2013 Acura ILX Hybrid Driving Impressions
Friday, June 8, 2012 at 3:27PM 
We recently received the rest of our first ILX shipment and I've now that I've had a chance to drive it, I wanted to offer up my thoughts on Acura's first Hybrid.
The ILX is the first hybrid for Acura, and the first time that Honda has built one outside of Japan. The car pairs a twin-spark iVTEC engine with the compact Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). On paper, the 111 combined horsepower appears to be on the low side, but it doesn't tell the whole story. The new Lithium-Ion powered IMA motor is producing 78 lb-ft of torque from 500-1546 RPM and combined with the gas engine is generating 127 lb-ft of torque from 1000-3500 RPM.
The new Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is the final piece of the puzzle. The stepless CVT transmission is able to keep the modest drivetrain in the "sweet spot" to make the most of the available power. A regular "Drive" mode is provided as well as a "Sport" setting that allows for more engine RPM for those willing to sacrifice a few MPG for a little more power.
When you enter the Hybrid, there are small changes to the instrumentation for hybrid duty. To the left of the steering wheel there is a "Econ" button that allows you to select or de-select the more efficient driving mode. The multi-function display between the tachometer and speedometer has added selections (more on this later) and there is a "charge/assist" gauge opposite the fuel gauge. Under braking, the car captures energy with Regenerative Braking to recharge the batteries so it never needs to be plugged in.
When you start the car, it's a little different than in the regular ILXs. There is a soft "whirr" and instantly, the car is running. This is because the powerful IMA motor handles the starting function. There is a conventional starter motor as a back up and this makes the Honda/Acura hybrids the only ones that can run if the high energy hybrid system were disabled.
In "Normal" mode, acceleration off the line is surprisingly peppy due to the pull of the IMA motor. This is not so say it's fast, but it is pretty responsive and it's hard to tell that it's only a 1.5 liter engine in the car. Under way, the charge/assist meter helps you understand when you're taking power out of the batteries or putting it back in. Once under way select the "EcoAssist" system via the steering wheel controls. This places a glowing green orb between the tach and speedometer. This coaching system is designed to help drivers learn to drive more efficiently. When you are not moving the orb will be little more than a tiny dot (sitting parked with the engine running is not efficient). As you drive, you'll see the orb grow in size when you're being "good" and shrink again when you're doing poorly.
One thing that catches first time drivers off guard is the Auto-Stop feature. Under most situations, the car is designed to shut off the gas engine when you come to a stop. The various power control units in the car determine when to do it so certain things like, A/C settings or if the car hasn't fully warmed up, will affect the auto-stop feature. At a stop, the ILXs Dual-Scroll Air Conditioning Compressor helps keep the interior cool with the engine off (I wish our CR-Z had this). When you take your foot off the brake, the gas engine restarts and off you go. Since the car doesn't run electric only, there is no "hand off" between the electric motor and the gas engine. The IMA and gas engine work as one to maximize efficiency and minimize the impact on performance.
Selecting "Econ" changes things dramatically in order to improve fuel economy. You will notice the changes immediately, throttle response is significantly reduced and the transmission conspires to keep the RPMs as low as possible. As with our Honda hybrid, this surely helps with fuel economy, but it does make the car feel less peppy. To be perfectly clear, if the driver calls for "wide open throttle" the car will provide it regardless of which mode you're in. This is important for your safety in an emergency situation. I like to use the "Econ" function when I'm on the highway and the cruise control is on, this way I get the benefits of the setting but don't feel the throttle as the car takes care of all of that
Moving the transmission into the "Sport" mode changes the throttle map and transmission programming. The CVT encourages the engine run to higher a RPM and this improves performance. You also have the option of engaging the ILXs Paddle Shifters to further control the power delivery. This activates a 7-Speed "virtual"gearbox and overrides the CVTs tendency to maintain the most efficient RPM at all costs. In all honestly, I had low expectations for this, but was pleasantly surprised. Shifts were responsive with very little lag.
It's important to remember that the IMA system is designed to assist the gas engine and Acura was adamant that the car 'feel' normal and everyone agrees that this has been achieved. Except for the Eco Assist coaching and the Autostop, there are few clues that you're driving a special car. The ILX Hybrid handles just as well as the regular gas only cars, which is to say it's compliant over normal pavement but progressively stiffer as loads increase. Acura has introduced a new shock absorber system called Amplitude Reactive Dampers to help improve ride comfort without sacrificing handling and over Kakaako's broken pavement, I can testify that it works well. The car feels solid and composed even if you push it harder in a corner. Naturally it will understeer at the limit, but the new Motion Adaptive Steering is designed to assist the driver by encouraging the correct steering input (not something I have personally verified...).
The ILX Hybrid places the battery pack behind the rear seats, so you'll lose the fold down seatbacks. To help save weight, the hybrid models also use an aluminum rear bumper beam (all ILXs have an aluminum front beam) and an inflator kit replaces the spare tire. Trunk space drops from 12 to 10 cubic feet, but it's not that noticeable since the pack is very compact and nearly flush with the back of the trunk.
Overall, the Hybrid performs largely as expected. It's certainly not 'rocket fast' but that's not the point of the car and I don't think that anyone truly expects that. What it does well is provide an outstanding level of equipment and the available Technology ups the ante all in a small, easy to park package. That it should deliver excellent fuel economy in the process is an added bonus. So come down and try it with an open mind, there is more to this than meets the eye. Contact me through this site if you'd like to set an appointment.
Reader Comments (2)
Saw one in real life - the door handles are very very low.
It makes me want to go out to an old Acura Integra to compare them.