Is the Acura ILX a Honda Civic?
The Acura ILX is not a Honda Civic, but it shares a Civic-based platform and many engineering underpinnings. It is a separate model with its own branding, features, and market positioning.
How the ILX and Civic are related
Both cars come from Honda’s compact-car family and, for many model years, used similar underpinnings. Understanding this relationship helps explain why the ILX often feels familiar to Civic buyers, even though it wears a different badge.
- Shared platform and engineering: The ILX was built on a version of Honda’s compact-car platform that also underpins the Civic, enabling common chassis geometry and packaging.
- Similar dimensions and body style: As compact sedans, both vehicles offered roomy interiors and practical trunks within a similar overall footprint.
- Convergent mechanical lineage: Across generations, the ILX and Civic drew from parallel engine and drivetrain options, aligning performance characteristics with the era’s Civic offerings.
- Production and parts ecosystem: Because of the shared platform, some components and manufacturing processes overlapped with Civic production lines and suppliers.
In short, the ILX borrows a lot from Honda’s Civic engineering, which helps explain the close resemblance in driving dynamics and practicality while still being a distinct Acura-branded model.
What sets the ILX apart from the Civic
Branding, interior feel, and market positioning are the clearest differentiators between the ILX and Civic. Acura’s strategy with the ILX was to offer a more premium, luxury-oriented compact sedan based on the Civic’s engineering.
- Branding and market positioning: The ILX wore the Acura badge, aiming for a more upscale, refined image and feature set compared with the Civic’s more mainstream, value-oriented appeal.
- Interior and materials: The ILX typically emphasized higher-quality materials, quieter cabins, and more attention to sound insulation and comfort features than the base Civic.
- Standard equipment and options: Across model years, the ILX often bundled more luxury and tech options as standard or available upgrades, reflecting Acura’s entry-lux positioning.
- Warranty and service network: As part of Acura, the ILX benefited from Acura’s dealer network, certified programs, and branding around premium ownership experiences.
- Performance tuning and suspension: Acura tuned the ILX with a refinement-focused ride and handling character, which could differ from the Civic’s tuning aimed at broad practicality and efficiency.
Taken together, the ILX is not a Civic sold as an upscale version; it is a separate model that leverages Civic technology while delivering a distinct Acura experience.
Current status in the market
In recent years, Acura shifted its lineup away from the ILX as the entry-level sedan and introduced the Integra as the newer, more modern entry-lux alternative. The Honda Civic remains available worldwide as a mainstream compact, while the ILX is no longer offered new in most markets.
Integra as the successor in spirit
The Integra, revived for the US market in recent years, serves as the brand’s newer, sportier compact sedan offering. Although it shares the Civic platform and many components, it carries its own styling and branding distinct from the ILX. For shoppers seeking Acura’s current entry-lux experience, the Integra is the contemporary option rather than the ILX.
Summary
Bottom line: The Acura ILX is not a Honda Civic, but it is built on the same Civic-derived platform and shares many components. It offered a more premium, Acura-branded experience within the same compact segment. In the mid-2020s, Acura largely phased out the ILX in favor of newer models like the Integra for the entry-level luxury sedan niche, while the Honda Civic remains the standard-bearer for Honda in this class.
Is the Acura Integra just a Civic?
The Honda Integra nameplate is used for a restyled Honda Civic sedan for the Chinese market, while the Acura Integra nameplate is used for a Civic-based liftback for North America, replacing the Acura ILX.
What car is comparable to the Acura ILX?
Cars similar to 2022 Acura ILX
- 2022 Acura ILX.
- 2020 Audi A3.
- 2021 BMW 2-Series.
- 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA Class.
- 2022 Honda Civic.
- 2021 Mazda MAZDA3.
What is the Acura ILX based on?
Honda Civic
The Acura ILX was one of the smallest luxury sedans on sale before it was discontinued. Sold for just a single generation, it was based on the ninth-generation Honda Civic, but aimed to attract buyers with its premium badge and more upmarket appointments.
Is the Acura ILX the same as the Honda Civic?
Under the hood, the Acura ILX starts off with a 2.0-liter I4 engine, same as the Civic, but it packs slightly less horsepower and fuel economy. However, the comfort of the Acura's driving experience goes above Honda Civic with standard features like leatherette-upholstered seats.
