Compare the2023 Volkswagen ArteonVS 2022 Acura ILX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Volkswagen Arteon 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 Arteon has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Arteon has standard Maneuver Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The ILX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Arteon offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The ILX doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Arteon SEL Premium has a standard Area View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The ILX only offers a rear monitor.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Arteon has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the ILX.

Both the Arteon and the ILX 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 and rearview cameras.

The Volkswagen Arteon weighs 529 to 834 pounds more than the Acura ILX. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Warranty

The Arteon’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the ILX’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Arteon for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Acura doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the ILX.

There are over 2 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Arteon’s warranty.

Reliability

The Volkswagen Arteon’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the ILX’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 27 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Acura.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volkswagen 4 places higher in reliability than Acura.

Engine

The Arteon’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 99 more horsepower (300 vs. 201) and 115 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 180) than the ILX’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Arteon’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.

The Arteon has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the ILX (17.4 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Arteon	ILX
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	11.1 inches

The Arteon’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the ILX are solid, not vented.

The Arteon stops much shorter than the ILX:

	Arteon	ILX
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Arteon has larger tires than the ILX (245/45R18 vs. 215/45R17). The Arteon’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the ILX (245/45R18 vs. 225/40R18).

The Arteon SEL/SEL Premium’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the ILX A-SPEC’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Arteon has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the ILX. The Arteon SEL/SEL Premium’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the ILX A-SPEC.

The Arteon has a standard space-saver spare tire 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 Arteon has a standard 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 a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Arteon’s wheelbase is 6.8 inches longer than on the ILX (111.9 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Arteon is 3.1 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than on the ILX.

The Arteon SEL Premium R-Line 4Motion handles at .90 G’s, while the ILX A-SPEC pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Arteon a Large car, while the ILX is rated a Compact.

The Arteon has 7.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the ILX (96.5 vs. 89.3).

The Arteon has 4 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 6.2 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the ILX.

Cargo Capacity

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Arteon’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 Arteon’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.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Arteon’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The ILX doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Towing

The Arteon has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The ILX has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The Arteon 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 Arteon’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The ILX has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Arteon’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The ILX’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Arteon’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.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Arteon SEL/SEL Premium 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 Arteon has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The ILX doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Arteon also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Arteon’s standard 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.

Both the Arteon and the ILX have standard heated front seats. The Arteon SEL Premium also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the ILX.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Arteon SEL Premium keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The ILX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Arteon’s standard 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.

The Arteon SEL Premium has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the ILX.

Both the Arteon and the ILX offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Arteon has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The ILX doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

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

The Arteon SEL Premium’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The ILX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Volkswagen Arteon, based on reliability, safety and performance.