2016 Acura ILX Review

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The 2016 Acura ILX has a great fuel economy, but it comes up short in nearly every other area. This car finishes near the very bottom of our luxury small car rankings because of its meager performance and dated-looking interior.

The 2016 Acura ILX has a sportier focus than other entry-luxury sedans, without sacrificing comfort and refinement.

Rankings & Research

The 2016 Acura ILX's #16 ranking is based on its score within the 2016 Luxury Small Cars category. Currently, the Acura ILX has a score of 7.4 out of 10, which is based on our evaluation of 44 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.

2016 Acura ILX Overview

How Much Is the 2016 Acura ILX?

Expect to spend between $16,500 and $23,700 on the 2016 Acura ILX. The average list price is $19,900. These figures are based on 263 listings for the 2016 ILX on our site. Prices vary depending on the vehicle's condition, mileage, features, and location.

How Much Does the 2016 Acura ILX Cost to Own?

Projected five-year costs for the 2016 Acura ILX's gas, insurance, maintenance, and repairs are about $24,600, or $4,920 per year. By comparison, the 2016 Honda Civic, 2016 Honda Accord, and 2016 Acura TLX have slightly lower costs of around $19,930, $23,100, and $23,870, respectively, while the 2016 Audi A3 has similar costs of around $24,630.

How Much Does It Cost to Insure an Acura ILX?

The cost of insuring an Acura ILX will depend on a variety of factors, including your deductible, the level of coverage that you want, and the type of insurance that you choose. Your age, gender, location, credit score, and driving record can also have an impact on your insurance rates. Check out our car insurance guide to find the best policy for you.

Is It Better to Buy a Used or New ILX?

The 2018 Acura ILX starts at $28,100; that's about $8,000 more than the average price of a used 2016 model. For 2018, Lexus added a new Special Edition trim that adds exterior styling elements. Otherwise, the 2018 ILX is nearly identical to the 2016 ILX. Unless you love the Special Edition trim, save yourself some money and opt for the 2016 model instead of a new 2018 ILX.

You won't find a new luxury small car for less than the price of an average 2016 ILX. If you're willing to consider a nonluxury car, however, you'll have several options. The 2018 Honda Civic, for example, is a great new-car alternative to a used ILX. Both cars boast excellent fuel economy, agile handling, and comfortable rides. However, the Civic is better in each of these areas, and it starts at only $18,840. The Honda also has additional connectivity features, as well as more passenger and cargo space than the Acura. The base Civic’s interior isn’t as upscale as the Acura’s, but the Civic’s upper trims have more lavish cabin materials and amenities.

How Reliable Is the 2016 Acura ILX?

The 2016 Acura ILX has an above-average reliability rating of 3.5 out of five from J.D. Power. By comparison, the 2016 Honda Civic gets the same rating, while the 2016 Honda Accord receives a three. The larger 2016 Acura TLX and 2016 Audi A3 get below-average ratings of 2.5.

2016 Acura ILX Recalls

At the time of this writing, the 2016 Acura ILX has one safety recall. The driver's frontal air bag inflator could rupture and increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash. Before you purchase an ILX, make sure that this recall has been resolved.

Which Model Year of the Acura ILX Is Best?

The 2016 Acura ILX is part of a generation that started with the 2013 model year and includes the 2018 ILX. Notable changes include the discontinuation of the ILX Hybrid for the 2015 model year and updated exterior styling, a revised powertrain, and additional available safety features for the 2016 model year.

Overall scores within this generation are relatively close, so you’ll want to shop around for the best combination of price and features.

Which Used Acura ILX Model Is Right for Me?

The 2016 Acura ILX comes in only one trim, but several packages are available. For the best value, look for models with the AcuraWatch Plus package. It adds a healthy complement of advanced safety features, like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. If you’d rather have leather upholstery, iPhone navigation app connectivity, an 8-inch display, satellite radio, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, look for models with the Premium package instead. Stay away from the Technology Plus package and its complicated dual-screen infotainment setup.

What Does Acura's Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Cover?

Acura offers a certified pre-owned program for cars six years old or less and with fewer than 80,000 miles. Eligibility is determined by the vehicle’s initial sale date. Qualifying vehicles get a limited warranty that is good for up to two years or 100,000 miles after the four-year/50,000-mile new-car warranty has expired. Acura covers the powertrain for seven years or 100,000 miles. These CPO models must pass a 182-point inspection. Additional benefits are available, including roadside assistance and the first scheduled maintenance, so read Acura’s warranty page carefully.

Among luxury car manufacturers, Acura’s CPO program is about average, according to our research. You’ll find better programs from Lexus, Tesla, and Infiniti.

How Safe Is the ILX?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2016 Acura ILX a Top Safety Pick+, giving it the highest rating of Good in all crash tests conducted. It also earned the top rating of Superior for the effectiveness of its optional front crash prevention features.

The ILX also earned an overall rating of five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It received five stars in the side crash test and four stars in the frontal crash and rollover tests.

Every 2016 ILX comes with a rearview camera. The Premium package adds blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert. The AcuraWatch Plus package adds adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and road departure mitigation.

2016 Acura ILX Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: 2016 Acura ILX or 2016 Acura TLX?

The 2016 Acura TLX is a luxury midsize sedan that has more passenger and cargo space and a higher-quality cabin than the smaller ILX. Moreover, the TLX offers an all-wheel drive and a V6 engine, upgrades that are not available with the ILX. These Acura sedans are similar in that they both get good gas mileage estimates. The ILX has a better-predicted reliability rating and more agile handling than the larger TLX, but the TLX is still a better car overall.

Which Is Better: 2016 Acura ILX or 2016 Audi A3?

Athletic handling and two available turbo-four engines help make the 2016 Audi A3 more fun to drive than the ILX. The Audi also offers all-wheel drive, and its standard features list includes a user-friendly infotainment system, rear parking sensors, and leather seats. The ILX, on the other hand, doesn’t have all-wheel drive, its infotainment system is confusing to use, and you'll need to add an options package to get leather upholstery and rear parking sensors. That said, the ILX has a better reliability rating than the Audi.

Which Is Better: 2016 Acura ILX or 2016 Honda Civic?

The 2016 Honda Civic offers a lot of what the ILX does but at a more budget-friendly price. The Civic comes in both coupe and sedan body styles, it's more fuel-efficient than the ILX, and it offers more smartphone connectivity features. Inside, the Civic has a comfortable interior with even more space than the ILX, and while the Civic's interior isn’t as nice as the ILX's, its higher trims have an Acura-like cabin. The ILX does have more standard amenities and horsepower, but the Civic is a better value.

Which Is Better: 2016 Acura ILX or 2016 Honda Accord?

When outfitted with the available automatic transmission, the 2016 Honda Accord gets slightly better fuel economy than the ILX does. The Accord doesn't come with as much standard equipment as the ILX, but it does offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (neither of which are available in the Acura). The Honda also has more passenger and cargo space, as well as an available V6 engine. If you can forego a long list of standard amenities, go for the Accord.

2016 ILX Performance

How Does the 2016 Acura ILX Drive?

All 2016 Acura ILXs come with a 201-horsepower four-cylinder engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain delivers quick acceleration from a standstill with precise shifts. The engine strains to get up to highway passing speeds, though.

Does the 2016 Acura ILX Get Good Gas Mileage?

The 2016 ILX gets 25 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway; these are great ratings for the class. The larger 2016 Acura TLX gets 1 less mpg in the city and the same highway rating, while the 2016 Audi A3 gets 23/33 mpg city/highway. With an automatic transmission, the 2016 Honda Civic gets 30/40 mpg, while the 2016 Honda Accord gets 27/36 mpg.

2016 ILX Interior

How Many People Does the 2016 ILX Seat?

The ILX seats up to five people in two rows. There's plenty of room for adults in the front and rear, and the seats are comfortable, though side support is lacking. Leatherette upholstery and heated front seats are standard, and some models come with leather seats. Though it’s a quality interior, the ILX's cabin isn't as upscale as many of its competitors.

How Many Car Seats Fit in the 2016 Acura ILX?

There are two full sets of LATCH car-seat connectors on the ILX's rear outboard seats. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave this LATCH system the second-highest rating of Acceptable for its ease of use.

2016 Acura ILX Features

The 2016 ILX comes standard with a 5-inch display, Siri Eyes Free for iPhone users, push-button start, Bluetooth, Pandora internet radio compatibility, a six-speaker stereo, dual-zone automatic climate control, a multi-view rearview camera, a moonroof, and a USB port. Available features include a 7-inch touch screen, a 10-speaker stereo, voice recognition, a dual-screen navigation system, HD Radio, and satellite radio. Available safety features include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring.

The ILX's dual-screen display system is cumbersome. It shows redundant information, has too many small buttons, and the screens can be a distraction to the driver. Many competitors’ display controllers are positioned better than the ILX's, which sits on the dashboard.

2016 Acura ILX Dimensions

Acura ILX Cargo Space

The 2016 ILX has 12.3 cubic feet of trunk space, which is on par with class rivals. There's enough space for groceries or a set of golf clubs, but the rear seats aren't split-folding. This means you can't fit long cargo while carrying a third occupant. Cargo hauling is also limited by a narrow pass-through.

2016 ILX Length and Weight

The ILX is approximately 15 feet long, and its curb weight ranges from 3,093 pounds to 3,137 pounds.

2016 Acura ILX models

The 2016 Acura ILX entry-level luxury sedan comes with six different equipment levels: base, AcuraWatch Plus package, Premium package, A-Spec Package, Premium, and A-Spec package. and the Technology Plus package.

Standard equipment for the base model includes 17-inch wheels, a sunroof, automatic LED headlights, heated mirrors, keyless ignition and entry, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, leatherette (premium vinyl) upholstery, an eight-way power driver seat, heated front seats, a fold-down rear seatback, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 5-inch information display screen, a multiview rearview camera, Bluetooth phone, and audio connectivity, and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, a USB/iPod audio interface and Pandora radio and Siri Eyes Free smartphone app integration.

With the AcuraWatch Plus package, you'll get all the base ILX equipment plus adaptive cruise control, a forward-collision warning system, automatic braking for frontal collision mitigation, a lane departure warning system, lane-keeping assist, and road departure mitigation.

The Premium package builds on the base car's standard equipment as well, but it omits the AcuraWatch Plus equipment instead of blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, leather front seats, a four-way power passenger seat, driver memory settings, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, an 8-inch upper information display (instead of the 5-inch screen), an additional 7-inch touchscreen and a seven-speaker audio system with HD radio, satellite radio and Aha radio smartphone app integration.

.Further up the ladder, the Technology Plus package adds the contents of the AcuraWatch Plus package and the Premium package as well as a 10-speaker ELS audio system, voice commands (including audio), a navigation system, and guidelines for the rearview camera.

You can add the A-Spec package to both the Premium and Technology Plus package equipment lines to get 18-inch wheels, foglights, a rear spoiler, side sills, and simulated-suede seat inserts with contrasting stitching.

2016 Highlights

For 2016, the Acura ILX gets freshened front and rear-end treatments, including new LED headlights, for a sharper look. The base 2.0-liter engine is no longer available, so the previously optional 2.4-liter engine is now standard in every ILX, and this year it produces some additional torque and comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Lastly, there are several new safety features available, including a blind-spot warning system, rear-cross traffic alerts, lane-keeping assist, forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and a multiview back-up camera.

Performance & mpg

Powering the base 2016 ILX is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that's rated at 201 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic is the only available transmission (it's technically an automated manual transmission but it functions like a conventional automatic). The EPA's estimated fuel economy stands at 29 mpg combined (25 city/36 highway).

Safety

The 2016 Acura ILX comes standard with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, and active front head restraints. A rearview camera is also standard.

Optional equipment includes a frontal collision warning system, automatic braking for frontal collision mitigation, a lane departure warning system, lane-keeping assist, and road departure mitigation (which detects the potential for veering into objects such as trees or parked cars and applies the lane-keeping assist and collision mitigation systems).

Driving

In prior years, we preferred the ILX's 2.4-liter engine over the underwhelming base 2.0-liter engine, so it's nice to have the bigger engine standard this year. Better yet, you can finally get this engine with an automatic transmission, something most buyers will want in this class of the car. Still, the 2016 ILX is hardly a speed demon, and the engine has to work harder and rev higher than most competitors to accelerate with authority. The eight-speed automatic transmission's steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and rev-matched downshift liven up the driving experience, but we noted some low-speed hiccups in fully automatic mode.

The 2016 Acura ILX's ride quality is also disappointing. The car reacts stiffly over rough surfaces, yet it's overly soft   when encountering big highway dips. Road noise is also higher than average for this segment. In both regards, the Audi A3 is more refined and pleasing to drive. Around turns, the ILX's precise steering helps the car feel sporty and direct, but its handling limits and fun-to-drive nature are ultimately modest for the segment.

Interior

While there are a few improvements to styling, the 2016 ILX's interior mostly carries over from the previous year. That means the materials still aren't much better than what you'll find in top mainstream sedans like the Accord, though everything seems to be screwed together pretty well. In contrast, the Audi A3 feels much classier and more luxurious inside than the ILX.

You do get a fair number of features, though. The Premium and Tech Plus models benefit from a new, larger touchscreen on the center stack. Even with the optional larger screen, however, the ILX's setup isn't our favorite. It splits audio and navigation functions into two screens, and the control knob in the middle of the dash is less intuitive to use than the armrest-mounted controllers in the ILX's German rivals.

Special care was used in designing the supportive seats, yet not overly firm or confining. The ILX is also pretty spacious for a compact car, with a decent amount of backseat room. Still, the headroom can be snug for 6-footers due to the car's standard sunroof.

Trunk space, at 12.3 cubic feet, is average, and the opening is a little narrow. The rear seat folds down to facilitate carrying longer items, but the seatback is not split to permit a mix of long cargo and a passenger or two in the backseat.