Compact Luxury Sedans: The 2014 Buick Verano vs. 2014 Acura ILX

Welcome to the world of compact luxury sedans. In an effort to reach the new breed of car drivers who are not yet ready for the high end offerings of BMW, Mercedes, or Lexus vehicles, Other manufacturers are upgrading lower priced models with amenities worthy of the pricier bigger brothers. Two of the upcoming stars in that category are the 2014 Buick Verano and the 2014 Acura ILX.

Both of these cars use the base of a cheaper model as a foundation to build a more luxurious upgrade. The Verano is set on the Chevrolet Cruze base and that is where the similarity ends. The ILX sits on a Honda Civic base and grows into something more upscale. Both of these automobiles are changing the way people view compact luxury sedans.

Test driving the vehicles brings out a bit of a contrast. According to autoguide.com the Buick Verano has a soft luxurious feel going down the highway, whereas, the Acura ILX is heavy on the sports car ride. Both handle well with the ILX a bit better on cornering. The engine contrast shows the Buick Verano with a 182 horsepower 2.4 Liter engine that helps give it a crisp, smooth ride. The Acura ILX sports a smaller 2.0 Liter engine with a 150 horsepower that lacks some of the power the Buick Verano has.

Gas mileage for both vehicles is worthy of mention. The ILX has an overall combined miles per gallon average of 28 while the Verano is slightly less with a combined 25 miles per gallon. The smaller engine and weight of the ILX plays a big role here, however, Acura recommends premium gas which may nullify overall fuel savings. The decision between the two boils down to whether you want a sports car ride or more luxury when cruising the highway.

Verano does lead in the transmission category with a 6 speed automatic compared to the ILX with a five speed automatic. While sitting in the driver seat the difference in front legroom and headroom is not noticeable between the two vehicles, but the Verano does offer better space for backseat passengers. Trunk space in the ILX was notably less with its 12.3 cubic feet to the Verano’s 14.3 cubic feet. Part of the explanation for the difference is the 3 inch shorter wheel base of the Acura ILX.

The luxurious drive of the Verano is topped by the quietness on the interior thanks to Buick’s QuietTuning technology. The interior noise of the ILX is commendable but doesn’t quite match the Buick. The soft seats and stylish interior of the Verano may be the major difference between the two. A small upgrade fee will get the Verano owner heated leather seats, heated steering wheel, blind-spot monitoring, and rear park assist. The base model even includes a rear-view camera, remote start and fog lights. The ILX does fall short in this area with leather that is not the same standard and plastic around the interior that feels cheap.

The comparison of the two comes down to which one fits the small luxury sedan category better. The Buick Verano has a soft quiet ride while sitting in a soft classy interior. For looks and fuel economy the Acura comes out on top. But when it comes to price, more standard features and several upgrades available the 2014 Buick Verano might be the car for you.

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Chris Spencer had been writing articles for wide variety of websites to do article marketing.