ACURA ILX Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

The facelifted version of the ILX brought a sportier vibe with its new grille, taillights and a lower diffuser with an exposed exhaust. The wheels design was also upgraded, sporting 17-inch alloys or the 18-inch wheels available with the A-spec trim level.

The exterior color palette got refreshed and 5 new colors were added: Platinum White Pearl, Majestic Black Pearl, Performance Red Pearl, Canyon Bronze Metallic1 and A-Spec-exclusive Apex Blue Pearl. New colors for the interior were also added and for the A-Spec, the standard colors were Ebony and Red.

The ILX was powered by a 2.4-liter engine with 201 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. The engine was mated to the only available transmission, an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The ILX was available with 7 different packages and lots of new features.

The standard ILX sported 17-inch wheels, a sunroof, keyless entry, automatic LED lights, automatic climate control, heated front seats, heated side mirrors, Bluetooth connection with media streaming, a rear-view camera, active sound cancellation, etc.

The Acura Watch package included more safety features such as lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning and collision mitigation braking.

The Premium package added a more performant sound system, leather upholstery, a blind spot monitoring system and a 7-inch touchscreen.

The Technology Plus featured a bigger touchscreen and a 10-speaker ELS audio system.

The top range was the A-Spec trim level that could only be added to the Premium or the Technology Plus packages and sported 18-inch alloys along with sport seats, fog lights, a rear spoiler and aluminum sport pedals.

Safety-wise, the car received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA at the crash testing.

Acura improved the ILX in 2014 for the 2016 model-year and brought more power, better handling, and three trim levels to the market. Yet, it didn't make the fuss it intended.

Based on the same platform as the tenth Civic generation, the ILX benefited from all the new technologies that came with Honda's compact sedan/hatchback. But since Acura was the premium sibling, it had to prove its price difference, so it came with a different powertrain than its mundane compact sibling.

Right from the start, it was easy to recognize the facelifted version thanks to the new LED headlights named Jewel Eye. The ILX also sported a new grille design and a more aggressive lower front bumper design, with an A-shaped but small, lower air intake flanked on the sides by impressively sized air-inlets that cooled the brakes. Moreover, on the sides, the carmaker added new side sills and, depending on the trim level, sets of 17" or 18" light-alloy wheels.

The 2012 ILX was well received by customers, but there were complaints about the sound insulation. Acura understood that a quieter cabin was preferred by its customers and added some weight due to the sound-deadening materials used. There were also upgrades on the materials and the infotainment system that sported a seven-inch touch-screen on the center stack.

But the most important addition was the introduction of the K24 engine under the ILX's hood, and it was mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. That was something unavailable for the mundane Civic. Its all-wheel independent suspension with enhanced adaptive dampers offered the driver the possibility to soften or stiffen them.

With the entry level compact luxury sport sedan growing, the Acura ILX was a 4-door sedan related to the Honda Civic, and offered a generous number of features.

The 2014 model and was longer and wider, featuring a completely different exterior look and a more powerful base engine than the small Civic.

The Acura ILX came in four trim levels: 2.0, 2.0 with Premium, 2.0 with Technology and 2.4 with Premium package.

In the base version, the Acura ILX was well equipped featuring 17-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, power accessories, leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a 5-inch display, Bluetooth connectivity, a 7-speaker sound system and active noise cancelation.

Both the 2.0 and the 2.4 Premium added xenon headlamps, fog lights, a rear-view camera an an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

The Technology trim level was only available with the 2.0, included the Premium package and added a larger display and a navigation system, as well as voice commands and a premium 10-speaker audio system.

Safety wise, the sedan offered standard antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, side curtain airbags, active front head restraints and front seat side airbags.

Inside, the interior was well built, however, the materials used were not top quality, with other entry-level luxury sedans on the market offering better quality materials.

Based on the Honda Civic, the longer and wider compact sedan had an unique styling that differentiated it a lot from the Honda sibling.

Designed mostly for those who wanted to have an elegant, yet sporty sedan, the ILX was smaller and cheaper than the TSX.

For 2013, the ILX was available in a single sedan body style and a choice of three engines, depending on the trim level.

The base ILX was equipped with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine mated with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

The 2.4 trim level, obviously featured a large and more powerful 2.4-liter powerplant that developed 201 hp and 170 lb.-ft of torque. This engine could only be mated with a 5-speed manual transmission as a downside.

The first hybrid-electric vehicle developed by Acura was the Hybrid version. While more expensive than the other versions, the Hybrid was more economical.

6 trim levels were available for 2013, the base 2.0, 2.0 with the Premium Package, 2.0 with the Technology package, 2.4 with Premium package, Hybrid and Hybrid with Technology Package.

Standard equipment included 16-inch wheels, a sunroof, power accessories, keyless entry, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, a rear-view camera and an auxiliary audio jack.

While the base model was well equipped, adding features would bring the ILX to a high price.

Safety wise, the ILX was equipped with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints.