Compare the2022 MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 DoorVS 2022 Acura ILX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages

Safety

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The MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The ILX doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The ILX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The ILX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door and the ILX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

Warranty

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the ILX’s (12 vs. 5 years).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door for 3 years and 36,000 miles. MINI will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Acura doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the ILX.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that MINI vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 49 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 26th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that MINI vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks MINI 5 places higher in reliability than Acura.

Engine

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 26 lbs.-ft. more torque (206 vs. 180) than the ILX’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door gets better mileage than the ILX:

			MPG
Cooper Hardtop 4 Door
	Manual	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
	Auto	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	29 city/38 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	28 city/38 hwy
ILX
	Auto	2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/34 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The ILX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The ILX doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Acura ILX (3). This means the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the ILX every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door S Auto’s optional launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The ILX doesn’t offer launch control.

Tires and Wheels

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The ILX doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door Base has a standard space-saver spare (not available on S) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the ILX; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The ILX’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For better maneuverability, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the ILX’s (36.2 feet vs. 36.8 feet).

Chassis

The MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 250 pounds less than the Acura ILX.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door is 1 foot, 11.7 inches shorter than the ILX, making the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The ILX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has 1.9 inches more front headroom and 1.6 inches more rear headroom than the ILX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s rear seats recline. The ILX’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s hatch uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the cargo area. The ILX’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The ILX’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

Servicing Ease

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The ILX uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The ILX doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The ILX’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The ILX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has a standard rear wiper. The ILX doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s available headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the ILX’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The ILX doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The ILX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The ILX offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

On extremely cold winter days, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s optional (except Classic) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The ILX doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the MINI Cooper Iconic has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The ILX doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s optional Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The ILX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The MINI Cooper comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Acura ILX isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door with a number “5” insurance rate while the ILX is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door is less expensive to operate than the ILX because typical repairs cost much less on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door than the ILX, including $56 less for a starter and $295 less for fuel injection.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door will be $3523 to $3700 less than for the Acura ILX.

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