Like I said, the gearbox shifts quickly when you kick down the pedal or when it decides it should be shifting all on its own, but call the paddles into play and the whole thing slows down. The problem seems to be in the connection between the paddles and the box, not the box itself.

These issues are only a drama if you’re the “sporty” type who likes to rip corners and smash gears on winding country roads all by yourself. If your desires are for a greater mix of smooth to go with your performance then this system rounds out the rough edges beautifully. It’s clever in its ability to merge the smoothness of a conventional automatic and the rapid shifts of a DCT.

With the 2.4L replacing the base 2.0L, lower trim ILX’s now get 51 more hp and 40 more lb-ft of torque with a total of 201 hp and 180 lb-ft on tap. The horsepower figure is unchanged from the outgoing 2.4L model but torque is up by 10 lb-ft and comes on 1,000 rpm sooner. The better performance of the new eight-speed DCT  and the gruntier engine combine to make the ILX 2.5 seconds faster than a 2.0L ILX with the five-speed auto – though gains over the top-spec powertrain of old are less spectacular.

That smaller, 150 hp/140 lb-ft 2.0L was also less efficient than this new 2.4L, which boosts fuel economy from 9.7/6.7/8.3 to 9.3/6.6/8.1 L/100 km city/highway/combined in the new five-cycle testing method.  We average 7.8 L/100 km over a 240 km day of city driving and spirited country touring.

From takeoff the engine is linear and strong, with enough pep to squeal the front tires (this is FWD in all trims) and makes short work of the short shoots between corners on the winding mountain roads surrounding San Francisco. On the highways there is adequate power for passing but the ILX poses little threat to your license. In typical Acura style the four cylinder is eager to rev and feels smooth and progressive even with the redline fast approaching.

Beefier front suspension with an enlarged front sub-frame member, 1 mm larger rear stabilizer and revised bushings are intended to improve the steering feel, offering a more direct connection to the road. The steering is precise and well-weighted, allowing one to build a nice rhythm through some of the most beautiful roads you’ll ever see. The ILX is small enough to be nimble and corners flat with little sign of pitch or body roll. The 20 mm wider rear track and multi-link rear suspension keep the back settled while keeping the ILX pointy and mitigating understeer. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable ride. The ILX tracks true and provides surefooted confidence on narrow roads. Blind corner? No drama, I’m well within my lane and I’ve got room to spare.

Three hours or so around San Francisco’s best roads was thoroughly enjoyable. Journalists occasionally feel that a road is wasted on a car during a press event – not so here.

The only letdown on our journey was the brakes. There was no fade even when pushed, but braking feel is not up to the standard of the steering. Hopefully that’s next on the list for Acura to address.

The ride is comfortable enough but lacks the refinement of some of the others in this class – notably the aforementioned Mercedes-Benz CLA 250, or an A3. Just a smidgen more grunt is needed to match those powerplants.

The interior isn’t up to A3 spec either, but this is a substantially less pricey ride: it’s about $10,000 cheaper than the A3 for the top-spec trims.

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