best acura in a while. they're on the right track. only real complaints i have is the 2 screens and hidden exhausts. otherwise really nice car. 2.4 with DCT is very good
Coming from someone who watches every auto reviewer possible on youtube, you sir do an amazing job on every video I have seen. You give incredible amounts of information and give reviews that are unbiased and enjoyable to watch. I would love to see you review the Fiesta ST!
Alex I think you do hands down the best reviews with zero bias. Your reviews are lengthy but I guess that is what you want considering you will have a car for at least 2-10+ years and spend thousands of dollars on. Your best section is at the end when you compare the car's direct competition, this is immensely useful! I read your article on the 2016 ILX on TTAC, which again was very well done and you mentioned how Consumer reports rips the the 2016 ILX. I watched, read, and listened to CR talk about the 2016 ILX and they HATE the car. After consuming your reviews and actually owning a 2016 ILX Premium I can say I can't disagree more with them on the ILX. Why do you think CR decided to go on a vendetta to destroy any credibility for the ILX? All CR could keep focusing on was how cheaply made and expensive the car was and ultimately decided the Mazda was a better car. While the ILX does fall closer to a Mazda 3 GT compared to a Mercedes CLA250, I just never got the whole it's a Civic, since it offers an exclusive 2.4 liter 8 Speed DCT which I admit is minimally faster than a 2016 Civic Touring but light years ahead of the Civic with it's DCT compared to its CVT. Plus when you break it down the ILX really isn't that much more expensive, I got my 2016 ILX Premium for $26,260 while in comparison a 2016 Civic Touring Turbo goes for $25,525 NYC TrueCar. $735 more for an Acura, am I missing something? The extra warranty with an Acura alone for $700 more is worth it over a Honda. For me I love the car but a couple things bother me, on the Premium the AcuraLink Navigation is only iOS compatible and no Android or Apple. Secondly the recommended premium fuel is still a slap in the face but the biggest gripe is the lack of 60/40 split since this is such a small car the lack of utility really hurts. I would love to see a S/R Type, AWD would be nice, and a hatchback would be even better but these aren't 100% needed and for me the 2016 ILX is a solid 8.5 out of 10. Like most Acuras the car shines because the value and base engines that just rock.
Do you always use premium? I've seen other comments saying they use unleaded with no issues. How's the car now? Any issues with it? I'm looking into one right now
Clicking the annotation for Seats restarts the video. Loving the shots of the car in motion--more polished and professional than the old videos I've seen.
I love your channel, been watching for about 8 or so months now.....Do you think you could do a comparison of all compact sedans at once? Like, you don't need all of them at once but I guess if you had them that would be nice. Or maybe just do a heavily opinionated ranking system style video for compact sedans? Thanks in advance. Zak
I'd like the same for various segments, eg hatch, convertible, suv, etc. I'd watch whatever the hell you decide to do though to be honest. Best infotainment, for example!
wow.. I thought it would be a 3-4 min video with highlights but I am impressed with the depth in which you covered the car and the amazing comparisons with competitors. Thanks! Subscribed!!!
Thank you very much for listening to your viewer's suggestion, I really really appreciate it. Once again, a truly excellent review, thank you for your hard work!
Excellent review Alex, as always!!! I'm not sure if you noticed that that the back end where the reflectors sit on the ILX were similar to the front of the Honda Civic Coupe??? I'm really happy to say that Acura did their homework on this car. They improved the styling, engine, fuel economy, and transmission which really differentiates this car to the Civic. My only gripe on this car was the tail pipe. It would have look nicer if they've have shown the tail pipe especially on this compact luxury segment. Overall, Acura have improved this car from the outgoing model and I would pick this car to any of its competitors. I really would like to see a RWD or SH-AWD or Type S configuration of this car on the next generation. It's nice to see that Acura is heading the right path on this one. When are you doing a review of the 2015 VW Golf R? Thank you Alex and keep up the great car reviews!!!
Great review Alex !!! I'm glad that finally Acura went for it but 1) no split rear bench is just ridiculous 2) no air vents for back seat is even more ridiculous 3) no visible exhaust pipes in sporty sedan is the most ridiculous ... Other then that, it's hands down best value on the market and I really like it
Tomasz Skwarek -I owned Honda accord for 3 years. I used folding seat once when I went to IKEA, meantime I have access to 3 big SUV's so if I need some space it's not an issue. It can probably apply to more than half of buyers. -Probably true, but again it's not a huge family sedan, if you are planning on having passengers in back seat at all times, you picked wrong car. -This is just matter of taste, and with more electric vehicles on roads everyone is going to stop noticing it. This car is designed for young adults (couples) who are already on their feet but don't have kids yet. People who are putting away for house but still would like to have fun mid-luxury car to drive.
Well I am young adult already on my feet. I like to have fun car a little luxurious and a little sporty and I love Japanese reliability. I'm skiing/snowboarding in wintertime also play guitar so split & folding seats is a must, I occasionally have passengers on my back seat so they could use air vents, and pipes at least in a spec model which is marketed as sporty variant is a must no matter what. I love concept of luxury sport cars , can't afford second car, don't want to drive SUV and wanting to upgrade my 2007 TSX without upgrading in size(tlx) Acura is "forcing" me to look elsewhere ( and I really love Acura as a brand) because just about everything else on the market offers those conveniences
If that's the case the segment of small luxury sports cars (ilx, a3, cla) would not exist.. but it does and it's out there for a reason. ..some people like smallish cars ( of course 3 -4 thousand dollars difference in msrp is also a good reason )
Great review! I’m only getting about 23mpg and that’s going light on the throttle. If I wring it out I get 20. Combined city highway for me is also about 25. Otherwise I’m in love with this car! It’s an all around awesome drive-fun and agile, if not decently quick when pushed.
Good job and great review as always! I can't believe the ILX is that good! And I think the new camera shot, a camera car in the front, shooting while driving is really nice and professionally done!
Great review. Really interested in this car since the update. I don't know how people possibly compare this to the civic. just becaues it may share features doesn't mean it's just as good. This is 100% more luxurious.
Just wish a manual was still an option. Perfect size car otherwise for my needs but will not buy an automatic. I know I'm in the minority but this car would be on my list if it had a manual. Looks great.
Wow, Acura went to town with this car just like you did with this review. Good job. I am surprised the car is this fast. They really got the most out of that engine. I still hope they put a version of that new 2.0T from the Civic Type R in it though. I'm not super crazy about winding motors out on the street anymore.
Thanks for great review Alex. I based my purchase of it. I love the way you review cars without any prejudice, like you've never heard of that brand before, just going after obvious cons and pros. We got ILX Acurawatch few weeks back and we love it. I believe going higher than Premium package is not worth it. A-Spec gives you some decorative features and bigger wheels for $2k. We stepped into it from 2012 Accord. I know where all knobs and buttons are because it has very similar set up. Interior reminds me of my old Accord and I actually liked it. It definitely faster, corners better and all the luxury and safety features definitely worth the price. I'm Leasing that car and I believe price is right, besides I have $1500 damage waiver that no other luxury brands offer.
Leased my Premium, I would however disagree that the AcuraWatch Base is the best model to get since the difference in price between the AcuraWatch and Premium is only $700 MSRP but you get the larger screen and 2nd touch screen for media, you get the better sound system, you get REAL Milano leather, you get Blind Spot warning which is the best safety feature, you have the ability to use AcuraLink and use your iOS device on the navigation screen. This was $8 more a month for me but that might be on the high side since I did a 24 month lease. Really the most value starts at the Premium and up. You could make an argument that Acura doesn't need the base or base w/ AcuraWatch
Great review Alex! I think you're spot on with your value argument. I just don't see better value out there in this early 30K price point. Bought mine (A-spec) a couple of weeks ago. Perfect upgrade from my 06 Si. I miss the Si's manual a bit but i can't think of a better transmission to move on to.
Alex I am considering buying the ILX BASE MODEL. Am I missing out by having leatherette seats instead of leather? The lease deal Acura is offering is no money down $300/mo for 15 miles per year.
Between this and the MKVII GTI I think I might just go with the latter. Both cars in fully loaded form are within less than $1000 of each other (depending on which transmission you choose on the VW). While the GTI lacks all of the active safety systems offered on the ILX it more than makes up for it in the driving dynamics department. Yes, the ILX is likely more reliable and has a premium badge (w/ a better warranty) but the GTI is more practical (cargo space and flexibility) and has more passenger volume. It really comes down to personal preferences in terms of brand and styling (sedan vs hatch). It would really make for a good comparison video, Alex on Autos!!
Hi, I've driven both the 2017 Acura ILX ASpec 8-speed and the 2017 Mazda 3 sedan 6-speed auto. I can't decide between the two for point to point acceleration. I sensed the Mazda 3 is faster from idling rpm to about 30mph and the ILX wins the crown at the end of the line. I can really feel the Mazda push me more back to the seat from stop light. What do you guys think ? Cheers !!
Hey thanks for the q answer. And the other thing that makes your reviews cool! The trunk review that u do! LOL. Those are super! LOL. It was funny to see you legs sticking thru the opening on the ilx. It seems the other reviews just about forget about the trunk.
Have you ever done a review of the 1015 Chevrolet Sonic LT Hatchback with a 1.4 turbo engine? I told my girlfriend that I would buy her one and she wants to know more about them. I don't want this to go to your head, but you are the BEST reviewer on RU-vid. There are only two others that come anywhere near you, one in San Francisco and the other one in Washington D.C.
I currently have an older model CRV and have been thinking about going back to having a car. This was a great view! Any owners out there know how these perform in the snow.....
Just test drove a ILX Tech package, not worth it IMO. Rather spend a little more and get a TLX Tech w/V6. The A-SPEC ILX looks a lot better in person though, the wheels look cheap in the video but actually go well with the exterior.
Can you do a video or some sort of blog writeup comparing the ilx and the mazda 3 S Grand touring? I think many shoppers may be cross shopping those two (as I am) rather than cars than cars that are 8-12k more. Can you please compare - interior room; - backseat headroom, legroom - handling - acceleration, power - trunk space - speakers performance - overall value thanks!
Alex, excellent review, as usual. Still hoping that you will address my FB-posted request for your insights on comparing this ILX to higher Accord models and lower TLX models. I realize that they belong to different segments, but nevertheless, I feel that there is quite an overlap.
Aleksandr Blekh With the new ILX, it is more of a size question. There is little overlap in pricing between the ILX and TLX but the extra you pay in the TLX gets you more room, nicer plastics but basically the same technology.
Alex on Autos Thank you. What about the other side of the spectrum - comparing ILX with Accord (regular and, especially, Hybrid) in, say, Touring trim level? The size and infotainment aspects are clear, more or less so is interior quality, but what about differences in ride quality? I suspect that ILX has a firmer suspension/ride, whereas Accord has a solid, but softer ride. Are body rolls more pronounced in Accord vs ILX? That kind of stuff...
Aleksandr Blekh The ILX handles better, is firmer (especially in A-Sped trim) interior quality is largely similar but the Accord has fewer cost cutting plastics in some places. The Accord is heavier and drives heavier.
I have been following your channel going a few months. Your delivery is impeccable. I have subscribed to a few motor review channel and none, I repeat none come close. Keep up the good work. Just my curiosity, do you read from a script? Even if you do, it's is still the best. Can you or have you reviewed the Audi MMI 3G. I have searched, but cannot find it. Thanks
One last to add to the mix: The Mazda3 GT. Not a 'premium' car, but fully loaded it is almost priced like a near-luxury car. I think you made mention of it in the last ILX review, but given all of the changes in 2016 model, does the ILX have more of separation from the 2.5l Mazda, and is it justified by the price?
A Thousand Words A Picture A Mazda3 fully loaded would be 29,815 and in many ways the 32,000 ILX compares well with that model. The ILX has the CMBS, lane keep assist, bigger infotainment screen, more power, the 8-speed auto, electric pre tensioners in the seatbelts, longer warranty, etc. Adjusting for all that they end up about the same price to be honest.
Hi, I am currently looking at the Acura Ilx and the 2015 vw gti. I know they are different cars, but which one is a better value/car? Ive been in both and I cant really decide. The sedan/hatch differences wont matter much. This car will mainly be for commuting, I like the GTI but the Acura badge and the overall look of the car isn't bad either. And the upgraded engine certainly helps. Ideally, i would like a 0-60 time in under 7 seconds though. The car will be used for mixed highway/local driving. What do you suggest? Thanks in advance :) (Huge fan of your reviews, theyre really thorough and it informative)
John Tsai They are very different, but I think I would personally get the ILX. The fuel economy is better, the handling is just about equal, the ride is a little better and the infotainment system is superior. I think the GLI looks a little more premium on the inside but the Acura counters that with much higher reliability.
I was looking for a used one. I stopped my interest for this car for 2 deal breakers for me. backseat looks small, trunk opening and space is small. and you have to put the whole row down as the pass through is a huge no no for me. gonna wait for the new ILX on the new Civic platform.
Hey Alex great video. nut I have a question. I remember I asked you a similar question in your explanation video of Acura's SH-AWD system and you said Acura's usually sell in lover volumes than something Lexus does. but that made me think. How is Hyundai able to make cars like the K900 or the Equus and Genesis, with full RWD platforms V8's and many high end luxury features for the interior. How can they offer so many luxury features and place it on RWD platform and still make money? I can't imagine teh K900 or Equus or even the genesis sedan selling more than the TL or new TLX models have or will sell. It's a long question I know but maybe you can shed some light on the difference. Thank you
***** Hyundai/Kia sell them in the Korean market as well, so worldwide sales of that platform far exceed the RLX. The development was split between the Genesis/Genesis Coupe (shares themes and design bits), K900 and Equus. In addition the Kia Borrego (discontinued) and other models in other markets have shared costs on the RWD drivetrain development.
you could buy a fully loaded accord with the price of one of these. if acura would put the price for the aspec one at 27k I'd consider buying it. 35k is just too much for a compact car.
Alex great review. I would have to test drive this 2016 and mkvII gti! What did you mean by Q points when shifitng? Not getting that point. Also do not like no split folding seat, fold down rear seat is so civic like common acura, cheap! Also this might be my nxt car in bought used a spec or new in base mode. Is it economical to buy new base mode and put the larger rims and tires on it? Is it worth It? I like your review of the dsg and I know or read how some current owners of new gti complain about dsg in stop and go traffic not shifiting correctly or efficiently in slow traffic.
Francox Xavier Some transmissions will cue shifts meaning you press the paddle 4 times rapidly and the transmission will shift that far down ASAP. The ILX doesn't respond that way so the shift has to be competed before it will accept another command.
Hello Alex, im a big fan of ur reviews. would u plz help me choose between 2016 A3 1.8t and 2016 Acura ILX, they r about the same price, im a young entry-premium car buyer so my bigger concerns r driving dynamics(fun), ride quality in broken pavements and value. Thanks very much.
Thank you! I drive a mid trim Volvo S60 now, love it, but thinking of ILX or loaded 2.5 Mazda 3 hatch for more goodies, less $, and, maybe, a similar feel. What say you? Is the ILX or the 3 the better step down?
Alex on Autos Drove the ILX and S60 on the same day -- yup, S60 still feels more premium, and you pay for it. The ILX struggled up a hill but the 8speed helped, and the interior has lots of nice soft touch material but it feels crammed with screens and buttons (18 on the steering wheel!). The fold down bench seat also required the front seeds to be moved forward, and even then the pass through was limited.
Ben Richards Personally I would skip the A-Spec because I didn't care too much for the faux-suede interior. The wheels look great but do have an impact on the ride (very tempting however), the spoiler is well done as well. The Tech package I would buy simply for the ELS sound system, it is fantastic. The nav software is handy but not too important to be and I like the idea of the AcuraLink telematics but I'm not sure if that is reason to upgrade. Over $2K for a stereo upgrade is silly, but since the other things come along for the ride I'm ok with it.,
Todd Medium Wellington III I drove a 2001 a Integra until a few months ago. In 2001 I test drove the Integra with double wishbones and the new Civic with MacPherson struts. Hated the way the Civic handled. Got the Integra. I've think I might have driven a TSX while my car was being serviced. What I remember is that I hated the automatic transmission. In general, I'd take double wishbones if I could get them. Most modern cars are getting more sophisticated features, in my opinion, but are not getting better in the fun to drive category, except for the high level sport cars which most of us can't afford or find impractical for everyday use. This makes me appreciate what a really spectacular al car the Integra was.
Very nice review. But im still having hard time which one should get. Acura ilx 2016 or audi a3 2016. I tried test drive both of them i dont feel any diff. Need help guys pls give me some ideas which one should i buy. I dont want end up having regrets lol. Ty.
Can you truly live with a bare bones A3? Otherwise the Audi defiantly is more money. Also how long do you tend to own the car? A German out of warranty isn't the best o ption.
I'm having trouble chosing which car, I really like the a spec cause it come with every safety features, navigation and the 18inch wheel for $35000 but I do like the A3 1.8 it doesn't offer much things, what can you tell me
Sean Anand "better" is a strong statement. No, it is not overall better than the A3 in my opinion, however it is a better value than the I3 meaning that it is less expensive and a little less nice.
