2021 Acura ILX
The 2021 Acura ILX is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan. 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 the lane departure. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILX | Gas | FWD | 2.4L 4-cyl | 24 | 34 | 28 | $2,950 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43297.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILX | 3 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sedan/Saloon |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 2.4 L |
| Engine configuration | In-Line |
Engine Output
| Horsepower | 201 hp |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Seating
| Seat rows | 2 |
| Seating capacity | 5 seats |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | 4x2 |
| Transmission | Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) |
| Transmission speeds | 8 |
Driver assistance
Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Rear cross-traffic alert
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: ILX, Premium Package, Premium and A-Spec Package / Technology and A-Spec Package). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 181.9 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 70.9 in |
| Height | 55.5 in |
| Wheelbase | 105.1 in |
| Track, front | 59.4 in |
| Track, rear | 59.8 in |
| Curb weight | 3,120 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 60/40 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2021 Acura ILX is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (0)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseNo NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Acura ILX. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Acura ILX, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2021 Acura ILX
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this ILX →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database3 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported
9.4 per 10,000 built · Acura reported 11,642 ILX built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2021: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 2
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
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.
I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2021 Acura ILX (VIN: ) 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.
The contact owns a 2021 Acura ILX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the white lines on the road appeared curved through the windshield. The contact then noticed that the windshield was distorted.
The contact owns a 2021 Acura ILX. The contact stated that after entering the vehicle, he became aware that the driver's seat belt was stuck and would not uncoil. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the seat belt assembly. The vehicle was not repaired.
Electrical Failure. Safety was an issue with vehicle needing constant jumps. Problem was checked at dealer. My concern was continuously overlooked. Warning lamps didn't warn
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.
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.
Reported by Acura itself: 6 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 6 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 52 per 100,000 built. Every ILX model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 11% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning.
Driver-assist crash reports (1)
Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-011 severity unknown
Mar 2022 to Mar 2022 · 1 with an air bag deployment · 1 towed
What was engaged, and what was hit
System named: not named in the filings
Crash partner: Pickup Truck 1
Filed by: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
| Incident | System | Struck | Injury alleged | State | Speed | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2022 | Level 2 | Pickup Truck | unknown | TX | 80 mph | 62-2483 |
From the manufacturer’s own filing
The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.
The customer was driving with the cruise control engaged at 80 miles per hour. The customer alleges that the automatic braking failed, causing the customer to rear-end a truck, resulting in injuries. The customer alleges that the Lane Keep Assist System and Adaptive Cruise Control were engaged
A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsMost often about: Suspension, Tires, Exterior Lighting, Wheels, Equipment.
- B24040A Other2024-05-01 · Engine
- Service News - Due to On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) regulation change starting with 2019 vehicles, American Honda’s Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) On-Board Diagnostic monitors are now included in the EGR/VVT OBD Monitor Readiness status group. Due to some customer’s driving patterns, they may not drive in the fashion needed to operate the VTEC (EGR/VVT) that only operates abo
- B23-012 Service bulletin2023-08-24 · Exterior Lighting — Headlights
- Service Bulletin - Vehicle owner notices condensation or moisture trapped inside one or both headlight assemblies that does not evaporate from the lamp due to the headlight making contact with a body panel creating a separation in the adhesive between the headlight lens and the housing, allowing moisture to enter the headlight.
- B23-012 Service bulletin2023-06-09 · Structure
- Service Bulletin - The headlight making contact with a body panel can create a separation in the adhesive between the headlight lens and the housing, allowing moisture to enter the headlight.
- BTI&12062022 Service bulletin2022-12-06 · Exterior Lighting
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2022 ILXs with a client complaint of moisture/condensation in the headlights. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
- BTI&11282022909 Service bulletin2022-11-28 · Exterior Lighting
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2022 ILXs with a client complaint of moisture/condensation in the headlights. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
- BTI&11122022908 Service bulletin2022-11-12 · Exterior Lighting
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2022 ILXs with a client complaint of moisture/condensation in the headlights. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
- BTI&02222022905 Service bulletin2022-02-22 · Tires — Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for 2019-2022 ILXs, 2022 MDXs, 2021-2022 RDXs & TLXs with a client complaint of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light on due to a faulty sensor with a client complaint of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light on due to a faulty sensor. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect
- BTI&02172022902 Service bulletin2022-02-17 · Tires — Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for 2019-2022 ILXs, 2022 MDXs, 2021-2022 RDXs & TLXs with a client complaint of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light on due to a faulty sensor with a client complaint of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light on due to a faulty sensor. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaintsCodes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
| Code | What it means | Most often filed under | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| U0155 | A module has stopped hearing from the instrument cluster. | Electrical System · Battery → | 2 bulletins |
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Acura ILX failed the emissions check on 4.1% of first inspections — higher than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.2% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%).
failed emissions
776 initial inspections of 757 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2021 ILX | Every 2021 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 4.1% | 1.9% | 775 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 1.2% | 1.5% | 776 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.26% | 0.19% | 776 |
| Miles driven a year | 8,657 | 10,343 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 46,071 | 54,681 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
ILX by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2021 ILX
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2021 Acura ILX have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Acura ILX. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them, and a clean sheet on a recent model year often just means the vehicle is new.
How safe is the 2021 Acura ILX?
NHTSA gave the 2021 Acura ILX 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (100/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Acura ILX?
For the 2021 Acura ILX, the best EPA combined figure is 28 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2021 Acura ILX?
Transport Canada measured it at 181.9 in long, 70.9 in wide (body, without mirrors), 55.5 in tall, on a 105.1 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,120 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2021 Acura ILX?
Owners have filed 11 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Acura ILX, most often about lane departure, unspecified, exterior lighting. Of those, 3 involved a crash, 1 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2021 Acura ILX?
The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Acura ILX is 3 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Acura ILX?
The manufacturer has filed 36 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Acura ILX, most often covering suspension, tires, exterior lighting. The most recent is dated 2024-05-01. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2021 Acura ILX do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Acura ILX failed the emissions check on 4.1% of first inspections — higher than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.2% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 1 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 1 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | none | NHTSA recall campaigns | No campaign has been filed. Because the register is complete, an empty row here means there is nothing to find — not that we are missing it. |
| Owner complaints | 11 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 1 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 36 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | none | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | No defect investigation has been opened. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | 1 | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 13 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
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). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.