Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Acura ILX, and it carries 6 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 11 | 21% |
| Service brakes | 5 | 10% |
| Service brakes | 5 | 10% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 8% |
| Power train | 4 | 8% |
| Power train | 2 | 4% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 4% |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 4% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 2% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2016 Acura ILX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V859000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2016 Acura ILX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle. The contact stated that the airbags did not deploy during the crash. The co
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
The contact owns a 2016 Acura ILX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the braking system became inoperable and failed to function properly while attempting to stop the vehicle. There was no wa
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2016 Acura ILX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V859000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard. No warning li
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2016 Acura ILX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V859000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
I am filing this complaint regarding the inadequacy of American Honda's recall remedy under NHTSA Campaign 25V-859 (Acura Campaign RN5) for my 2016 Acura ILX (109,000 miles). This recall addresses a defective brake maste
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
I am reporting a safety concern involving my vehicle, a 2016 Acura ILX (VIN: [XXX]), which is currently subject to an active brake system safety recall involving the brake master cylinder (Acura Recall Code RN5). The rec
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Airbag light on per dealership needs driver airbag replaced was on recall, then retracted from recall
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2016 Acura ILX. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Acura (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Acura ILX vehicles. The vehicles may have a deformed fuel tank, raising the height of the fuel pump and allowing the fuel level float to stick, possibly causing the fuel gauge to display an inaccurate fuel level.
Risk: If the fuel gauge displays that the vehicle has more gas than it actually does, the vehicle may run out of gas and stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Acura will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-888-234-2
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV
Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or dea
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer servic
Acura (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Acura ILX vehicles. Excessive grease may prevent the set-ring on the half shaft from fully engaging, allowing the driveshaft to separate from the half shaft.
Risk: A separated driveshaft can cause the vehicle to have a loss of drive or allow the vehicle to move even while in Park, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Acura will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and, as necessary, replace the driveshaft and half shaft, free of charge. The recall began August 1, 2019. Owners may contact Acura customer servi
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-20
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this re
| Reliability raw | 69 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 76 | good |
| Maintenance | 87 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 78 | good |
| Performance | 55 | average |
| Efficiency | 48 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 11 of them (21%). There are 6 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 69/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 76/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 74/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.