| Pros | Cons | What's New |
|---|---|---|
Plethora of standard safety tech | Obsolete infotainment system | No major changes as compared to the 2020 model |
Striking and bold exterior design | Cramped rear seats | |
Powerful engine | Soggy brakes | |
Low ownership costs | Uninspiring handling |
$25,950
price201 hp @ 6800 rpm
horsepower180 lb.-ft. @ 3600 rpm
torque8-Speed Automated Manual
transmission2.4L 4cyl FWD 8AM
engine-
basic warrantyThe Acura ILX has served to be the entry point into the Acura brand for quite some time and has maintained a healthy image for a good entry-level luxury sedan. Being the Honda Civic’s distant cousin, the ILX surprisingly has a solid identity of its own and does at least appear more premium on the outside. The list of practical and modern connectivity features inside the cabin is a long one, but the overall implementation could have been better.
The Base trim of the ILX offers good value for money as it does come with some generous amount of features on offer, but upgrading to the Premium would be our suggestion since it is arguably the most value for money option of the lot. The fact that it at least offers a touch screen, albeit a terrible one, is enough reason to upgrade in the year 2021 as we wouldn’t want you to feel left out on the infotainment front. The other added features are also more than makeup for the price increase, but if your pocket allows, springing up the top tier isn’t a heavy task.
For the 2021 model, Acura has carried over the 2020 ILX with no perceptible changes, which was expected since it recently received a facelift in 2019. Although it does look the part, we do believe that the ILX is in need of a complete overhaul soon. The exterior has a distinct styling of its own, while the interior design is forgettable. It faces competition from the likes of BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine, and Audi A3.
The 2021 Acura ILX has a decent spread of trims, starting from the Base trim priced at $26,100, Premium Package coming in at $28,100, A-Spec Package w/Premium Package priced at $30,100, and the top-of-the-line A-Spec Package w/Technology Package commanding $32,000. As it is evident, the ILX comes in a decent variety of configurations, although they are quite narrowly priced, which could see you wanting to climb the hierarchy quite quickly though.
|
Trim |
Base |
Premium Package |
A-Spec Package with Premium Package |
A-Spec Package with Technology Package |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$26,100 |
$28,100 |
$30,100 |
$32,000 |
|
Key Features |
Dual Zone Climate Control |
Adds to Base features |
Adds to technology Package features |
Adds to Premium and A-Spec Package features |
|
Daytime Running Lights |
Blind Spot Monitors |
18-inch alloys |
Acura navigation system with 3D view |
|
|
Stability Control |
Satellite Radio |
LED Fog Lamps |
Keyless Ignition |
|
|
Lane Departure Warning |
7 total speakers with 1 subwoofer |
A-Spec Sport Seats |
AcuraLink real-time traffic |
|
|
Emergency Braking Assist |
4-way Power Passenger Seat |
USB with External Media Control |
Interior Air Filtration |
|
|
AM/FM Stereo with 6-total speakers |
Leather Upholstery |
Milano Ultrasuede Upholstery |
Graphite and Chrome dash trim |
|
|
Sunroof |
|
A-Spec Red Instrument Cluster |
Dynamic guidelines for the multi-view rear camera |
Which trim should you buy?
The Base trim of the ILX offers good value for money as it does come with some generous amount of features on offer, but upgrading to the Premium would be our suggestion since it is arguably the most value for money option of the lot. The fact that it at least offers a touch screen, albeit a terrible one, is enough reason to upgrade in the year 2021 as we wouldn’t want you to feel left out on the infotainment front. The other added features are also more than makeup for the price increase, but if your pocket allows, springing up the top tier isn’t a heavy task.
With an EPA estimate of 24 mpg in the city and 34 mpg out on the highway, the 2021 ILX manages to return some very respectable fuel economy numbers which should result in fewer trips to the gas station. With a fuel tank capacity of 13.2 gallons, it can travel up to 317 miles in the city, 449 miles on the highway, and 369 miles in mixed driving conditions on a full tank of gas. For a vehicle that is as docile as the ILX, we are happy to see it performing well on the economy front as it would at least return miles per gallon if not smiles per gallon!
|
Models |
2021 Acura ILX |
2021 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe |
2021 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine |
2021 Audi A3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MPG (City) |
24 |
23 |
24 |
27 |
|
MPG (Highway) |
34 |
33 |
36 |
36 |
|
MPG (Combined) |
28 |
27 |
28 |
30 |
|
Fuel Tank Capacity (Gallons) |
13.2 |
13.2 |
13.5 |
13.2 |
|
Range (City/Highway/Combined; Miles) |
317/449/369 |
304/436/356 |
324/473/378 |
337/472/378 |
The better fuel economy numbers on the Audi and a class standard 13.2-gallon tank size make it the choice to be when opting for a fun and economical vehicle, with the A-Class coming in an extremely close second. The Beemer, although is sportier than the rest, does lose out by a smidge when it comes to EPA estimates. Acura stands along with Mercedes in both city and combined fuel economy but loses on the highways.
The 2021 Acura ILX comes with a dated-looking interior styling. The center console design feels archaic and the twin infotainment display design is comical to look at and aftermarket in its feel. The choice of materials utilized for the ILX’s interiors certainly doesn’t reflect anything remotely “luxurious,” and the only thing that we did like at a glance was its steering wheel design. The seating department is a little problematic somehow too as the driver seat refuses to go down beyond a certain point and could pose headroom issues for taller people.
The rear seat room can be dubbed as cramped in general for anyone that has a height starting with figure six and above. Although the controls that are separate from the infotainment do work well and the cabin is fairly well equipped, it is very disappointing to sit inside a vehicle that looks smashing on the outside but damn near barf worthy on the inside. Surely, the Acura designers could have worked harder and given the ILX a better interior.
|
Models |
2021 Acura ILX |
2021 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe |
2021 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine |
2021 Audi A3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Seating Capacity |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
Front Row (Headroom/Shoulder Room/Legroom; inches) |
38.0/55.6/42.3 |
39.8/55.5/41.4 |
40.3/55.1/41.8 |
36.5/54.8/41.2 |
|
Rear Row (Headroom/Shoulder Room/Legroom; inches) |
35.9/53.6/34.0 |
35.7/53.1/34.4 |
37.2/54.0/33.9 |
36.1/53/35.1 |
|
Cargo Space (cubic feet) |
12.4 |
15.1 |
14.3 |
12.3 |
The tag of the ‘most modern-looking interiors’ has to go to Mercedes-Benz as they have been doing some fantastic stuff inside the cabin in almost all of their 2021 vehicles. Yes, we do like the clean and simple BMW interiors as well, but Mercedes takes it to a whole new level. The added boot space on the BMW might sway some, but we would still rather have the A-Class for its interior alone. The ILX and A3 lack good cargo capacity as well. The BMW offers better practicality with more cargo capacity than the competition. Some of the standout interior features of the ILX are:
The moment that we thought the cabin experience of the ILX couldn’t get worse, Acura decided to bamboozle us by slapping us in the face with the most confusing infotainment in any automotive product. The dual-screen infotainment setup in the ILX is confusing to look at and painful to operate. For some reason, every function is haphazardly split between these two screens, and the fact that the higher screen isn’t a touch screen just makes you scratch your head in amazement. Yes, if it is just too much for you, you can opt for the base model that does away with the touch infotainment entirely, but we would still not suggest you go that route as it takes away a ton of functionality too.
For some reason, Acura has decided to display the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto screens on the higher no touch display with the controls on the lower touch screen, which makes for the most frustrating interaction ever with these services. The audio quality is also nothing to be raved about, but it gets the job decently well, which is enough for most folks. The moment you step up to the optional 10-speaker Burmeister setup, the car thumps out some solid tunes with appreciable sound separation. The upgraded system is a worthy add-on that is only let down by the subpar head unit. The premium sound system does sound great and tries to compensate for the mediocre infotainment system. Some of the highlights of the infotainment system are:
The front end of the Acura ILX has got to be one of its biggest USPs as it looks gorgeous on the outside. The standard Jewel Eye LED Headlights are crisp to look at, and we do believe that the larger Acura grille does grow on people with time. The side profile looks modern with a slightly sloping roofline, and the chrome on the window panes gives it a premium appeal. The overall proportions of the Acura are a big thumbs up, while the piano black rear spoiler and the blacked-out alloys look especially great with the white color scheme.
|
Models |
2021 Acura ILX |
2021 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe |
2021 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine |
2021 Audi A3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Curb Weight (lbs) |
3,095 |
3,534 |
3,285 |
3,197 |
|
Length (inches) |
182.2 |
178.5 |
179.1 |
175.5 |
|
Width (inches) |
70.6 |
70.9 |
70.7 |
77.2 |
|
Height (inches) |
55.6 |
55.9 |
56.9 |
55.7 |
|
Ground Clearance (inches) |
5.3 |
5.5 |
4.3 |
6.3 |
|
Wheelbase (inches) |
105.1 |
105.1 |
107.4 |
103.8 |
The wider and taller proportions of the A3 do impress a tad more when it comes to interior comfort, but thanks to the extended wheelbase on the Mercedes, it is the A-Class that appears to be slightly more planted when going full speed. When considering the ground clearance, the A3 scores the top rank, followed by 2 Series, ILX, and A-Class. Some of the standout exterior features are as follows:
A 5-star rating from the NHTSA and the highest rating of “Good” in all metrics, barring the headlights, from the IIHS does establish the fact pretty well that the ILX is remarkable when it comes to safety. Not only has Acura built the ILX as a safe platform in itself with great passive safety features, but it also has not skimped on the active safety features as well. Although certain features are available on higher trims or as optional. Some of the notable active safety features are as follows:
The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe has managed to send ripples into the very class that all these vehicles are fighting in. The Beemer is faster, more agile, and offers a great level of safety features when compared to the ILX. The 2 Series offers a much bigger boot in comparison to the ILX and also comes with a significantly better interior which more or less wipes out the ILX from our consideration. However, the BMW is more expensive than the ILX but justifies its price tag better.
The new A-Class from Mercedes-Benz in all honesty chews up and spits out the ILX when it comes to the interiors as it is arguably the most opulent feeling vehicle in the class. The infotainment on the Mercedes blows the ILX out of the water, while the great driving dynamics and newer exterior styling only further justify the A-Class’s argument of being better than the ILX. The A-class is more expensive than the ILX but is the car of our choice between the two.
The Audi A3 might be a little longer in the tooth when compared to some of the other rivals in the class, but it still feels much fresher than the aging ILX. Yes, if given a choice, we might pick between the BMW and the Mercedes as the most sought-after vehicle in the class. That said, the Audi offers an extremely compelling package of efficiency and driving dynamics that make it a great option for potential buyers. Much like in the other cases though, the ILX falls flat on its face and fails to convince us as to why we should pick it over the A3.
The 2021 Acura ILX might look like a sorted vehicle on the outside, but when you start probing, you realize that most of the product is just based on hopes and dreams. We might have forgiven the ILX for the slightly lethargic performance and lazy handling in favor of its luxury orientation, but the interior of the ILX messes it over so bad, that it is tough to recommend this vehicle to a potential buyer. Overall, it is not a bad vehicle, but the competition does everything in a much better way. Acura, please give the ILX a complete overhaul, it is desperate for one!
Car Name | 0-60 MPH | Quarter Mile | Top Speed | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 Acura ILX Ranked #4 | 7.8 sec | 15.5 sec | 110 mph | |||
2021 Subaru WRX Ranked #1 | 5.3 sec | 14.0 sec | 145 mph | |||
2021 Honda Accord Ranked #2 | 7.2 sec | 15.5 sec | 124 mph | |||
2021 Volkswagen Jetta Ranked #3 | 7.7 sec | - | 127 mph | |||
2021 Hyundai Sonata Ranked #3 | 7.7 sec | - | - | |||
2021 Kia Forte Ranked #5 | 7.9 sec | 16.2 sec | 123 mph |
Car Name | MPG City | MPG Highway | MPG Combined | Fuel Tank Capacity | Range (C/H) | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 Acura ILX Ranked #6 | 24 mpg | 34 mpg | 28 mpg | 13.2 gal. | 316.8/448.8 mi. | |||
2021 Hyundai Elantra Ranked #1 | 33 mpg | 43 mpg | 37 mpg | 12.4 gal. | 409.2/533.2 mi. | |||
2021 Volkswagen Jetta Ranked #2 | 30 mpg | 41 mpg | 34 mpg | 13.5 gal. | 405/553.5 mi. | |||
2021 Honda Accord Ranked #3 | 30 mpg | 38 mpg | 33 mpg | 14.8 gal. | 444/562.4 mi. | |||
2021 Toyota Corolla Ranked #3 | 30 mpg | 38 mpg | 33 mpg | 13.2 gal. | 396/501.6 mi. | |||
2021 Nissan Sentra Ranked #3 | 29 mpg | 39 mpg | 33 mpg | 12.4 gal. | 359.6/483.6 mi. |
Car Name | Length | Width | Height | Ground Clearance | Wheelbase | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 Acura ILX Ranked #7 | 182.2 in. | 70.6 in. | 55.6 in. | 4.4 in. | 105.1 in. | |||
2021 Honda Accord Ranked #1 | 196.1 in. | 73.3 in. | 57.1 in. | 6.7 in. | 111.4 in. | |||
2021 Hyundai Sonata Ranked #2 | 192.9 in. | 73.2 in. | 56.9 in. | 5.3 in. | 111.8 in. | |||
2021 Volkswagen Jetta Ranked #3 | 185.1 in. | 70.8 in. | 57.6 in. | 5.6 in. | 105.7 in. | |||
2021 Mazda 3 Ranked #4 | 183.5 in. | 70.7 in. | 56.9 in. | 5.5 in. | 107.3 in. | |||
2021 Kia Forte Ranked #5 | 182.7 in. | 70.9 in. | 56.5 in. | 5.3 in. | 106.3 in. |
Car Name | Trunk Capacity | Passenger Volume | Max Trunk Volume | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 Acura ILX Ranked #7 | 12.4 cu.ft. | 89.3 cu.ft. | 13.5 cu.ft. | |||
2021 Toyota Corolla Ranked #1 | 13.1 cu.ft. | 88.6 cu.ft. | 176 cu.ft. | |||
2021 Honda Accord Ranked #2 | 16.7 cu.ft. | 105.6 cu.ft. | 134.3 cu.ft. | |||
2021 Kia Forte Ranked #3 | 15.3 cu.ft. | 96 cu.ft. | 108.8 cu.ft. | |||
2021 Subaru WRX Ranked #4 | 12 cu.ft. | 96.6 cu.ft. | 74 cu.ft. | |||
2021 Hyundai Elantra Ranked #5 | 14.2 cu.ft. | 114 cu.ft. | 48.9 cu.ft. |
Car Name | Cargo Volume | Cargo Volume w/ Seat Area | Max Cargo Volume | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 Acura ILX Ranked #1 | 13.5 cu.ft. | 12.4 cu.ft. | 13.5 cu.ft. | |||
2021 Kia Forte Ranked #2 | 108.8 cu.ft. | 15.3 cu.ft. | 108.8 cu.ft. | |||
2021 Volkswagen Jetta Ranked #3 | - | 14.1 cu.ft. | - | |||
2021 Nissan Sentra Ranked #4 | - | 14.3 cu.ft. | - | |||
2021 Hyundai Elantra Ranked #5 | 48.9 cu.ft. | 14.2 cu.ft. | 48.9 cu.ft. | |||
2021 Mazda 3 Ranked #6 | - | 13.2 cu.ft. | - |
Car Name | Payload Capacity | Weight | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 Acura ILX Ranked #1 | 906 lbs. | 3095 lbs. | |||
2021 Toyota Corolla Ranked #1 | 825 lbs. | 2910 lbs. | |||
2021 Mazda 3 Ranked #1 | - | 2984 lbs. | |||
2021 Hyundai Sonata Ranked #1 | 1234 lbs. | 3120 lbs. | |||
2021 Nissan Sentra Ranked #1 | 921 lbs. | 3036 lbs. | |||
2021 Honda Accord Ranked #1 | 1149 lbs. | 3150 lbs. |
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Posted On: September 30, 2023
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