Model Highlights
While last year's ILX mostly made due with only 150hp, the 2016 ILX gets a brand new engine as standard equipment. The new engine has 4-cylinders, displaces 2.4L and makes a very healthy 201 hp. Last year, buyers had a choice between a 6-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic. This year however, all ILX's utilize Acura's new 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This all adds up to more sprightly performance from the more powerful engine, as well as more relaxed cruising on the highway, thanks to the extra gears.
Power is sent to the front wheels in the ILX making for decent traction. Suspension tuning strikes a nice balance between handling and ride. The ILX feels smooth and controlled on twisty roads, but the suspension is still soft enough to soak up all but the biggest bumps.
The ILX bills itself as a small luxury car and its list of standard features backs up that assertion. Standard items on the basic ILX include a 6-speaker sound system with Bluetooth, USB, Pandora and iPod connectivity, an SMS text messaging assistant, a multi-view rear facing camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, automatic headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, powered and heated side mirrors and LED headlights.
Upgrading to the Premium Package will add leather seating surfaces, a 7-inch multifunction touch screen, an improved stereo with a subwoofer, HD radio, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a HomeLink garage door opener. The Premium Package also adds a couple of safety features, including blind spot information and cross traffic monitoring.
The top of the line Tech Plus trim adds a 10-speaker stereo, SiriusXM satellite radio, a TFT multi-information display, a navigation system that can be linked to the climate control system. The Tech Plus trim also comes with suite of safety and driver assistance technologies which Acura has named AcuraWatch. These features include an adaptive cruise control system, a lane departure warning system, a lane keeping assist system and finally, a road departure and collision mitigation braking system. Though AcuraWatch is standard on the Tech Plus trim, it is also available on the base and Premium Package trims as a $1300 option.
For buyers who wish the ILX was a little sportier, an A-spec package includes 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and a spoiler as well as suede seat inserts and a few external badges.
