The Acura Integra was introduced
in 1986 as the smaller of the two models from Honda’s brand new upscale
division. It was popular through three generations until 2001, when it became
the RSX (sold in coupe form only) as part of Acura’s change to boring alphabetical
names. The RSX disappeared after 2006, when Acura changed its marketing
strategy.
However, with fuel mileage and
sales concerns, a compact Acura with a new name (starting with “I”) is once
again on sale, slotting in under the slightly larger and more powerful TSX.
As before, the new car is based
on the current Honda Civic, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at it. Every
line inside and out is different—only the basic platform is shared. Here’s how
the new ILX stacks up against the last of the Integras and its current TSX
sibling:
|
Car
|
Length
|
Width
|
Height
|
Wheelbase
|
Weight
|
Engine
|
Horsepower
|
|
2013 Acura ILX
|
179.1”
|
70.6”
|
55.6”
|
105.1”
|
2,959 lb
|
2.0 liter
|
150*
|
|
2001 Acura Integra**
|
172.4”
|
67.3”
|
53.9”
|
103.1”
|
2,643 lb
|
1.8 liter
|
142
|
|
2013 Acura TSX
|
185.6”
|
72.4”
|
56.7”
|
106.4”
|
3,470 lb
|
2.4 liter
|
201
|
*Base model.
**Sedan. Coupe had a slightly shorter
length and wheelbase.
The numbers show that the ILX is
slightly larger and heavier than the Integra of a decade ago, but is still
significantly smaller and lighter than the TSX.
The current Civic, while hailed
for its spaciousness, design and efficiency, has been criticized for the
perceived down-market look and feel of its interior. The ILX, however, has the
nicely finished dash, doors and seats of its larger brethren. That includes the
gleaming gray sweep on the dash trim and the finely detailed instrument panel.
The leather seats are comfy, too, and the overall feel of the controls is solid
and precise. The leather-wrapped steering wheel bristles with audio and cruise
control buttons, silvery accents and a nice chrome logo in the center.
The 2.0-liter engine provides
enough pep for this car, and I never felt it lag. Of course, the automatic took
care of business for me—and that’s the only gearbox you can get with this
engine. In the olden days, a manual transmission was standard with an Integra,
but today, you need to buy the 2.4-liter model to shift for yourself.
To be fair, this likely reflects
the market. For example, my older son, who chose an RSX as his first new car,
opted for the automatic. Today in the U.S., manual shifting is reserved for
true enthusiasts, such as my wife, who proudly flaunts a manual six-speed in
her car.
The ILX’s 2.0-liter engine earns
laudable EPA scores for mileage – 24 City, 35 Highway and 28 Average. I got
24.7 mpg, driving mostly in town.
The ILX’s styling is well
proportioned and uses Acura’s revised grille design, but it isn’t
groundbreaking. There’s an interesting meeting of lines below the rear side
window that borrows from the oddball ZDX hatchback. The front and rear light
units are carefully chiseled, and the undulating concave and convex side surfaces
give tribute to BMWs of the recent past. My Polished Metal Metallic (gray)
tester looked well dressed wherever we went, but no-one asked me what it was.
There are two ways to dress up
the ILX: the Premium and Technology packages. The Premium Package adds leather
seats, a powerful and fully-featured audio system, and other goodies, such as
power and heated seats and a rear view camera. The Technology package gives you
navigation along with the premium audio, including high-tech benefits such as
real-time traffic and weather information.
The quality is higher than a
Civic, but so is the price. Honda Civic sedan prices, with automatic
transmission, begin at $17,645 while the entry ILX is $26,795. Even the Sporty
Civic Si runs just $24,845. There is definitely a price jump to go for the
Acura. When you add the Premium or Technology package to the ILX it crosses the
$30,000 mark in a hurry. My ILX with both packages came to $32,295.
What’s the competition for the
ILX? Lexus and Infiniti don’t offer anything to match it. The Infiniti G20 from
the 1990s might compare, but it’s gone. The Audi A3, perhaps? It’s a five-door
wagon, but a sedan is supposed to be on the way. It’s slightly smaller than the
ILX, but hits the $30,000 price point and has nearly identical engine power.
Cadillac has its new ATS sedan, but it’s more expensive—and its 2.0-liter
engine is turbocharged. Lincoln has nothing. The Volvo S40 is gone. So, Acura now
appears to have the compact entry luxury segment to itself!
This upscale compact, assembled
in Greensburg, Indiana with a Japanese engine and transmission, is a nice car,
if a bit pricey, and offers exclusivity.
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