The Acura Sedan That Deserves More Credit For Being An Overlooked Deal On The Used Market
Acura is the premium brand you go to when you want something a bit more special than a mainstream car, but not as expensive as the usual German suspects or Lexus. Though Lexus is by far the bigger company compared to Acura, Acura is actually the first premium brand from Japan, as it went into business in 1986. Lexus, on the other hand, took another three years before entering the market.
Unfortunately, Acura’s modern vehicles, particularly in the 2010s, weren’t as successful sales-wise as what Lexus was cooking at the time. The sports sedan segment, for instance, was a five-way battle between three Germans, an American, and the Lexus IS, while Acura’s offering for this segment didn’t resonate as much as its rivals.
That leads us to the used Acura model in today’s article. This model was already an overlooked choice when it was first introduced in 2012 for the 2013 model year, and that’s still the case in 2026, four years after it was discontinued. Here’s why this vehicle now deserves your attention as a used car purchase.
Acura’s Sensational Hits
Most of Acura’s models can easily be forgotten, but there are three models in its stable that resonate well with buyers.
The Right-Timed MDX
The MDX has become the best-selling Acura. It is a luxury crossover SUV that delivers sporty handling, reliable ownership that’s no different from a Honda, and a level of practicality that has been perfect for families ever since its release. Like the Lexus RX, the Acura MDX is already a household name in the segment. Its timing in the 2000s was just right for American consumers to resonate well with the nameplate. The RDX followed the MDX, and its compact size also makes it decently popular, though not to the level of the MDX.
The Integra And The NSX
The Integra is a somewhat sportier and more premium Civic, but its existence is easily justified due to its sleek coupe design (especially in the second-generation’s round headlights) and its use of a double-wishbone front suspension for the best handling possible in a front-wheel drive (FWD) car. In 2021, it was revived, and though it doesn’t sell as much as the Civic, it is still popular enough in its segment.
Serving as Acura’s halo car is the NSX, which appeared for two generations. The wedge-shaped original model is a tough act to follow, since the hybrid NSX that was introduced in 2016 for the 2017 model year wasn’t as successful sales-wise. Still, the NSX easily resonates with car enthusiasts because it was a sports car in the 1990s that showed that even Japan could keep up performance-wise with what Ferrari and Lamborghini could do at the time. It is cars like the NSX and Integra that have given Acura its sporty reputation, hence its tagline “Precision Crafted Performance”.
Let Us Remind You Of The ILX
Though numerous alphanumeric nameplates like TL and the RSX were very popular in the 2000s, the ILX that was introduced in 2012 was perhaps a model that you probably forgot even existed.
Average Value Of Around $19,989
The ILX was last produced in 2022, and if you want the newest model you can find, this model year has an average resale value of $19,989 to $28,990. The models we recommend are those that came from the 2016 to 2022 model years, since the 201-horsepower 2.4-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine from the Civic Si became your only option.
When it was introduced in 2013, the ILX came with a 2.0-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder with an old-school five-speed automatic, while the Si-based engine we recommend only came with a six-speed manual. The problem? The best engine was the 2.4-liter, but it only came with a manual, so those wanting an automatic went for either the 2.0-liter i-VTEC or the tepid 1.5-liter IMA hybrid system. From 2013 to 2015, only four percent opted for the manual, while the hybrid flopped hard, too. Thus, the sole remaining 2.4-liter i-VTEC was fitted with a new eight-speed dual-clutch in its 2016 facelift.
Reliable And Reasonably Fun
Being based on the ninth-generation Civic platform, the ILX is known for its reliability and ease of maintenance. iSeeCars says that the ILX has an average lifespan of 188,536 miles or 17.1 years, which is extremely long. If you bought one in 2013, the average ILX would last until 2030, perhaps even more. Unsurprisingly, this also means it has a very high 42.6 percent chance of reaching 200,000 miles. This was at a time when Honda’s engines were reliability gems—simple yet effective and thus long-lasting. RepairPal also says that its average annual repair and maintenance cost of $435 is excellent, since it is less than the industry average of $652.
When the ninth-generation Civic it was based on was released for the 2012 model year, it was criticized for its cheap, low-rent interior, plus its driving dynamics that erred on the boring but comfortable rather than sporty side of things. The ILX, meanwhile, managed to be a tad sportier and, with its more premium positioning, a tad more posh, too. The 2.4-liter, whether with the initial manual-only option or the standard eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with a torque converter, was a highlight because it was one of the last true VTEC engines with the signature kick that this engine is known for.
Why Was It Overlooked When New?
The Acura ILX was never the sales success it was meant to be, and to understand why, we have to look at its competition at the time and where the ILX stands.
It Was In A No Man’s Land
Though the Integra nameplate always shared mechanical similarities with the Civic, the ILX was still too close to what the Civic felt like in terms of driving dynamics. That becomes a problem if it’s meant to rival the upcoming wave of German entry-level luxury sedans.
The ILX’s positioning within the segment wasn’t quite luxurious enough, nor mainstream enough, so it occupied a no-man’s-land as a somewhat premium but not quite mainstream sedan. Lastly, another problem was that when the Civic got a full redesign for the 2016 model year, the ILX never inherited its platform, so some buyers found it less modern than its Honda counterpart.
But Now, It’s A Worthy Used Purchase
The ILX was not quite premium, but not affordable enough to be mainstream when it was new. Now, in 2026, it is an easy recommendation for anyone to get one. It’s as reliable and as easy to own as the Civic, and with 2016 to 2022 models having the Civic Si’s engine as standard, you can think of the ILX as a more comfortable, refined, and premium alternative to the manual-only Civic Si. Want the slick-shifting manual transmission? Then the 2013 to 2015 models are even more affordable due to their age.
Sources: Acura, iSeeCars, RepairPal
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