2013 Acura ILX
The recession and rising gas prices has prompted luxury car builders to conjure up new entry-level models that are even more entry-level than ever- both for boomers with diminishing 401k’s and for young professionals who aren’t making as much money as they would have a few years ago. That’s the story behind the new Acura ILX. It’s based on the ever-popular Honda Civic, but does the ILX offer enough extra for buyers to make the luxury car leap?
The 2013 Acura ILX joins the recently introduced Buick Verano in matching entry level luxury sedans with today’s financial realities, including more realistic pricing, but more on that later. For now, let’s look at what the ILX has to offer the near premium luxury pretender.
Rather than just one car with 3 engine choices, the ILX comes in three distinct models, each with its own power train. The ILX 2.0 features a 2.0-liter I4 paired with an automatic transmission. The ILX 2.4 upgrades to Honda’s largest I4 mated to a 6-speed manual. And, finally, the ILX 1.5 Hybrid, complete with a CVT, and the first hybrid for the Acura brand.
The 201-horsepower 2.4 has the most character, and will obviously appeal more to enthusiasts. But, if you want the Technology Package with Navigation and all the bells and whistles, you have to select either the 2.0 or Hybrid. The 2-liter is all-new and debuts in the ILX. Output is 150-horsepower and 140 pound feet of torque. Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 24–City and 35-Highway. We saw 29.5 miles-per-gallon on Premium gas. The 1.5 Hybrid achieves 39-City and 38-Highway. That’s about 10% less than the Civic Hybrid, but 10% more than the outgoing Lexus HS 250h Hybrid. Out on the road, the ILX 2.0 develops adequate power, but not much more though steering wheel paddle shifters are standard and can help raise the fun factor a bit. Handling is well sorted out, with a completely different vibe than Civic; suspension is firmer, and ride more controlled.
Styling is also a huge departure from Civic. While nice looking, it’s much more on the conservative, classy trip, leaving only Acura’s shield grille to denote any aggression. The front end is wider than Civic while the hood is a good deal longer. Body lines flow up and over the rear wheels giving a hefty haunch, while thick C-pillars give a coupe-like tilt. The rear also proudly shows off the ILX’s wider stance and 16-inch aluminum wheels are standard, with 17’s optional.
Inside, the environment follows the larger TL’s blend of high-tech features with modern style, all wrapped in a spacious cockpit design. Gauges have an upscale look, and there’s a small info screen in the center. Front seats are wide and adequately comfortable and much like the Civic, visibility is excellent. Back seat passengers could use a little more legroom, but seat comfort is good for a compact. The back seats fold flat with a nice, wide opening into the trunk. The trunk area itself is well laid out and there’s room for 12.4 cubic-feet of cargo. The standard ILX comes very well equipped with keyless entry, push-button start, moon roof, and iPod connectivity. The available Premium Package adds heated leather seats and back-up camera. Besides navigation with Acuralink traffic and weather, the Technology Package upgrades the sound system to 365-watts.
At our track, under clear skies, on a picture perfect day, we navigated our ILX 2.0 to the end of the ¼ mile in 17.2 seconds, cruising along at 84 miles per hour. While those numbers won’t impress many, a 0-60 time of 9.3-seconds is more than adequate to get you up to speed on your daily commute. Bringing the ILX to a halt from 60 takes a 132-feet, however. Not unacceptable for a luxury car tipping the scale at just under 3,000-pounds, but we’d like it to be shorter. Pedal feel is vague and travel long. While our 2-liter ILX never quite feels sporty through the cones, it does feel very solid. The electric power steering is quick and smooth, while the MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension along with front and rear stabilizer bars kept things relatively flat. Yes, it handles like we would expect from Acura. The Civic’s steering system has been reworked with a quicker ratio for better response and beefier parts to improve feel. It also features Motion Adaptive EPS which works with the VSA and Traction Control systems to apply assistive force when corrections are needed.
But, the real story of the ILX is pricing. The ILX 2.0 begins at only $26,795. That’s 4 grand more than a Buick Verano, but almost $6,000 less than an Audi A4. The ILX 2.4 starts at $30,095, while the 1.5 Hybrid will cost slightly less at $29,795. Acura has done a great job of genetically altering the Honda Civic into the high value ILX. It’s not a complete reincarnation of the fondly-remembered RSX hatchback coupe, but with its 2.4 mill, the ILX sedan is surprisingly close. More than a Civic with a new personality, the ILX is also a return to what the Acura brand originally stood for, attainable luxury, but now with modern fuel economy and we see that as a right turn for Acura.
Specifications
- Engine: 2.0-liter I4
- Horsepower: 150
- Torque: 140 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 9.3-seconds
- 1/4 mile: 17.2 seconds @ 84 mph
- EPA: 24 mpg city/ 35 mpg highway
2025 Subaru Forester
Funky Forester Continues Its March Towards Mainstream
More than any other brand, Subaru is responsible for making all-wheel drive a must-have feature in just about every automotive segment. They have also applied that go-anywhere adventure mentality succesfful to all of their own mainstream models. That includes the always popular Forester crossover of course, which is now kicking off its 6th generation.
The Subaru Forester arrived in the late 1990s when Subaru rightly realized that if they put a more SUV-like body on their capable Impreza platform, they’d be in prime position to cash in on the then new compact crossover craze. That segment has really exploded since then, and still continues to grow; and this all-new 2025 Subaru Forester is ready to make the most of it.
What used to be an outlier with its boxy wagon shape, now looks akin to about every other compact crossover on the road. Subaru considers its updated design for ’25 sleek and contemporary. Granted, but also less unique. The grille is much larger, expanding horizontally to now integrate the headlights into more of a shield shape, and fenders are a little more exaggerated than before.
Our mid-level Forester Sport wears sculpted 19-inch Bronze-finished alloy wheels, low profile roof rails, and black trim. Dimensions remain about the same as last gen, although it looks larger.
The interior is, on the whole, more familiar than different. Screen domination is up of course, with a portrait-style Starlink touchscreen now measuring 11.6-inches. It’s an option to replace the standard setup that uses 2 smaller screens, but both give enough information to eliminate the previous separate display that used to reside on top of the dash.
It’s good to see Subaru hallmarks like the chunky shifter, and durable materials with carefully applied textured finishes, designed to hide wear and tear are here.
Visibility is excellent as always, and the front seats have gotten noticeably more comfortable, despite a new slimmed-down appearance. Rear seat experience is mostly the same as before, which is good as they recline and fold easily, and there’s adult-size space, which is not something every compact utility can boast.
It’s good to see Subaru hallmarks like the chunky shifter and durable materials.
Cargo space is also closer to many midsize utilities at 29.6 cubic-ft., expanding to 74.4 with the seatbacks folded; all accessed through an available power liftgate that now has sensors to open with the swipe of a foot near the bumper.
Subaru keeps EyeSight driver assistance standard; Sport adds Lane Departure Warning and Automatic Emergency Steering to it.
Subaru claims the Forester’s revised chassis is 10% stiffer than before; our “seat of the pants” meter couldn’t verify that exact number but could detect a movement in that direction.
Both on the street where ride quality itself is quite substantial feeling, and at the test track…
…where it felt well-planted, despite some body roll and higher than typical ground clearance. All-wheel-drive is of course standard, and grip was as sure-footed as always through the cones, aided by the more performance-oriented tires on the Sport’s 19-inch wheels. Steering is accurate, but also typically, without much feel or feedback.
Powering the Forester is the same 2.5-liter naturally aspirated flat-4, but it has been updated. In the process, it actually loses 2-horsepower, down to 180, but torque is up slightly to 178 lb-ft., and revised tuning delivers max torque at a much lower RPM. That certainly didn’t manifest itself by being in a particular hurry to get off the line, but Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT remains a bit of a damper not necessarily a performance enhancer.
Still, our 8.2-second trip to 60 was almost half a second quicker than last gen. Here in the Sport, you can work through the CVT’s 8-simulated gears, but we found it best to just let it do its thing, while we relaxed for the 16.3-seconds that it took to complete the ¼-mile at 90 miles-per-hour.
Strong braking feel with consistently short results. Panic stops averaged 105-ft from 60 miles per hour.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings for Sport trim are 25-City, 32-Highway, and 28-Combined. We tallied 27.2 miles-per-gallon of Regular.
That’s a better than average Energy Impact Score of 10.6-barrels of annual oil use, with 5.2-tons of CO2 emissions.
The Forester follows the same basic trim path of most Subarus: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring; ranging from the Base’s starting price of $31,115 to Touring’s $41,415.
You might say the original Forester was the right design at the right time, as it quickly became one of Subaru’s best-selling vehicles, and has remained so over the last 25 years. The 2025 Subaru Forester is a new effort that really doesn’t feel all that new, just better. After our test, a lot of things tell us that’s exactly the way Subaru buyers want it to be.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.5-liter flat-4
- Transmission: Lineartronic CVT
- Horsepower: 180
- Torque: 178 lb-ft.
- EPA: 25 City | 32 Highway | 28 Combined
- 0-60 mph: 8.2 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 16.3 seconds at 90 mph
- Braking, 60-0 (avg): 105 feet
- MW Fuel Economy: 27.2 mpg (Regular)