2019 Acura ILX Review

The ILX's non-turbocharged four-cylinder makes all its power high in the rev range, feeling and sounding best at 4,000 rpm or higher. While this is good fun in the right conditions, it leaves you feeling flat-footed driving in a city or stop-and-go traffic.

The brakes are responsive without feeling grabby, with intuitive pedal response. The ILX tracks straight during panic stops.

The steering is light but offers some feedback from the wheels, which can be lacking in this class. The quick turn-in and direct response help the ILX feel a bit sporty.

The ILX feels planted, even over bumps, and is more than capable in typical driving. There's notable body roll, and for a sporty luxury vehicle the limits are low but pleasantly approachable. The car is quite balanced and will oversteer gently under braking.

The transmission shifts quickly and smoothly and responds immediately to manual inputs. In Sport mode it will stay in the powerband, but in Normal mode, it will shift frequently, unable to easily balance upshifts for economy and downshifts needed for power.

The front seat cushions are supportive and not overly firm. They should fit a variety of bodies and are good for long-range comfort. Ditto the contoured rear bench. But there's no real bolstering to speak of, an issue during spirited driving.

The ride is compliant without feeling floaty, tuned more for comfort than handling performance. Most drivers will appreciate the softer calibration.

The engine sounds healthy at all speeds, but noise is an issue in the ILX. Road and tire noise is intrusive at freeway speeds, and there's not as much isolation from external noises as in other luxury cars.

The ILX comes standard with a dual-zone climate control system that's simple and functional.

The dual-screen infotainment system adds unnecessary complication, but the physical controls are clearly labeled and easy to find.

The seats are high relative to the ground, and the front door openings tall and square, making for easy front ingress and egress. The tighter back seat requires ducking down a bit, but overall it's easy to slide in and out of.

You feel relatively high up in the ILX, with armrests and controls somewhat low compared to your position. It's not ideal for sporty driving, but it's comfortable enough.

Rear passengers will notice a lack of legroom, although headroom is enough for average-size adults. The front seat offers sufficient elbow and knee room, although taller-than-average drivers might find headroom a bit tight.

The front windshield pillars hamper your view for turns, but otherwise there's good visibility in the ILX. It's pretty easy to see out the back and over your shoulders, and the rearview camera provides a large — though not high-definition — view.

The ILX is cursed with economy-car bones that it simply can't cover up. The seats and steering wheel, along with some important touchpoints, feel nice, but otherwise the prevailing impression is of hard, cheap plastic. We also noticed some creaks and rattles, which added to the impression of below-average materials quality.

The dual-screen infotainment system is an unnecessary complication, requiring the user to learn which commands and features run on which screen and to regularly switch between touch and dial-based interfaces.

While Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration are available, the interface doesn't use the ILX's touchscreen for some unfathomable reason. Instead, you have to use a dial to navigate your phone.

All the driver aids you expect are present, but none come from the most recent generation of technology. Adaptive cruise operates smoothly for the most part, but it cuts out automatically below a certain speed, requiring the driver to take control when traffic slows.

Standard equipment on the ILX includes 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, heated mirrors, LED head- and taillights, proximity entry and push-button start, a power sunroof, dual-zone climate control, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats and faux leather upholstery. The base model makes do with a single-screen infotainment system with Bluetooth audio streaming and a six-speaker stereo system.

The AcuraWatch suite of safety features and driver aids comes standard, so the ILX has forward collision alert with emergency automatic braking, lane keeping assist and road departure mitigation, and even adaptive cruise control (although it doesn't operate below 25 mph). A rear camera with multiple view options is also standard.

Adding the Premium package brings you blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, perforated leather upholstery, a four-way power-adjustable passenger seat, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The Premium package upgrades the infotainment system with a second touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, and a subwoofer.

From there, the Technology package also adds navigation with real-time traffic, AcuraLink services integration, a premium 10-speaker stereo, and dynamic guidelines for the rearview camera display.

The A-Spec package can be added to the base car or in conjunction with either of the other upgrades. It's primarily an appearance package, with unique trim and interior colors and faux-suede seat inserts. It also sports 18-inch alloy wheels with slightly wider tires.