One of the most popular vehicles consumers search the market for today is in the luxury class. Having a reliable, luxurious car, big or small, makes driving fun. But there’s one vehicle that missed the mark: the 2021 Acura ILX. 

U.S. News reviewed the ILX and found it one of the worst options you can find for a small luxury car. Let’s see what the publication had to say about it and what’s good and bad about this vehicle. 

Where did the Acura ILX go wrong?

U.S. News’ reviewers had much to say about the ILX. Unfortunately, not much of it was good. They didn’t like quite a few things about Acura’s compact car. 

First, the ILX has nice front seats, but the rear ones are too cramped. There isn’t enough legroom for any passenger to be comfortable sitting there very long, no matter their destination.

Second, this is a luxury vehicle, but you wouldn’t exactly know that by looking at the interior. The ILX has an uninspiring design, with low-quality materials. Even the cargo area disappoints with minimal space to store your items. 

The infotainment system has a paltry five-inch screen with control knobs instead of touchscreen technology. Navigating this feature is complicated for anyone, especially the driver, who needs to focus on the road. 

Driving the Acura ILX just wasn’t exciting to US News reviewers. Handling on this vehicle seems average, and acceleration is OK but doesn’t come close to its rivals. 

What did it get right?

U.S. News’ reviewers found some things about this small luxury car that pleased them. But there weren’t that many. In fact, there are really only two things that stand out as benefits of this vehicle. 

The first is its fuel economy. Surprisingly, the ILX comes out on top in this area. For city driving, they found this Acura can get around 24 mpg. On highway roads, it reaches 34 mpg ratings. Not bad for this class. 

Second, the ILX boasts one of the best starting prices in its category. The base MSRP is just $25,950. With options, the ILX can go as high as $35,000. Rivals start at over $32,000. 

Despite those two great features, U.S. News still doesn’t recommend buying the 2021 ILX. There are far better options to choose from, even if you have to spend a little more money. 

The Acura ILX’s so-so specs

The ILX seats up to five passengers, but three won’t be very comfortable in the rear seat. You won’t find many standard features either. But if you choose the ILX A-Spec, you can find plenty, just for more money, Car and Driver reports. 

Under the hood is a 16-valve inline-four motor with direct fuel injection. This naturally aspirated engine produces 201 hp and 180 lb-ft of torque. Paired with it is an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.  

Standard safety features on the ILX include automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warning, and road departure mitigation. The NHTSA and IIHS give the ILX rather average safety ratings.

U.S. News found the Acura ILX wanting and unworthy of your hard-earned money. Even with its two best features — decent fuel economy and an affordable starting price — this small luxury car just can’t be saved. If you’re looking for a vehicle this size, consider the Honda Civic or Mercedes-Benz CLA.