2016 ACURA ILX QUICK TAKES

TestDriveNow QUICK TAKES: 2016 ACURA ILX TECH PLUS A-SPEC OVERVIEW

The ILX’s new 2.4-liter, 16-valve, direct-injected DOHC i-VTEC engine produces peak output of 201 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 180 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,600 rpm, up 51 horsepower and 40 lb.-ft. compared to the outgoing 2.0-liter engine.

The new engine is mated to a new 8-speed dual clutch transmission (8DCT) with torque converter and paddle-controlled Sequential Sport Shift. The new 8DCT is the most advanced transmission in its competitive set, delivering incredibly quick, crisp and intuitive gear changes, including rev-matching down shifts, to achieve outstanding response and sporting performance with top-class fuel efficiency, with an EPA rating of 25/36/29 mpg city/hwy/combined3.

To make the most of its high performance new powertrain, steering responsiveness and linearity are improved via a retuned suspension and a number of chassis design enhancements. With these changes the 2016 ILX delivers an athletic, confident and balanced driving performance.

With form following function, the reborn ILX sports a bolder, more distinctive front end highlighted by piercing Jewel Eye™ LED headlights, a new grille design, and more aggressive lower fascia; a restyled rear end offers new LED combination lights and lower fascia enhancements; and  new 10-spoke 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels.

The available ILX A-SPEC Package enhances the performance look even more by adding sporty side sill garnishes, a trunk spoiler, front fog lights, new 18-inch 10-spoke machined alloy wheels, and several unique interior appearance touches.

 

VEHICLE OVERVIEW

When first introduced in 2012 as a 2013 model, the Acura ILX had a clear and important mission: to be Acura’s most affordable sport sedan and serve as the gateway to the Acura lineup. The versatile ILX quickly found an eager and typically young audience that embraced its sophisticated design, lively performance and upmarket quality.

For 2016, the ILX benefits from significant upgrades to its styling, powertrain, technology, luxury refinement and safety features. With freshened exterior styling, an all-new direct-injected engine and 8-speed dual clutch transmission, an expanded range of trim and option packages and signature Acura technologies, the 2016 ILX delivers more strongly than ever before on its mission.

The 2016 ILX gets numerous styling upgrades including restyled front and rear fasciae, front grille and rear LED combination lights, plus restyled 17-inch, 10-spoke aluminum alloy wheels. All ILX models come equipped with Acura’s signature Jewel Eye® LED headlights and feature upgraded interior materials, optional upsized wheels and tires, enhanced connectivity, and a host of new premium features, along with significant improvements to cabin quietness, sporty handling and collision safety engineering.

The 2016 ILX also expands customer choice with three grades – the standard ILX, the ILX with Premium Package, and the line-topping ILX Tech Plus Package, in addition to an all-new A-SPEC Package, available with the Premium and Tech Plus grades. The ILX A-SPEC Package adds sporty side sill garnishes, a trunk spoiler, front fog lights, new 18-inch, 10-spoke machined alloy wheels, and several unique interior appearance touches.

All models can now be equipped with the AcuraWatch™ suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies, which combines with Acura’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure to deliver intelligent safety and confident driving performance at the top of the competitive segment.

New Direct-Injected Powertrain and Dual-Clutch Transmission

All 2016 ILX models are powered by a 2.4-liter, 16-valve, direct-injected DOHC i-VTEC engine with peak output of 201 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 180 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,600 rpm, up 51 horsepower and 40 lb.-ft. compared to the outgoing 2.0-liter engine.

The new engine is mated to an 8-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) with torque converter and paddle-controlled Sequential Sport Shift. It’s the most advanced transmission in its competitive set, delivering incredibly quick, crisp and intuitive gear changes, including rev-matching down shifts, to achieve outstanding response and sporting performance with top-class fuel efficiency, with an EPA rating of 25/36/291 mpg city/hwy/combined.

Body and Chassis Enhancements 

The ILX body and chassis benefit from significant engineering changes that advance collision safety performance, increase body rigidity, improve cabin quietness and enhance sporty handling performance.

This includes Acura’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, designed to more efficiently absorb and disperse the energy in a frontal collision.

Cabin quietness is enhanced by additional noise-insulating materials, thicker front door glass, noise-attenuating wheels, and the addition of Active Noise Control technology. Steering responsiveness and linearity are also improved via a retuned suspension and a number of chassis design enhancements.

Interior Feature and Technology Upgrades

The 2016 ILX also ups the ante with numerous upgrades to interior luxury, connectivity and technological sophistication. Interior styling enhancements include contrasting Euro-style stitching on the steering wheel, parking-brake handle and shift knob, as well as new high-intensity silver trim for the instrument panel and other areas.

The 2016 ILX offers an abundance of standard and available luxury features and technologies, including heated front seats, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®,  Smart Entry/Push-Button Start keyless access system, one-touch turn signals, GPS-linked automatic climate control and LED accent lighting. A 7-inch On Demand Multi-Use Display™ (ODMD) touch screen (Premium and Tech Plus grades), located on the instrument-panel center stack, controls these and other features, and features contextual menus, displaying relevant items while minimizing instrument-panel clutter. The evolved touch-screen connectivity and media system receives more than 50 design changes to enhance intuitive operation and functionality.

The new ILX A-SPEC package enhances the exceptional cabin appeal and appointments with an exclusive Premium Black interior color scheme including a black headliner, perforated black Lux Suede® seat inserts, red instrument illumination, exclusive gray interior stitching and aluminum brake and throttle pedals.

The ILX also features the next generation of AcuraLink®, Acura’s cloud-based connected-car system, offering Acura owners a broad range of cloud-based and embedded convenience, connectivity and available security features.

Technology Plus grades can be equipped with the Acura Navigation System with 3D view, featuring and AcuraLink Real-Time Traffic™ with Traffic Rerouting. Siri™ Eyes-Free is standard on Premium and higher grades.

The Tech Plus grade with AcuraWatch™ and embedded Acura Navigation adds a color Multi-information Display (MID) between the tachometer and speedometer and Acura/ELS Studio® premium audio system along with the latest generation of AcuraLink connected-car technology.

Also available for the first time (on the Premium grade) is a new tethered navigation system powered by the user’s compatible iPhone and data plan via the AcuraLink navigation app. Premium models also get enhanced audio options, including SiruisXM® radio, HD Radio™, Pandora® and Aha™ integration, and HDMI and USB connectivity.

ILX models equipped with SiriusXM® radio will benefit from an exciting new feature set called “Advanced Audio” that greatly extends listening pleasure and convenience.

Standard Features

• NEW LED Jewel Eye® headlights 

•8-way power driver’s seat 

•Multi-view rearview camera 

•Auto on/off headlights 

•One-touch power moonroof with tilt feature 

•Bluetooth® HandsFree Link® 

• NEW Active Noise Control  

•5-inch Multi-View Display 

•Keyless Smart Entry with Push Button Start 

•Security system 

•6-speaker AM/FM/CD audio 

•USB jack

•Pandora® internet radio interface

•SMS text messaging function

•Auxiliary jack

•Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob

•Dual-zone automatic climate control

•Auto up/down power windows

•Power door locks

•Body-color, power heated side mirrors

• NEW Available AcuraWatch™ suite of safety and driver-assistive features

Premium grade additions

•Leather seating surfaces

• NEW Blind Spot Information

• NEW Cross Traffic Monitor

• NEW HD Radio™ and Aha™

• NEW Driver’s two-position memory seat

• NEW Front passenger 4-way power seat

•8-inch upper display

•7-inch On-Demand Multi-Use Display touch screen

•Dynamic Guidelines added to Multi-View Rear Camera

•Auto-dimming rearview mirror

•Subwoofer

•HomeLink®

• NEW available smartphone-linked navigation system

• NEW Siri™ Eyes Free

Tech Plus grade additions

• NEW AcuraWatch™ suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies

• NEW next-generation AcuraLink™

•Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition and AcuraLink Real-Time Traffic™ with Traffic Rerouting

•Color TFT Multi-Information Display (MID)

•10-speaker ELS Premium Studio Audio System

•SiriusXM® Radio including the NEW Advanced Audio feature set

•GPS-linked climate control

Safety and Driver-Assistive Technologies

The 2016 ILX is newly available with the AcuraWatch™ suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies, the most advanced system of its kind in the competitive set. AcuraWatch™ includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist System, Lane Departure Warning, a Multi-View Rear Camera with Dynamic Guidelines, as well as Road Departure Mitigation and the Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (including Forward Collision Warning) with sensor fusion technology that enables new capabilities, including pedestrian sensing. AcuraWatch is standard on the Tech Plus grade and optional on the standard ILX. Premium and Tech Plus grades also get Acura’s blind spot information system and Cross Traffic Monitor.

The ILX is equipped with Acura’s next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure and is designed to achieve top safety ratings – a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), including a GOOD rating in the IIHS’ small-overlap frontal collision test.

Additional standard safety and driver-assistive features include Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control, an Expanded View Driver’s Mirror, dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags, driver and front passenger SmartVent™ side airbags, side curtain airbags, a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and pedestrian injury-mitigation design features.

Standard Safety Features

• NEW Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure

•Multi-View Rear Camera with Dynamic Guidelines

•3-point seatbelts at all seating positions

•Automatic tensioners with load limiters for front seatbelts

•Dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags

•Front-seat SmartVent™ side airbags

•Side curtain airbags

•Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) system

•Pedestrian injury-mitigation design elements

•Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control

•ABS, Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist

•Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

2016 ACURA ILX TECH PLUS A-SPEC MSRP $ 34,890.00

As Shown includes all standard equipment at no extra cost plus TECH PACKAGE; ACURAWATCH PLUS PACKAGE; A-SPEC PACKAGE

TOTAL VEHICLE PRICE $35,810.

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