2016 Acura ILX Entry Level Compact Luxury Car

Smart styling; inexpensive price of entry; compact footprint; silky smooth transmission; powerful engine.
The Acura ILX gets a host of updates for its 2016 redesign. Exterior improvements are most noticeable around the front of the car, with the 2016 ILX featuring a sleeker looking front fascia and grill. The rest of the exterior also gets subtle improvements, with the new wheel and taillight designs doing their part to refresh the vehicle's looks.

The improvements are more than skin deep however. The ILX gets a brand new, more powerful engine this year as well as a new transmission that promises to be even smoother and more efficient than the one in the outgoing car. The interior of the ILX has also been improved through the use of nicer materials and additional standard features.

The 2016 Acura ILX is an entry level compact luxury car. Despite its diverse feature set and high end badge, the ILX actually starts at under $28,000. Being smaller than traditional luxury cars means that the 2016 Acura ILX is right at home in the city, where parallel parking a large vehicle might be problematic. Buyers who don't necessarily want or need a large car may find themselves in the enviable position of being able to get luxury appointments in a small urban-friendly package.

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 2016 Acura 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.

2016 Acura ILX Parts and Accessories

For buyers who wish the 2016 Acura 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.