Compare the2022 Acura ILXVS 2022 Honda Accord

The ILX has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Accord doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the ILX and the Accord have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Acura ILX is safer than the Honda Accord:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Acura ILX is safer than the Honda Accord:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The ILX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Accord’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the ILX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Honda covers the Accord. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Accord ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the ILX second among small premium cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Accord isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Acura 10th in reliability, above the industry average. With 37 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 27th.

The ILX’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (201 vs. 192) than the Accord’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Acura ILX is faster than the Honda Accord 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder:

The ILX offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Accord doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the ILX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Accord:

The ILX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Accord’s standard 50 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the ILX’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Accord LX/EX-L’s (36.8 feet vs. 38.2 feet). The ILX’s turning circle is 2.8 feet tighter than the Accord 2.0T’s (36.8 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

The ILX is 1 foot, 1.9 inches shorter than the Accord, making the ILX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than Honda. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 21% lower rating, Honda is ranked 20th.

The ILX’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Accord’s power window (except driver window), power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The ILX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Accord Sport 2.0T/Sport SE/EX-L/Touring.

Insurance will cost less for the ILX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the ILX will cost $435 less than the Accord over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the ILX is less expensive to operate than the Accord because typical repairs cost less on the ILX than the Accord, including $103 less for a muffler, $38 less for a fuel pump and $163 less for a power steering pump.