Long-Term Road Test Update
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Where’s the entry luxury?
Date: February 2013
Months in Fleet: 7 months
Current Mileage: 16,696 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 27 mpg
Average Range: 356 miles
Service: $71
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $74
We can usually roll up the 40,000 miles we require of our long-term cars in about a year. At just under 17K through seven months in our care, our ILX is somewhat behind the pace. As the coldest, snowiest, and most miserable days of Michigan’s winter pass, however, we expect the car to resume rolling its odo at the rate we saw last summer and fall. Since we introduced the Polished Metal Metallic sedan last August, it has ferried staffers twice to New York and once to Vermont before hibernating in and around C/D HQ in Ann Arbor.
Logbook scribblers continue to applaud the Acura’s slick six-speed manual and zingy 201-hp 2.4-liter, which are shared with the Honda Civic Si. (The ILX also shares several hard points with the more-plebeian Honda, notably, its suspension and floor.) The rare criticism centers not on mechanicals but the shifter’s metal knob. As we entered the sweltering dog days of summer, the ball frequently was too hot to handle. Now, in the winter, it gets so cold that gloveless pilots are complaining of frostbite. (They’re obviously ninnies.) But the cold weather brought something else of note: Engagement through the gates has begun to feel slightly sticky, and we’ll be watching to see if the issue subsides as spring and warmer temperatures approach.
Thirty Grand?
A recurring theme sees staffers wondering where the money went into creating this $30,000 car. Perhaps the lion’s share of development bucks went to the front structure, which was heavily modified from the Civic’s to accommodate a longer hood and relocated A-pillars for a more refined look. The money isn’t evident inside. We continue to bemoan the lack of a navigation system in 2.4-liter cars, and the short gearing and the attendant engine noise, especially on the freeway, still fray nerves. The 2.4’s sound has been described as “juvenile”—sensible in the Civic Si, not so much in an entry luxury car—and road noise in all situations has been characterized as “excessive” and “unacceptable.”
The ILX has many other amenities inside, but cost cutting is apparent, and the interior lacks the polish expected in the segment and for the price. The leather seats are showing obvious signs of wear, lending a whiff of shabbiness to the cabin. Although the dash, instrument panel, center stack, and center console eschew any outward Civic components, one log writer called out the ILX’s interior as a “pretty thin veneer over the Civic’s.” Taken with the powertrain, the result is a car that we’ve called “confused,” one that feels more like a Honda than it does an Acura.
Our introductory report had positive words for the seats, but as more butts have shuffled through the car, multiple folks have been disappointed by the overall lack of lateral support and the one-size-fits-all lumbar support. One driver even resorted to wedging his computer bag between his back and the seat on a long trip. (The bag wedger said he’d have been much happier in the confines of a much-cheaper Ford Focus.) Also coming in for criticism is the Acura’s Bluetooth setup, which is rather counterintuitive. It requires you to answer “No” when prompted to connect your phone, and then sends you down through “a dungeon of submenus” before ultimately reaching the Bluetooth configuration.
The ILX has been cheap to keep on the road, with one minor hiccup covered under warranty. Our first trip to the dealer was at 8800 miles for scheduled maintenance (an oil and filter change and a tire rotation, $71) and to replace the front door latches as part of a recall. At 13,000 miles, the passenger-side front door lock stopped working. The cause was a loose connection, which was fixed gratis. We had a wheel vibration checked out at the same time, and the techs found a nail lodged in the right rear tire. The damage was repaired and all four wheels rebalanced for $74.
Just shy of halfway to our 40,000-mile goal, the ILX’s impeccable engine and transmission have held up their end of the bargain, serving up driver enjoyment and involvement in equal measure. But we’re wondering when the rest of the ILX will start delivering on its entry-luxury promises.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED: $30,095 (base price: $30,095)
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 144 cu in, 2354 cc
Power: 201 hp @ 7000 rpm
Torque: 170 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 105.1 in
Length: 179.1 in
Width: 70.6 in Height: 55.6 in
Curb weight: 2970 lb
PERFORMANCE: NEW
Zero to 60 mph: 6.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 16.7 sec
Rolling start, 560 mph: 6.9 sec
Top gear, 3050 mph: 9.0 sec
Top gear, 5070 mph: 8.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.0 sec @ 95 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 138 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 184 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.81 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 22/31 mpg
C/D observed: 27 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt
WARRANTY:
4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper;
6 years/70,000 miles powertrain;
5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection;
4 years/50,000 miles roadside assistance
Continued…