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2021 Acura ILX

Gas Compact car

2022202120202019201820172016
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratings
A
Safety Signal
100 / 100
ASafety Signal · 100 / 100
0Recalls · NHTSA campaigns
11Complaints · owner reports
5★Crash rating · NHTSA overall
28 mpgFuel economy · best combined

The 2021 Acura ILX is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact car. The most efficient version, the ILX, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 11 complaints, most often about lane departure. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
ILXGasFWD2.4L 4-cyl243428$2,750

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

Out of factory warranty soon?

The 2021 Acura ILX is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (0)

No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Acura ILX. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.

Owner complaints

11 complaints filed

3 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2021: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 2

Most-cited components

  • Lane Departure — 6
  • Unknown Or Other — 3
  • Exterior Lighting — 3
  • Air Bags — 2
  • Electrical System — 1
“am reporting a serious safety defect in my 2021 Acura ILX involving the front headlight assembly. Water is entering the headlight housing due to what appears to be a manufacturer sealing defect, with visible condensation inside. This is causing electrical malfunction, including intermittent failure of the turn signal (…”Mar 20, 2026 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA owner report
“I am reporting a severe and hazardous safety defect in my 2021 Acura ILX involving water intrusion into the headlight assembly, resulting in electrical failure of critical lighting and signaling components. Due to an apparent manufacturing defect in the headlight sealing, moisture is entering the housing and is visibly…”Mar 20, 2026 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA owner report
“I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2021 Acura ILX (VIN: [XXX] ) that has been unreleasable for an extended period due to manufacturer inability to supply a required safety component. The vehicle was involved in an accident on July 6, 2025 and delivered to Caliber Collision in Corpus Christi, Texas. All accident…”Dec 19, 2025 · Air Bags · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning.

Other ILX model years

A

2022 ILX

0 recalls · 3 complaints

B

2020 ILX

2 recalls · 10 complaints

D

2019 ILX

5 recalls · 36 complaints

D

2018 ILX

4 recalls · 23 complaints

D

2017 ILX

4 recalls · 20 complaints

F

2016 ILX

6 recalls · 52 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 43297). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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