Reviews of the Acura ILX and Buick Verano

Mix tighter personal budgets with a desire for better fuel economy, and the result is the Acura ILX and Buick Verano. These new compact sedans let you enjoy an upscale interior and premium features without the typically high luxury-car sticker price and fuel demands.

Both have humble roots. The ILX is based on the Honda Civic, the Verano on the Chevrolet Cruze. But even with the addition of leather, sound deadening, and extra features, their sticker prices of $30,095 and $27,750, respectively, seem too high for what you get, especially for the Acura.

With better gas mileage and a more spacious interior, the ILX edged out the Verano in our tests, 77 to 73. Its 150-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine returns a good 28 mpg overall, but on premium fuel. The Verano's 180-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder and six-speed automatic transmission give it a slight performance advantage over the ILX, but a so-so 24 mpg overall. It does take regular gas, though.

The cars deliver responsive handling, but neither is sporty to drive. And ride quality doesn't stand out in either. The Verano's almost library-quiet cabin is easily the car's high point; the ILX suffers from notable noise.

Don't let the high-end badges sway you. For about the same money, you could buy a loaded four-cylinder family sedan, such as a Hyundai Sonata or a Toyota Camry, with more room and similar or better fuel economy. Or you could buy the higher-rated Acura TSX.

We recommend the ILX, based on the Civic's reliability record; based on our latest survey, the Verano has below-average reliability.

Of the three available engines, our ILX has the most popular one. It's smooth and delivers adequate power, and the five-speed automatic generally works well. For more zip, you can go for the 201-hp, 2.4-liter four and slick six-speed manual. More frugal-minded buyers can opt for a 1.5-liter hybrid powertrain, with which we got 40 mpg overall in the Civic Hybrid.

The base engine in our Verano delivers decent performance. Transmission shifts are prompt and smooth. A stronger 2.0-liter turbo four and a six-speed manual are also available.

Both cars have competent, although far from sporty, handling and posted good speeds in our avoidance maneuver. Each provides responsive steering but vague feedback to the driver. The ILX's steering is well weighted, but the Verano's is overly light. The ILX has a choppy ride; the Verano is better, but its 18-inch tires transmit some thumps.

The interiors are nice but fall short of true luxury. The Acura's controls are very simple, and the Buick's dashboard is more cluttered.

The ILX's spacious cabin has firm, well-shaped, power-adjustable seats. The rear seat is roomy for a small sedan, except for passengers more than 6 feet tall. The Verano's interior is more snug, with less driver room and front seats that have uneven support. The rear seat is tight even for average-sized adults. The driver's seat in both cars lacks adjustable lumbar support, and the Verano doesn't have a powered seatback recline, omissions you don't expect in a premium car.

The Buick has a slightly larger trunk and a 60/40-split folding rear seat; the Acura makes do with a folding one-piece seatback.