Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: it scores well across the board with no single weak engine.
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Acura ILX, and it carries 5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 12 | 33% |
| Service brakes | 7 | 19% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 11% |
| Engine | 2 | 6% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 6% |
| Air bags | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 3% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
My driver airbag was stolen 7 months ago and my vehicle has been stuck at body shop ever since because the airbag is on national backorder with no ETA in sight. Acura has done NOTHING to help me and my life has been seve
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I am writing to formally raise a concern regarding the handling of a safety recall repair performed on my 2019 Acura ILX at Maus Acura of North Tampa. I initially brought my vehicle in to address a safety recall related
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
My 2019 Acura ILX (VIN: [XXX] , 69,349 miles) is experiencing severe, dangerous brake system failure directly matching Acura Safety Recall RN5 / NHTSA Campaign 25V859 (Brake Master Cylinder). The vehicle does not stop pr
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2019 Acura ILX. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V859000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer w
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2019 Acura ILX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V859000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The narrative for the rec
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owned a 2019 Acura ILX. The contact stated that while reversing, the backward collision avoidance system activated without any objects or persons behind the vehicle, and the vehicle abruptly stopped. The back
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The manufacturer is failing to fix the associated recall RN5 NHTSA# 25V-859
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2019 Acura ILX. The vehicle was taken to be inspected, and the contact was informed that the VIN might be associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V859000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The vehicle was t
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2019 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.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgelin
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note:
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
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 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, F
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall
| Reliability raw | 88 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 85 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 87 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 89 | excellent |
| Performance | 55 | average |
| Efficiency | 46 | 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 36 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and fuel system is the most reported area with 12 of them (33%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 88/100 (excellent) 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 85/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2019 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: buy, because it scores well across the board with no single weak engine. Its overall ownership score is 81/100. 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.