Topic: 2016 Acura ILX - Now With 2.4L, Eight-Speed DCT and New Features

[Autos_Editor]

The new ILX - now with eight-speed DCT w/rev-matching and the 2.4L K24. The grown-up Civic Si that you may actually want to drive now.


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[Sir Osis of Liver]

So now it's got the 2.4 with 201 hp and 180 lb-ft.

The 8 speed transmission also has a torque converter, which seems to be the only guaranteed way to tame the low speed jerkiness of DCTs. 

[Weels]

I've watched a couple of favourable reviews of this ILX.
It does look awfully good, and makes me think of the original TSX (minus the sweet 6 spd manual), which is a very good thing in my book. That 8 spd auto sounds like a good one though.
Thought i saw the full load a-spec was $36K US, so was figuring $40 plus here

[ArticSteve]

That 8 speed DCT has been a disaster in the TLX.  See Wing's review or visit TLX forums.

[mixmanmash]

That 8 speed DCT has been a disaster in the TLX.  See Wing's review or visit TLX forums.

Better or worse than the 9 speed?  Lol.

[mixmanmash]

A pretty neat addition to the Premium Package trim is is a new tethered navigation system powered by the user’s compatible iPhone and data plan via the AcuraLink navigation app.

Hopefully it isn't limited to working with an iPhone and supports Android at the very least.  Would be a huge mistake if it was limited in this nature.

[mmret]

and the flagship A-Spec will run you $34,890

Thats....pretty good. I have not driven the 8 DCT but hopefully Honda will sort it out. At least this one sounds like its a software issue and not mechanical / design issue like the ZF 9HP.

[Blueprint]

Now that the drivetrain is "fixed", why are heated seats optional in the "luxe" Civic, while they are std fare in a 17k$ Civic LX?

Is the option stand-alone, or does one have to move up to Premium trim to warm his ... ?

Otherwise, the base car is now an attractive proposal!

[Great_Big_Abyss]

A pretty neat addition to the Premium Package trim is is a new tethered navigation system powered by the user’s compatible iPhone and data plan via the AcuraLink navigation app.

Hopefully it isn't limited to working with an iPhone and supports Android at the very least.  Would be a huge mistake if it was limited in this nature.

I agree.  That sentence stuck out for me, too.

Check out the linked graph:  http://stats.areppim.com/stats/stats_mobiosxtime_nam.htm.

IOS is currently at 48.3% market share, Android is at 45.45% market share.  The key metric is that IOS's market share has been on average decreasing since it peaked in May 2013 while Android has been seeing steady growth since its inception in 2009. 

As a android user for many years, it's always bugged me that some vehicles have catered exclusively to iPhones with their GUI, software, and even connectors. 


On a different note, I LOVE that this engine and transmission combo is finally in this car.  It turns it from a 'why does the ILX exist' into a 'Hmm, finally, a reason to buy an ILX over a Civic EX-L'.

[Noto]

A pretty neat addition to the Premium Package trim is is a new tethered navigation system powered by the user’s compatible iPhone and data plan via the AcuraLink navigation app.

Hopefully it isn't limited to working with an iPhone and supports Android at the very least.  Would be a huge mistake if it was limited in this nature.

While I agree with the complaint that it's only Apple compatible (assuming accurate), I'm actually complaining more so with the fact that Ronnie said "pretty neat."  Auto journos need to stop applauding this move to linking smartphones to cars - telecommunications technologies become obsolete far faster than a vehicle's intended lifespan.  Whereas the Navi system in my 2006 RX400h is perfectly working and upgradable, the Bluetooth 1.1 is not and doesn't work with mama Noto's Android.  This sort of thing has to stop - data plans are expensive and there's simply no reason to applaud tethering smartphones to vehicles.  What's worse, it is just another reason for people to use their phone while driving.  Bad, BAD! 

why are heated seats optional in the "luxe" Civic, while they are std fare in a 17k$ Civic LX?

That was my thought exactly as well...to the point of, "WHAT THE , ACURA?!?!"

...and I'm still waiting for AWD for me to consider this car.

[ice512]

30k vehicle still no adjustable lumbar support....whhyyyyyy acura whyyy ?

[Minou]

Now that the drivetrain is "fixed", why are heated seats optional in the "luxe" Civic, while they are std fare in a 17k$ Civic LX?

Is the option stand-alone, or does one have to move up to Premium trim to warm his ... ?

Otherwise, the base car is now an attractive proposal!

I'm sure heated seats will be standard in Canada.  This article was likely written with preliminary US info.

[quadzilla]

30k vehicle still no adjustable lumbar support....whhyyyyyy acura whyyy ?

I can't find where in the article it said this.

[Kris78]

That 8 speed DCT has been a disaster in the TLX.  See Wing's review or visit TLX forums.

These were the only two reviews I can find through a quick search on autos.ca, neither with anything bad to say about the transmission mated to the 4-cylinder. Are you thinking about the ZF 9-speed with the V6?

http://www.autos.ca/car-test-drives/test-drive-2015-acura-tlx-2-4-tech-fwd/?all=1
" The Sport and Sport+ modes make the transmission and the car jump. It feels alert, ready to point and shoot with the slightest pressure on the gas pedal, and rev-matches when downshifting."

http://www.autos.ca/first-drives/first-drive-2015-acura-tlx/2/
"Further, the fast, perfectly rev-matched gear shifts from the four-cylinder’s dual-clutch transmission, which are accessible via paddles or a selectable Sport Plus algorithm that keeps the revs up, are more urgent and precise than the more hesitant and deliberate shifts from the nine-speed box in the V6."

I'll have to do some reading obviously, as it would be a really tough spot for Honda to be in if both their 8-speed and outsourced 9-speed were both having issues.

[OliverD]

A pretty neat addition to the Premium Package trim is is a new tethered navigation system powered by the user’s compatible iPhone and data plan via the AcuraLink navigation app.

Hopefully it isn't limited to working with an iPhone and supports Android at the very least.  Would be a huge mistake if it was limited in this nature.

I agree.  That sentence stuck out for me, too.

Check out the linked graph:  http://stats.areppim.com/stats/stats_mobiosxtime_nam.htm.

IOS is currently at 48.3% market share, Android is at 45.45% market share.  The key metric is that IOS's market share has been on average decreasing since it peaked in May 2013 while Android has been seeing steady growth since its inception in 2009. 

As a android user for many years, it's always bugged me that some vehicles have catered exclusively to iPhones with their GUI, software, and even connectors. 

I think this is actually the key metric: http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Data-Mine/iPhone-Users-Earn-Higher-Income-Engage-More-on-Apps-than-Android-Users

[OliverD]

Now that the drivetrain is "fixed", why are heated seats optional in the "luxe" Civic, while they are std fare in a 17k$ Civic LX?

Is the option stand-alone, or does one have to move up to Premium trim to warm his ... ?

As dumb as this seems, there's often situations where premium cars demand extra for features that are standard on cheaper cars. And as speculated above, I suspect Canadian models will have heated seats standard.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

A pretty neat addition to the Premium Package trim is is a new tethered navigation system powered by the user’s compatible iPhone and data plan via the AcuraLink navigation app.

Hopefully it isn't limited to working with an iPhone and supports Android at the very least.  Would be a huge mistake if it was limited in this nature.

I agree.  That sentence stuck out for me, too.

Check out the linked graph:  http://stats.areppim.com/stats/stats_mobiosxtime_nam.htm.

IOS is currently at 48.3% market share, Android is at 45.45% market share.  The key metric is that IOS's market share has been on average decreasing since it peaked in May 2013 while Android has been seeing steady growth since its inception in 2009. 

As a android user for many years, it's always bugged me that some vehicles have catered exclusively to iPhones with their GUI, software, and even connectors. 

I think this is actually the key metric: http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Data-Mine/iPhone-Users-Earn-Higher-Income-Engage-More-on-Apps-than-Android-Users

My point is that it's easy enough, through software, for carmakers to allow accessibility with a wide range of phones, not only IOS or Android exclusively.  IF, indeed, they are only allowing connectivity with IOS devices, that is alienating a large share of the population, regardless of their income.  As an Android user (and never planning on going IOS), if I were to buy this car, I would be unable to connect my phone to one of the car's key tech selling feature.

As for your graph, I think the reason for the lower average income is because you can find Android on a LOT of lower end phones.  Iphones don't offer a low end, sub $100 phone that a certain subset of the population would use.  This therefore skews the average income of users in Apple's favor.  I'm sure there are just as many 'rich' people who own Android phones as Apple phones.

[OliverD]

While I agree with the complaint that it's only Apple compatible (assuming accurate), I'm actually complaining more so with the fact that Ronnie said "pretty neat."  Auto journos need to stop applauding this move to linking smartphones to cars - telecommunications technologies become obsolete far faster than a vehicle's intended lifespan.  Whereas the Navi system in my 2006 RX400h is perfectly working and upgradable, the Bluetooth 1.1 is not and doesn't work with mama Noto's Android.  This sort of thing has to stop - data plans are expensive and there's simply no reason to applaud tethering smartphones to vehicles.  What's worse, it is just another reason for people to use their phone while driving.  Bad, BAD! 

The real issue is that carmakers don't make their systems upgradable and they are slow to adopt new tech. Bluetooth 1.1 was already outdated by '06 but it probably wasn't when that gen RX launched.

Obviously hardware upgrades are trickier but there's no reason that automakers can't provide regular software updates and some have started to do that.

I'm disappointed that I don't have the new infotainment system that is coming to '16 VWs with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support.

[OliverD]

My point is that it's easy enough, through software, for carmakers to allow accessibility with a wide range of phones, not only IOS or Android exclusively.  IF, indeed, they are only allowing connectivity with IOS devices, that is alienating a large share of the population, regardless of their income.  As an Android user (and never planning on going IOS), if I were to buy this car, I would be unable to connect my phone to one of the car's key tech selling feature.

As for your graph, I think the reason for the lower average income is because you can find Android on a LOT of lower end phones.  Iphones don't offer a low end, sub $100 phone that a certain subset of the population would use.  This therefore skews the average income of users in Apple's favor.  I'm sure there are just as many 'rich' people who own Android phones as Apple phones.

I agree that they should support both, but if they're only going to do one then I think the numbers are in Apple's favor.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The numbers don't really make sense. Android users skew older and the older demographic makes more money. Something's missing.

http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Data-Mine/iOS-App-Users-Skew-Younger-than-Android-Counterparts



Given that the median age of a new car buyer in the US is around 56 years old, it's likely best not to them off.

The car company that supports both will be at an advantage. Supporting just one is an excellent way of alienating people.