Acura has a long and storied history of being an innovator since its creation in 1986. As the first luxury brand from Japan, the marque brought with it the first variable valve timing technology, the first drive-by-wire electronic throttle, the first in-dash navigation system and the first instance of torque-vectoring all-wheel drive.
Laudable accomplishments, all of them, and Acura reaped rewards for the technological advancements it brought to the automotive realm. Venerable nameplates like Legend and Integra launched Acura into first place in the premium luxury car segment in 1987, the brand's first full year of sales.
And then things started to go downhill. The Legend was replaced by the poorly received RL and the discontinuation of the Integra in 2001 and the RSX a few years later in 2006 left Acura without a proper entry-level model. Acura sales peaked in 2005 and have floundered ever since.2013 Acura ILX, there's little to tip off the casual observer that this car shares its platform with the Honda Civic. This is a very good thing, as nobody who's shopping the entry-level premium segment wants their vehicle to look like a mainstream compact.
By now, you've surely developed an opinion on the sharp creases and bold look of modern Acura products, so we're not going to dwell on its beak-like fascia other than to say it's been downsized on the ILX and that it mostly blends in with its overall design ethos. We wouldn't expect the face of the ILX to deter many buyers if they are happy with what the rest of the car offers, which is not something we could say of some recent Acura designs.In front of the driver sits a pair of gauges flanking an electronic multi-information display that can show upcoming maintenance requirements, average speed, instant and average fuel consumption or estimated range with the current fuel load. Acura says this cluster is designed to help the driver concentrate on the task of driving, while the passenger enjoys a deeply carved dash that gives the impression of space and roominess.
All the interior bits and pieces are well integrated into an overall look, and are all crafted from upscale materials. The upper dash pad is soft to the touch and offers a pleasant contrast to the metallic look of the lower dash and center stack. The steering wheel is nicely styled, with a thick rim that feels good in the hand. We were a bit put off by the sheer number of buttons on either side of the wheel, but managed to figure them all out in time.
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