Since the 2013 model year, the ILX has come a long way without the need of introducing a new generation. But the 2022 model year is just as same as the 2019 facelift which makes no sense. However, it is the cheapest Acura to wear its expensive badging and in our opinion, it is still a good-looking car. So what might be the things that could have been better?

Overview

Yes, the 2022 ILX could be the least expensive “luxury” compact sedan, which seems a bit odd if you compare it with the likes of the cheapest BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Genesis. From the outside, the Acura ILX seems to be a decently stylish car but looking at it closely will uncover why the competition comes at a slightly higher price tag and is a better buy than the ILX. The performance is still derived from a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated engine, while the competition uses a much more powerful turbocharged engine. The interior is plasticky and highly deprived of modern-day tech like a fully digital instrument panel, big touchscreen infotainment system, ambient lighting, and a few others. For the asking price of $26,500, you cannot demand more for it is held under a luxury brand and is not for the youngsters who crave more. That said, let’s see how the ILX performs against the 2022 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Audi A3 sedan, and the 2022 Genesis G70.

Trims And Features

The ILX is a one-trim car but Acura has three optional packages on the line for added convenience: Premium, A-Spec, and Technology. The ILX has just one engine available and that would be the 2.4-liter inline-four coupled with FWD and an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Here are the detailed trims and features of the 2022 Acura ILX.

Base. } }

Price: $26,500. (ILX with the standard features)

- LED headlights, DRLs, and taillights.

- Leatherette upholstery.

- Sunroof.

- Dual-zone automatic climate control.

- Heated front seats.

- Leather steering wheel.

- 6-speaker audio unit.

- 8-way power-adjustable driver seat.

Standard safety features include:

- Adaptive cruise control.

- Lane departure warning.

- Collision mitigation braking.

- Forward collision warning.

Premium. } }

- 8-inch touchscreen display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

- Leather-wrapped front sports seats.

- 7-speaker audio unit.

- Satellite radio.

- Rear cross-traffic alert.

- Blindspot monitoring.

A-Spec. } }

- LED foglights.

- Rear spoiler.

- 18-inch wheels fitted with summer performance tires.

- Exclusive color schemes.

- Perforated leather upholstery with matching stitches.

- Unique design on the front grille and black-colored accents on the rear bumper.

- Stainless steel pedals.

Technology. } }

- Premium 10-speaker sound system.

- AcuraLink.

- Navigation system.

If you are driven by the brand’s reputation and want to go for the 2022 ILX, then we would recommend it with the Premium package. The package offers quite a decent number of features including blindspot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and will cost you $2,000 extra. The A-Spec will be a better option for the ones who crave interior opulence.

2022 Acura ILX prices

Exterior: Same design language since the 2019 facelift

If you compare it to the competition, the ILX’s Diamond Pentagon intake grille and Eagle Eye LED headlights look quite unique. Its big brother, the TLX, received substantial visual upgrades with a few sportier touches but Acura left the ILX to age finely until it’s the right time for a new generation. From the sides, the ILX seems to be quite long with 182.2 inches in length. The 17-inch silver alloys look great and are fitted as standard. Coming to the rear, you will witness wing-like taillights which are LEDs as standard and there is only one exhaust pipe at the rear.

Now, if you opt for the optional A-Spec package, you will get updated rear blacked-out bumpers and a uniquely designed intake grille in the front. In terms of dimensions, the ILX is slightly longer than the German trio. The curb weight is set to 3,095 pounds with no added packages. It is 55.6 inches tall and 70.6 inches wide with a minimum ground clearance of 5.3 inches. A few of the exterior features are as follows:

- LED headlights, DRLs, and taillights.

- Diamond Pentagon intake grille.

- 17-inch silver-colored alloy wheels.

- Circular chrome-coated single exhaust cutout.

- Heated mirrors.

- Keyless entry.

2022 Acura ILX Exterior Dimensions

Interior: A decade-old styling but is quite comfortable

You will start to notice its aging design by stepping inside the cabin. Anyway, the chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel feels good while the side-mounted buttons are quite distracting to use while driving. The instrument console is not all-digital but there is a small display in the middle of the big speedo and tacho. The dashboard design is not too good, as you can expect from a car that has still been in the same generation since 2013. Moreover, the dashboard is mainly plastic made and extends onto the door panels including the center console. There are two infotainment screens which was a common trait for all the older Acuras. But the base trim comes with just one screen and that too is not touch-sensitive.

However, there are a few good things about the ILX’s interior and they would be the standard sunroof, heated front seats, and an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat. The cabin can fit up to five people but the rear row legroom is a big turn-down for ILX, not only the ILX but the segment, if I am to be precise. The front row has 38 inches of headroom and a sufficient 42.3 inches of legroom. The rear takes a hit on legroom with only 34 inches, making it suitable for under adults or just two average-height men. For city chores, the spaciousness wouldn’t be bothering much until the ILX is taken on to long highway drives.

The cabin is decently practical and has good space inside the glovebox, center console, and door pockets. The boot space is just 12.4 cubic-feet and if compared to the competition, the BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe is slightly ahead but the Mercedes-Benz A-Class has a very small 8.6 cubic-feet. There is no info about the new G70’s trunk space. A few of the interior standout features of the 2022 Acura ILX are as follows:

- Dual-zone automatic climate control.

- Leather-wrapped steering wheel.

- Genuine leather upholstery.

- 8-way power-adjustable front seats with power lumbar support.

- Heated front seats.

- Sunroof.

- Stainless steel pedals.

2022 Acura ILX Interior Dimensions

Things get really annoying when the infotainment system of a car is not user-intuitive and sluggish. Do they still exist? Apparently yes, with the ILX and that too in a 2022 model year. So you will get a non-touchscreen 5-inch display at the top which is placed a bit inside which can hinder the driver’s visual when looked onto. On the higher trims, there is a touch-sensitive screen for controlling the HVAC. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are not available as standard. You will have loads of features with the Technology package like a navigation system with 3D and premium sound system along with real-time traffic information. A few of the features are as follows:

- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

- Dual 5.0-inch screens.

- SiriusXM.

- 3D navigation system.

- Real-time traffic information.

- Bluetooth connectivity.

Performance And Handling: Isolated in a room full of turbocharged engines

As the sole engine option, the 2.4-liter naturally aspirated inline-four does put out 201 ponies and 180 pound-feet. We have seen how Honda’s VTEC comes lively after a certain rev count. So, the engine inside the ILX comes lively after 4,000 RPM. So there’s no lower-end torque available like the German alternatives. The engine drives through the front wheels with no optional AWD and shifts via an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Driving around the city, especially during stop-and-go traffic, can be a bit of a tough job with the ILX as the engine struggles to keep up until it is revved high. The DCT works flawlessly and kind of compensates for the lack of a turbocharged engine.

The ILX comes into life when it comes to highway driving and when you have to get to higher speeds. According to Car And Driver tests, the 2022 Acura TLX did 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds and a standing quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds. Now, if you compare them with the competition, The Mercedes-Benz A-Class takes about 6.1 seconds for the 0-60 mph accelerations and completes a quarter-mile in just 14.7 seconds. The BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe takes even lesser time than the two and does the same in 5.1 seconds and 13.8 seconds.

As for the driving impressions, it is just the same as it has been all these years. The supple driving dynamics are not present like the 2 Series Gran Coupe or the A-Class. The ILX offers more comfort which makes it go for rough patches without the feeling of a broken hip. Unlike the Genesis G70, the ILX fails to deliver a noiseless cabin experience. The braking performance is just decent and offered sufficient bites when it was tested for an emergency stop.

2022 Acura ILX Performance Stats

Fuel Economy: Not the competition winning but is on par

VTEC engines are tuned for offering a good fuel economy and with the ILX it is doing well. The EPA rated the ILX with a good economy rating of 24/34/28 for city/highway/combined which is quite good. A decently sized 13.2-gallon gas tank can deliver around 370 miles combined which are good numbers for the long run.

The 2022 BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe delivers the same numbers as the ILX, and that would be the sole reason to consider a turbocharged vehicle, as it will consume less gas and juice out more raw power. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class can churn out a mile or two per gallon, more than the former cars.

2022 Acura ILX Fuel Economy

Safety Convenience

Another aspect of the ILX that might surprise you are the standard driver assistance features. Also, the safety ratings bagged by the car are quite impressive:

- 5-star overall safety rating by the NHTSA.

- Crashworthiness- “Good”, front crash prevention: vehicle to vehicle- “Superior” by IIHS.

The available safety features are as follows:

- Adaptive cruise control.

- Forward collision warning.

- Collision mitigation braking.

- Lane departure warning.

- Blindspot monitoring.

- Rear cross-traffic alert.

Should you consider the 2022 Acura ILX over the competition?

Absolutely not. The competition has improved performance, better driving dynamics, comfort, filled with cabin techs, and they are even stylish. However, the asking price of the ILX is attractive, but if you still wish to own one, then you should look out for previous model years. The reason behind the recommendation is because the car has hardly gone through many updates since 2019. But there were a few things that we liked about the ILX which would be the ride comfort, standard safety features, and a few of the cabin features like the standard heated front seats, sunroof, and a few more.