VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE

Acura ILX20132022

Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.

TOP PICK
2021
Buyer Score 89/100
10
Years Analyzed
16
Total Recalls
151
Total Complaints
9
Reported Injuries
0
Reported Deaths

Best Years to Buy a Acura ILX

Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.

#1 PICK5yr old
2021
Strong Buy · 89/100
Reliability90/100
Value window88/100
Recalls0
Complaints3
Top issue: AIR BAGS
#2 PICK6yr old
2020
Strong Buy · 88/100
Reliability89/100
Value window87/100
Recalls0
Complaints6
Top issue: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
#3 PICK9yr old
2017
Strong Buy · 86/100
Reliability94/100
Value window70/100
Recalls1
Complaints10
Top issue: POWER TRAIN

Acura ILX Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2013

4 recalls · 40 complaints

2 reported injuries

Top issue: AIR BAGS

#2 WORST
2016

3 recalls · 36 complaints

3 reported injuries

Top issue: AIR BAGS

#3 WORST
2014

3 recalls · 18 complaints

2 reported injuries

Top issue: AIR BAGS

Acura ILX — Year-by-Year Comparison

Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.

YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsReliabilityValueBuyer ScoreVerdict
202200
100
85
95
Excellent
202103
90
88
89
Excellent
202006
89
87
88
Good
20191191
85
83
84
Caution
201819
86
77
83
Good
2017110
94
70
86
Good
20163363
82
63
75
Avoid
20153101
83
56
74
Caution
20143182
79
50
69
Caution
20134402
80
45
68
Avoid

Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.

Known Acura ILX Problems

Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.

AIR BAGS
41
SERVICE BRAKES
15
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
10
POWER TRAIN
10
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
9
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
7

Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.

Shopping by Era

How each generation of the ILX compares — best year within each era shown.

2018–Present

Modern safety tech, refreshed platforms, updated powertrains. Higher purchase price but lower reliability risk. Best pick in this era: 2022 (Buyer Score 95).

Best: 2022

2013–2017

Mid-decade models in the depreciation sweet spot — typically 35–55% below original MSRP. Inspect carefully for powertrain wear and recall completion. Best: 2017 (Buyer Score 86).

Best: 2017

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best year ILX to buy?+

The 2021 Acura ILX scores highest on our Buyer Score (89/100) — combining a reliability score of 90/100 with a value score of 88/100. It has 0 recalls and 3 NHTSA complaints on record.

Which ILX years have the most problems?+

The 2013, 2016, 2014 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2013 ILX leads with 4 recalls and 40 owner complaints.

What is the Buyer Score?+

The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.

What are the most common ILX problems?+

The most frequently reported Acura ILX issues involve: AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.

Deep-Dive Research

Found the right year? Verify the specific car.

A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.

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