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2016 Acura ILX First Drive [w/video]

Luxury carmakers love getting 'em when they're young. Sure, it takes older, well-heeled buyers to move high-margin flagships like S-Classes, 7 Series, and LSes, but to borrow from the late, great Ms. Houston, the children are the future – specifically, the ones buying entry-level sleds like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA. Since youthful buyers tend to cultivate lifelong patterns of loyalty (and thus, spending), Acura has invested effort in shoving its entry-level ILX into more upmarket territory. "The ILX was originally conceived during the recession," one Acura executive admitted during the launch of the facelifted 2016 model, conceding that the original compact sedan's priorities were biased towards economy, not plushness. Because Acura originally didn't see the $30,000-ish competitors from Audi and Mercedes coming, they didn't think twice about equipping the base, prior-gen ILX with rather uninspired styling and a meager 150-horsepower engine, the combination of which made it more of a glorified Honda Civic than a contender for European power players. What's an aspiring Japanese automaker to do in 2015's golden age of affordable luxury? If you're Acura, you scramble to release a mid-cycle upgrade to elevate the ILX's status. Upmarket Moves: Fresher Skin And A Friskier Soul With its ho-hum sheet metal, the outgoing ILX simply couldn't stand up to its more crisply styled competitors. The 2016 model comes to the rescue by adding Acura's signature "Jewel Eye" row of LED headlights, which joins a reworked grille and fascia to form a more aggressive front end that's been moved lower and wider. A redesigned rear deck incorporates new LED taillamps, while the ILX's proportions now boast a more hunkered-down stance. The look is sexier (especially thanks to those glimmering headlights), though the stodgy, Buick-like character line and rear haunches remain. Inside, a new multimedia and navigation system brings a level of modernity to the cabin, with an eight-inch upper display and seven-inch lower touchscreen gracing Premium and Tech Plus models. A multi-view rear camera is standard on all ILXs, and the Premium gets a seven-speaker sound system while the Tech Plus receives a 10-speaker ELS premium audio setup. Acura's new Navi link feature enables iPhones to display navigation functionality on the car's screen using a $99 cable kit and a $60 app, offering an affordable way to know where you're going. The kit was not available on the models we drove.

Ford, Toyota clean up in Best Car For The Money Awards

The U.S. News Best Cars for the Money Awards picks winners by looking at the average transaction price, five-year total cost of ownership, the regard a car has from the automotive press, reliability figures from J.D. Power and Associates and safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The result, according to the magazine, is "the best combination of critical acclaim and long-term value."
Ford nabbed six of the 21 categories that received awards this year, the Focus, Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Taurus, Escape and Edge getting trophies. Toyota and its Lexus and Scion sub-brands took another five, the Tacoma and Tundra owning the two categories given to pickup trucks. The other ten awards were split between Honda with three, Buick with two, and one each for Subaru, BMW, Hyundai, Chevrolet and Mazda.
Follow the link to see all the winners and read about why they were chosen.

Acura RLX gets chassis upgrades, AcuraWatch for 2016

As Acura's flagship sedan, it makes sense for the RLX be available with the brand's premiere technology. So for the 2016 model year, two trims of the luxury vehicle are getting the latest version of the AcuraWatch suite of safety tech. While the 310-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 carries over, all trims of the 2016 RLX get an updated suspension tune with decreased spring rates and a less stiff rear stabilizer bar. The changes should provide a more plush, quieter ride inside. There's also a new color available called Acura Silver Metallic. When equipped with either Technology Package or the Advance Package, the 2016 RLX also gets a mix of cameras and radar to provide several safety luxuries that the brand wraps together as AcuraWatch. The system includes things like adaptive cruise control, collision mitigating braking and blind spot information. This improved version adds a Cross Traffic Monitor and Road Departure Mitigation. The latter aid watches the lines on the road to help keep the sedan in its lane. If RDM detects a possible accident, it can even provide steering and braking assistance. Furthermore, the Advance Package now receives Acura's Surround View Camera that places four cameras on the sedan to provide a 360-degree view when needed. The RLX's pricing remains the same from last year with the base version starting at $50,590, plus a $920 destination charge on all models. The Technology Package takes the price up to $54,450, and models with the Advance Package will run $60,450. 2016 Acura RLX Adds AcuraWatch™ and Other Enhancements to Elevate Premium Sophistication and Value AcuraWatch™ expands scope and content of safety and driver assistive technologies Chassis tuning enhances ride quality; 19-inch wheels with new bright finish standard on all trims Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) unchanged With the most comprehensive suite of safety and driver assistive technologies yet available on an Acura, the 2016 RLX luxury sedan goes on sale March 3 with manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) unchanged from the previous model year. This price hold represents a significant value, especially for the Technology package due to the addition of AcuraWatch™ and Advance package that includes the first U.S. application of Acura's Surround View Camera system3. Both RLX packages will also adopt the application of Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) and Cross Traffic Monitor.