2013 Acura ILX Premium

This entry-level luxury sedan pairs a comfortable, amenity-laden interior with a free-revving 201-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-4.

A sound value proposition, all ILX sedans come well-equipped, and our Silver Moon-hued tester’s Premium package added leather-trimmed sport seats, XM satellite radio and a multi-view rear camera display.

The ILX we sampled shares its 2.4-liter engine and 6-speed manual transmission with the Honda Civic Si. As in the Honda, we found the transmission easy and satisfying to use, with one of the best "feeling" shift-mechanisms in the business. The engine also wins praise for its flexibility and willingness to rev. Despite its rather long stroke design, Honda's large 4-cylinder feels most at home in the upper half of the rev range, singing happily to redline in a way that reminds us of the old "VTEC" screamers from the 1990s.

The smallest Acura performs in a way that's mostly par for this class, despite being one of the only models in it to offer only naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder engines. 0-60 comes up in a relatively brisk 6.4 seconds, with the quarter-mile taking about 15 flat. Handling is front-drive but sporty. The electric power steering gives decent feel and the taut chassis makes turn-in sharp.

That said, the ILX, even in premium guise, strikes an uneasy balance between economical luxury sedan and luxury-branded economy car. Some might argue that the best elements of the Acura ILX are, in fact, those it shares with the Honda Civic Si: its capable chassis and superb powertrain. What you get with the ILX that the Civic won't offer you is primarily aesthetic: the Acura has a more grown-up appearance and a slightly more full-featured interior, though it still won't be as luxurious as an optioned-out Accord.