura ILX. The dated chassis is still one of the lightest in the segment, even with the added tech and premium material, which speaks volumes for Honda’s build optimization. The wheelbase though could have been a bit wider, which would improve the horridly rigid ride quality of the car. Nevertheless, the performance perks up due to the lighter frame, which makes the ILX one of the better-driving sedans in the segment. Some standout features in the exterior are:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Optional 18-inch alloys wheels
• Optional rear spoiler
• Jewel LED headlamps and taillamps
• Acura signature “Beak” front fascia
• Power Moonroof

Honda is known to feature some of the best build quality and safety features. The Acura ILX is loaded with both active and passive safety tech. IIHS has rated the various safety features on the ILX with a “Good” remark. The front crash prevention system is also rated superior. The NHTSA has given the 2018 Acura ILX a 5-star safety rating. All ILX models are fitted with a full complement of 6-airbags and LATCH child seat anchors. Some of the active safety technologies in the ILX are:

• Blind Spot Monitor
• Collision Mitigation Braking
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Front Crash Prevention
• Road Departure Mitigation

2018 Acura ILX Vs. Kia Optima

The Acura ILX offers better drivability and performance as compared to the Optima. The car also offers a more intuitive transmission, and better interior quality. Though it does lack a bit in terms of rear-seat legroom and overall space. Considering the hefty premium you need to pay over the affordable Optima, the Optima is the overall better pick.

2018 Acura ILX Vs. Mazda 3

The Mazda 3 trumps the Acura ILX in terms of response and drivability. Although on paper the car shows better performance figures. The Mazda offers much better value for money, with some outstanding Mazda handling. The Mazda 3 alos offers better space and a tad bit better utility, which makes it a better pick in the segment.

The 2018 Acura ILX has great driving value and a surprising sporty and free-revving engine. The gearbox makes a great compliment to the car, which turns refined and well-tuned at a slower pace and gives a punchy output when tested. Driving the car is also a pleasure with assured steering and great road-hugging. The front seat experience, however, is not reflected on the rear seat, which is rather badly tuned. The ride quality on the ILX is morose and makes the occupants suffer unnecessary bumps and jitters. The noise-canceling does a bad job at eliminating these thuds. The interior, although well made, begs for a refresh and modernization. Overall the car is a bit of a miss, and you would have a much better experience with cheaper offerings in the market.