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Acura Teases Heavily Revised 2016 ILX

4K views 29 replies 22 participants last post by  LONGHORN 
#1 ·
"Substantially New" 2016 Acura ILX to Bow in L.A., Doesn’t Appear Substantially Different

Car and Driver
October 20, 2014
By: Alexander Stoklosa


Acura's ILX compact sedan has been a near total sales dud. Sure, the idea of wrapping the Honda Civic’s bones in fancier clothes and ladling on an extra helping of refinement sounds good—and it worked in Canada!—but that’s not exactly how the ILX turned out when it hit the market as a 2013 model. Yet don't bury the thing just yet, because Acura has announced that it will debut a refreshed version at the 2014 L.A. auto show.

Acura hasn't outlined what exactly we can expect from the 2016 ILX besides offering up the darkened image of the car seen above and the promise that it is "substantially new." To be substantially more specific, Acura says the refresh includes "a potent new powertrain, more forceful, sporty exterior styling, and substantially upgraded interior design."
Full article and photo at the link.

So, new engine. TLX's 2.4L, one of Honda's new turbocharged I-4s, or something else? :ponder: Either way it needs some solid updates to deal with the A3, CLA, etc. The claimed changes are very similar to what I had been suggesting, and we know I'm always right.
 
#4 ·
Is Verano also going to be redesigned for MY 2016? Like ILX, Verano is in an unenviable position in the marketplace: it lacks the credentials to compete with true compact sports sedans, but more expensive than comparably equipped, mass market midsize sedans.
 
#3 ·
Spy pics:





 
#11 ·
I see nothing that will help in these spy pics.

Acura's problem is the cars they build lack desirability, their styling, while different has an overwhelming fwd Honda-ness to it. Audi has been able to design cars that make people not realize they are fwd based, they add detail and somehow that German-ness that everyone loves. Acura has been unable to stylistically remove itself from looking like normal fwd cars. Until they can do this their cars will be destined to being forgotten. Weird grills, bug eye headlights and the spy photos show what appears to be a weird looking swoop of a character line going up the side - none of this changes the overall forgettable Honda-ness of their designs.
 
#13 ·
I was looking at the TLwhatever thread yesterday (yes, voluntarily) and found myself thinking if Acura simplified the front a bit (more) to a slimmer lightbar crossing thru a nacelle grille,
it wouldn't be awful
( +
of course going with Virtual-Awd hybrids on every model )
and
if they got rid of the meaningless seasick waves carved on the sides...
...maybe (from these pix) joining the front and rear lights with 'groove' like the Last attractive Acuras;
they might accidentally be Back
 
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#18 ·
This is what I was about to post. They need to go back to longitudinally mounted engines that give the body the proportions of RWD while still being FWD. Most FWD vehicles just don't look like luxury due to the proportions. The new Mercedes does the best job but still doesn't exude luxury to me.
 
#28 ·
Interesting mentions of the Verano here...the Verano is a more refined and plush vehicle, where the ILX can be a bit spartan inside and in certain ways, but offers performance driving dynamics still with a refined ride the Verano doesn't match when you turn the wheel or throw it into a corner.

I'm on my 4th ILX now, since 2013. Company vehicles, and they are not the plushest and ritziest inside and out, but still do offer styling and dynamics at the core that are entertaining. For my city living life, I love the size, the interior space, the look, the general feel of the car, and fun to toss around dynamics even with the maligned 2.0L it loves to VTEC scream out.

Take the good parts of this small package, heavily revise everything including the DI 2.4L/8-speed DCT with torque converter everyone loves in the TLX now, and reposition it as a high performance small sedan and image will change for sure. The power train alone will do wonders, as will further refined dynamics and new interior to match Acura standards.

Should be out early next year. In this class, there are a lot of new "premium" small cars but other than ILX & Verano, many are far too expensive still without winning dynamics. More to change and see, in times to come.
 
#29 ·
heavily revise everything including the DI 2.4L/8-speed DCT with torque converter everyone loves in the TLX now,
Do you know if this powertrain is confirmed for 2016 ILX? Honda's EarthDreams engine and its new DCT make for a sweet combo. :tup::
 
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