acura ilx: honda's not getting out of this funk any time soon

[ElFenix]

it's a "premium" compact car to slot in below the TSX. while it's not as ugly as previous acuras (a plus), it gets terrible gas mileage for what it is. a civic. the base 2.0 engine (available only with a slushbox) gets all of 24/32. is it unreasonable to expect a premium compact car to get similar mileage to other compact cars that are likely to be near its price range such as the skyactiv mazda3 (28/40) or focus titanium (27/37)?

the 2.4 (available only with a manual) gets 20/29 (granted, that's roughly the same as the notorious 2.5L mazda3, but that design isn't *new*).


maybe it's just that honda hasn't figured out how to game the new EPA ratings yet.

 

[Pariah]

Do people buying Acura's even care about gas mileage? Granted nobody wants something that gets single digits, but if a few miles a gallon is that much of a financial burden for you, skip the new Acura and buy a used Honda.

 

[Safeway]

Do people buy Acuras? [FIXED]

 

[exar333]

Honda = still stuck in early 2000's fuel economy + butt-ugly new designs. Worst of both worlds...can't believe folks still buy that crap.

 

[dawheat]

I thought the ILX was supposed to replace what the 1st-gen TSX was - a compact entry level luxury sedan - and increase the differentiation from the TL.

If Acura keeps the ILX, TSX, and TL - then yeah that makes no sense.

But if the ILX well equipped comes in at <30K, then it might not be too bad.

 

[evident]

why. the. fuck. are they phasing out the tsx?!

 

[AstroManLuca]

It looks like a Saturn Ion. Maybe they should have gone after the ricer segment and called it the RSX and given it some more aggressive styling. Either way it's a worthless car just like all Hondas these days.

Man, I remember when Honda and Toyota used to be good. What happened? Did they just get overconfident before the American automakers got their shit together?

 

[NutBucket]

the 2.4 (available only with a manual) gets 20/29 (granted, that's roughly the same as the notorious 2.5L mazda3, but that design isn't *new*).

Except the 2.4 is about 200hp vs about 160 in the Mazda 2.5. It just makes the Skyactiv more impressive given it is only a 2L and about the same power as the 2.5.

A 2.4L ilx might actually be a decent drive as it should be a bit lighter than a TSX. I assume it will be akin to a "softer" Civic Si.

 

[vshah]

Except the 2.4 is about 200hp vs about 160 in the Mazda 2.5. It just makes the Skyactiv more impressive given it is only a 2L and about the same power as the 2.5.

A 2.4L ilx might actually be a decent drive as it should be a bit lighter than a TSX. I assume it will be akin to a "softer" Civic Si.

its the exact same motor as the new civic Si. both are "softer" than the old civic Si (8300 vs 7000 redline, lower torque peak etc.)

 

[NutBucket]

I was thinking softer as in suspension and what appears to be a much better interior.

 

[manimal]

Has honda entered its malaise phase? Unless they shake up top to bottom they will fall into irrelevancy shortly. Too much innovation going on for them to stand still.

 

[exar333]

Has honda entered its malaise phase? Unless they shake up top to bottom they will fall into irrelevancy shortly. Too much innovation going on for them to stand still.

This x 1000.

 

[JulesMaximus]

All the Acuras look like crap IMO. A few years ago they were a contender, today they don't make a single vehicle I'd ever consider buying.

 

[stag3]

last great acura was the 2008 tl type S , that car was pure sex

 

[PricklyPete]

I initially was a little excited about this car because a part of me really wants Acura/Honda to get out of their funk. All the way through the S2000, Honda was an awesome company putting out products I wanted. Now they are just...well...Toyota #2. And now with Toyota coming out with the Scion FR-S...even Toyota is looking better than Honda. The look of the ILX...while better than recent Acura's...is still not what it could be. That C-pillar hump reminds me way too much of the Dodge Avenger...and the beak on the front is still offensive. I'm sure the 2.4/6-speed will be nice...but not enough to make we want it over so many other cars in the segment.

 

[ElFenix]

Do people buying Acura's even care about gas mileage? Granted nobody wants something that gets single digits, but if a few miles a gallon is that much of a financial burden for you, skip the new Acura and buy a used Honda.

well, like i said, cars in the price range. this might be very nicely appointed at 30k. but then, so are several other loaded out compacts. that also get better mileage.

heck, the ecoboost ford fusions will be getting better mileage and that's a much bigger car.

All the Acuras look like crap IMO. A few years ago they were a contender, today they don't make a single vehicle I'd ever consider buying.

the new rdx seems ok

 

[vshah]

last great acura was the 2008 tl type S , that car was pure sex

agreed, very sexy

 

[ShawnD1]

Honda = still stuck in early 2000's fuel economy + butt-ugly new designs. Worst of both worlds...can't believe folks still buy that crap.

Because they're reliable. Gasoline is cheap. Fixing a transmission is not. I AM LOOKING AT YOU, TOYOTA!

maybe it's just that honda hasn't figured out how to game the new EPA ratings yet.

They keep the bad gas mileage transmission because it feels better. My Corolla has a good gas mileage transmission and the result is that it changes gears every microsecond. It'll try to keep the damn thing in top gear at 1500rpm even though it's an engine that needs to be running at least 2k before it does anything. The result is gear 3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-3-4-34-3-4-34-3434 until the clutches are burned and the oil is burned and the whole thing is destroyed. Mine only lasted for something like 19 months before the entire transmission had to be replaced. The auto in a Civic is a lot better. It holds gears longer. Instead of dancing between gears, it will stay in the lower one.

Remember that whole big stickied thread about trolling and thread crapping?

To everyone else, let this post go. Egging people on doesn't help either.

Zenmervolt - AnandTech Moderator

 

[kornphlake]

I see far fewer Hondas on the road today than I did in the early part of this century. Seems like Subaru replaced Honda as America's most desirable import vehicle.

 

[sygyzy]

I have a 2005 TSX and I love it. It's a great car. I actually like the design of the ILX (I don't know the price or performance numbers). I think the design looks a lot better than the current gen TSX's. It looks like my gen TSX, which IMO is the best looking. I don't know why you guys hate Acuras. I think they make nice cars.

 

[ShawnD1]

I see far fewer Hondas on the road today than I did in the early part of this century. Seems like Subaru replaced Honda as America's most desirable import vehicle.

Probably because Hondas are not imported.....

I owned a 2006 Honda Civic and it was awesome.
I currently own a 2008 Subaru Impreza and it too is awesome.
I don't know what the situation is like in the US, but in Canada Subarus are a killer value. They come with all kinds of features and AWD and a bigger engine yet they still cost the same as a Civic. It's because the Civic is made here but the Impreza is made in Japan.

 

[Throckmorton]

Probably because Hondas are not imported.....

I owned a 2006 Honda Civic and it was awesome.
I currently own a 2008 Subaru Impreza and it too is awesome.
I don't know what the situation is like in the US, but in Canada Subarus are a killer value. They come with all kinds of features and AWD and a bigger engine yet they still cost the same as a Civic. It's because the Civic is made here but the Impreza is made in Japan.

I would think being made in Japan would increase the cost.

 

[BassBomb]

is the ilx just a new csx??

 

[ShawnD1]

I would think being made in Japan would increase the cost.

I would think so, but it doesn't seem to be that way. I noticed that all of my pens at work are made in Japan as well. My sharpies, my rollerball pens, my highlighters. One would think it's cheaper to make that in the US or Canada, but apparently not. Made in Japan + shipping half way around the world = cheaper.
I'm not sure why. GDP/capita in Japan is about 45k while GDP/capita in Canada is about 50k. The wage gap is pretty small. Japan's electricity is from nuclear, which is cheap, but manufacturing in Canada is mostly hydro powered which is cheap as well.

 

[Zenmervolt]

is the ilx just a new csx??

Yes. The ILX will replace the CSX in Canada. The US had no equivalent to the Canadian CSX, so the ILX seems "new" to most people from the US.

ZV