The 10 Best Tires for the Acura ILX
In a market dominated by SUVs and CUVs, I’m the type of person who wants to talk about the other types of vehicles. With my personal preference aside, some people still drive sedans or hatchbacks, so I think I’m helping them, at least when it comes to picking a new set of tires.
The model for today’s list comes from Acura, which is the US luxury version of Honda, and it’s the IXL. It’s been around for a decade, and even though it’s still in its first generation, it’s a popular option for people who want a compact sedan.
As for sizes, most of the options for this model revolve around the 17- and 18-inch sizes, so I’ve considered both of them when choosing the tire models.
#1. Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack
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Today’s list starts with a popular grand touring tire from the premium segment. The Turanza QuietTrack is referred to as the best in the industry, offering a very quiet ride with plenty of performance.
The Turanza QuietTrack is a tire that can offer plenty of performance on dry roads. There’s more than enough grip and traction to keep the tire in check in daily driving scenarios, meaning you won’t feel like it needs more. You have some room to push it, and even though it’s not a UHP model, it will handle that up to a point. The tire won’t slip when accelerating and won’t promote understeer when going into a corner, and will back that up with short braking distances. In terms of handling, it does well. It’s quite responsive and offers acceptable feedback, which is what you’d expect from a grand touring tire.
In wet conditions, the Turanza QuietTrack continues to deliver excellent performance. Damp roads are not an issue, as the sipes claw to the road, delivering high levels of traction. As a result, even when you get a bit carried away, the tire won’t slip, and the cornering grip will keep your Acura in line. In harsh rain, the aquaplaning resistance is excellent and among the best in this category. The only thing worth complaining about is the braking distances. They are very short, which is what you’d expect, but a few premium competitors can offer shorter ones.
The Turanza QuietTrack is an all-season tire, and as such, it offers usable performance in winter. Driving on snow isn’t terrible, and the traction will be fine as long as the conditions aren’t extreme. The tire deals with unpacked snow well, and will struggle a bit on packed one. It’s not terrible, and the tire remains a pretty solid choice for these conditions.
When it comes to refinement, there aren’t many tires that can outperform the Turanza QuietTrack. The noise levels are among the lowest in the business, and the tire will remain quiet even when you’re driving on the highway. There is a bit of a hum on rougher roads, but even then, it’s still quiet. The comfort levels are excellent, and the tire won’t struggle to iron out or soften bumps or imperfections. It does all of that while minimizing the vibrations.
A premium tire comes with a premium warranty, and the Turanza QuietTrack is no exception. Bridgestone offers the tire with an 80,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is among the best in this category.
Pros
- Excellent performance in dry and wet conditions
- High refinement levels
- Traction on unpacked snow is pretty good
Cons
- It may struggle a bit on packed snow
- Braking distances on damp roads are a bit behind some of its competitors
#2. BFGoodrich Advantage Control
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Another very popular option in the grand touring segment is the Advantage Control. Like the previous one, it’s an all-season model, offering all-round performance for your ILX.
The performance in dry conditions is plentiful for most people. There’s a good amount of traction and grip to prevent slipping and to keep the tire planted on the road. The levels aren’t the highest in this class, so you can reach them quickly if you push it hard, something that most people won’t do. This tire offers short braking distances but isn’t the shortest in its class. The handling is fine for average drivers, but enthusiasts will be disappointed. There are some decent levels of responsiveness, but you won’t get a lot of feedback from the tire.
In wet conditions, the Advantage Control continues to perform very well. The traction levels are good, and the tire will minimize slip when you accelerate normally. You can get the tire to slip, but you’ll need to floor it to achieve that. In the corners, the understeer is mostly unnoticeable when you’re not pushing it hard. The tire offers short braking distances and excellent aquaplaning resistance, so you know it will keep you safe.
When it comes to snow performance, the Advantage Control is decently good. The tire deals with lighter snow conditions quite well, and the traction levels will be fine as long as you’re aware of the limitations. Packed snow can be a bit problematic, which is to be expected from an all-season tire.
For refinement, the Advantage Control offers a bit of mixed results. On the positive side, you have excellent comfort levels. The tire smooths out most of the smaller road imperfections and dampens the larger ones with no issues. Even when you hit a pothole, it will soften the blow, and you won’t notice too much vibrations. The noise levels aren’t as impressive. It’s quiet around town at slower speeds, but the hum increases when you get on the highway. Things don’t improve when you drive on rougher roads where the noise is noticeable.
In terms of warranty, it’s a bit behind the previous tire. The Advantage Control has a 75,000-mile treadwear warranty, putting it close to the top in the grand touring segment.
Pros
- Plush riding experience
- Plenty of performance for daily driving scenarios
- The aquaplaning resistance is superb
Cons
- It can get a bit noisy on rougher surfaces
- Average performance on snow
#3. Michelin CrossClimate 2
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The latest addition to the Michelin lineup is the CrossClimate 2. It’s an all-season model that does many things right as long as you’re prepared to pay the premium price.
Dry is something that the CrossClimate 2 won’t have any issues with and will offer all the performance you need. The grip and traction levels are more than enough, meaning that it will cover your daily driving needs, leaving more on the table. You’ll have room to push it if you’re a bit enthusiastically inclined but be mindful that it’s not a performance tire, which is also evident from the handling. While the tire is decently responsive, you won’t get a lot of feedback from it.
The CrossClimate 2 continues to deliver impressive results even in wet conditions. You won’t find it struggling too much on damp roads, and again, as long as you’re not too aggressive, the tire will be fine. The tire also manages to deliver very short braking distances, meaning that you won’t have to worry about the safety aspect of it. Driving in pouring rain is not a problem, as the tire provides excellent aquaplaning resistance and remains stable regardless of the speed.
Unlike most of its rivals, the CrossClimate 2 comes with a 3PMSF rating, meaning you’re getting slightly better snow performance. The tire offers solid levels of traction on unpacked snow and won’t struggle with the packed one as much as some of its rivals. Even though it’s an all-season model, it won’t struggle with deep snow as much as some of its rivals in this category.
Refinement is something that the CrossClimate 2 does very well. The tire offers a plush ride thanks to its ability to smooth out road imperfections. It also absorbs larger potholes without transferring vibrations into the cabin. The noise levels are on the lower end of the spectrum. It’s very quiet around town, and the hum at highway speeds isn’t overly noticeable.
The warranty is an area where this tire suffers a bit. Michelin offers the CrossClimate 2 with a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty, which isn’t the best in this category, especially the premium models.
Pros
- Pretty good snow performance
- Excellent performance in multiple conditions
- Superb refinement
Cons
- The price isn’t the most competitive
- The treadwear warranty isn’t the longest in the premium segment
#4. Vredestein Quatrac Pro
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Moving away from the premium options, we have a model from Vredestein. The Quatrac Pro is a grand touring all-season model that can easily compete with the premium options on this list in certain areas.
On a dry road, the Quatrac Pro is a tire offering surprisingly high performance levels. The grip and traction come in abundance, meaning that the tire is more than capable for daily driving. You can push the tire without experiencing too much slip. The braking distances are also very short and come very close to the Michelin model. As for the handling, the tire is impressively good. The responsiveness is good, and the tire communicates well enough, but I feel like it needs a bit more, especially in terms of precision.
I have to say that the most impressive part of the Quatrac Pro is the wet performance. The tire’s traction on damp roads is very high, offering more than some of its premium rivals. It’s the same story with the grip. The tire can carry a bit more speed in the corners without promoting understeer. You’re also looking at very short braking distances, better than most in this category, which is impressive. As for the aquaplaning resistance, I’ll say that it’s good, but it’s not as impressive as the rest of the wet performance.
The Quatrac Pro is an all-season tire and, as such, offers solid snow performance. It offers solid traction on snow, putting it ahead of many mid-range rivals. As such, you can use it in lighter conditions on packed or unpacked snow. The braking distances are solid and close to what the premium tires have to offer.
As for refinement, the Quatrac Pro does a pretty good job. The comfort is good, and even though the tire has a firm nature, it still manages to soften larger bumps or potholes. There are some imperfections where it will struggle, but it’s far from harsh. The noise levels are low enough for this category. It’s not too audible around town, and the noise doesn’t increase much when driving on the highway. The most you’ll hear from it is on rougher surfaces.
The warranty seems to be the weakest part of the Quatrac Pro. You’ll get the tire with a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is behind even some mid-range grand touring models.
Pros
- Impressive wet performance
- Comfort and noise levels are pretty good
- Deals with snow quite well
Cons
- The handling needs a bit more precision
- The warranty is average
#5. Kumho Majesty 9 Solus TA91
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Another mid-range option from the grand touring segment comes from Kumho. The Majesty 9 Solus TA91 is a tire that would offer all the performance you’d need for your ILX, which is why you see it on this list.
As a mid-range option, the Majesty 9 Solus TA91 offers pretty good performance in dry conditions. The tire offers plenty of traction to eliminate slip, while the cornering grip will do its best to minimize understeer. You won’t experience any of this for daily driving, so there is some room to push it a bit if you want to have some fun. The braking distances are good for this category, putting it ahead of many similarly priced tires. Handling is something that this tire does well, considering its category. It’s light and has a good amount of responsiveness, but the on-center feel isn’t the best, so you’ll need to make some more corrections.
The Majesty 9 Solus TA91 continues to deliver solid performance in wet conditions. If the roads are damp, the traction levels will be good enough to keep the tire planted unless you get too aggressive. The cornering grip is good, but there isn’t enough room to push it, so you will notice understeer at a certain point. While it could use a bit more in these conditions, it’s perfectly fine for most people. The braking distances are also pretty good, putting the tire close to the leading models in this category. In terms of aquaplaning resistance, it does a pretty good job, offering excellent stability in pouring rain.
When it comes to snow performance, the Majesty 9 Solus TA91 isn’t the best. There is some traction on snow, but it’s behind even some of its mid-range rivals. In these conditions, you’ll need to be a bit gentle with your inputs to get some decent experience out of it. The tire will also struggle on packed snow, and you won’t find it very usable on ice. Sure, you may get away with it in lighter conditions, but it’s not on the same level as some of its rivals.
One thing the Majesty 9 Solus TA91 does very well is refinement. The tire offers a very comfortable driving experience, smoothing out road imperfections and softening larger potholes. It takes a very bad road to unsettle the tire, which is a very high praise for a mid-range model. The noise levels are also very low. It doesn’t matter if you’re driving around town or on the highway; the hum is minimal. There is some roar when you’re driving on rougher surfaces, but it’s muted well and won’t be obnoxiously loud.
Now we come to the warranty, which isn’t this tire’s strongest side. The Majesty 9 Solus TA91 comes with a 45,000-mile treadwear warranty, putting it one step below the previous model.
Pros
- Dynamic handling
- Dry performance is excellent
- Premium-like refinement levels
Cons
- Snow performance is behind even some mid-range rivals
- Only a 45,000-mile treadwear warranty
#6. Yokohama Avid Ascend GT
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The last of the grand touring options on today’s list comes from Yokohama. I’ve chosen the Avid Ascend GT, an excellent all-season option combining competitive price with solid overall performance.
In dry conditions, the Avid Ascend GT is a tire that will offer excellent performance. The grip levels are pretty high, meaning that every time you go into a corner, you won’t experience understeer. Sure, it’s not a performance tire, so you can push it past its limit, but you won’t see that happening in daily driving scenarios. It’s the same with the traction levels. You can light up the front wheels, but you’ll need to be aggressive to achieve that. The handling is pretty good, as the tire is quite responsive for this category. A slight complaint is the feedback. It’s not overly numb, but I feel like it could use a bit more.
Wet roads are something that the Avid Ascend GT won’t struggle with too much. There’s enough traction to minimize slip when accelerating, and the grip will keep your car in check when you’re going into a corner. The tire’s braking distances are very short, putting it well above many mid-range competitors. Driving in harsh rain isn’t a terrible experience, as the tire offers excellent aquaplaning resistance, which helps it maintain stability even at higher speeds.
Performance on snow is something that the Avid Ascend GT does well, considering it’s an all-season tire. The traction on unpacked snow is decent, and you won’t notice it struggling too much. It’s also doing a solid enough job on packed snow, and it combines that with decently short braking distances, making it a solid performer for milder winters.
The Avid Ascend GT also does well in terms of refinement. It offers a comfortable riding experience thanks to its ability to smooth out road imperfections. With larger bumps or potholes, the hit is dampened, and you won’t experience too many vibrations in the cabin. The noise levels are pretty low for a mid-range tire. It’s quiet on smoother surfaces, and on rougher ones, the roar is muted enough.
As for the warranty, it’s not as average as the previous two. The Avid Ascend GT comes with a 65,000-mile treadwear warranty, which means it can compete with some of the premium models in this category.
Pros
- Superb responsiveness
- Plenty of performance for daily driving
- Very comfortable and quiet
Cons
- Performance in snowy conditions isn’t the best, even in the mid-range class
- It doesn’t communicate as much as some of its rivals
#7. Michelin X-Ice Snow
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Moving away from the all-season options, we have the winter ones, and my first pick is from a premium manufacturer. The X-Ice Snow is among the best winter tires on the market at the moment, offering all the performance you’d need for your ILX.
The X-Ice Snow offers plenty of performance on dry roads. There’s more than enough grip and traction to keep the tire in check and minimize slip when accelerating or understeer in the corners. You’ll have some room to push it, but don’t expect wonders, as it’s not a tire designed for that kind of driving. This is evident from the handling. Even though the tire is decently responsive, it’s not the most dynamic of the bunch. Also, you won’t have a lot of feedback to play with.
In wet conditions, the X-Ice Snow continues to deliver all the performance you’d expect from a premium model. The traction on damp roads is excellent as long as you’re not too aggressive. Going into a corner at a reasonable speed won’t result in an understeer, so keep that in mind if you want to push the tire hard. The tire is also an excellent performer if you’re driving in harsh rain. It offers excellent aquaplaning resistance and superb stability even at highway speeds.
Considering the name of the X-Ice Snow, you can probably guess you’re looking at an excellent performer in these conditions. The tire offers high traction on snow, regardless of whether you’re driving on packed or unpacked snow. Like most of the premium rivals, it deals with deep snow better than any all-season tire. This comes backed by very short braking distances, and the tire doesn’t struggle on ice as much as some of its rivals.
In terms of refinement, the X-Ice Snow is excellent, which is what you’d expect from a premium tire. The softer nature of the tire does a good job of smoothing road imperfections and dampening bumps and potholes. It does that without feeling bouncy, which is what you’d expect. As for noise levels, even though it’s a winter tire, it’s not the loudest tire. You may notice some hum around town, and you should expect to hear it a bit more at highway speeds.
The warranty of this tire is pretty good, despite being a Michelin model. You’ll get the X-Ice Snow with a 40,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is excellent, considering there are models without one.
Pros
- Excellent aquaplaning resistance
- Usable traction on ice
- Superb performer on dry and wet
Cons
- The noise levels are a bit higher than the best-in-class rivals
- The handling isn’t the most dynamic
#8. Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra
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I’m continuing the trend of premium winter models, and this next one is from Goodyear. The WinterCommand Ultra is another excellent choice, offering all the performance you need.
On dry roads, the WinterCommand Ultra will provide you with plenty of grip and traction. This combination will be more than enough for daily driving, giving you some room to push it without experiencing slip in aggressive scenarios. The tire also offers short braking distances, which aren’t too far behind the best in its class. As for the handling, it’s quite good for a winter tire. The tire is quite responsive and communicative, meaning that even if you push it past its limits, you won’t struggle to figure out what the front tires are doing.
The excellent performance continues in wet conditions, and the WinterCommand Ultra isn’t a tire that will disappoint. On damp roads, the grip and traction levels will be more than up to the task of delivering the necessary performance to keep you safe. It may be a bit behind some of its premium rivals, but it’s not a massive drawback. One thing that’s not a drawback is the braking distances. They are very short and are up there with the best in this class. In terms of the aquaplaning resistance, the tire does a very good job of evacuating water, meaning it won’t struggle to remain stable even when you’re driving at higher speeds.
Is a tire called WinterCommand Ultra surely good on snow? Yes, but it’s not perfect. Right off the bat, I must mention that the performance is more than up for anything you throw at it. Unfortunately, it’s a bit behind some of its rivals. The traction levels are pretty good, and the tire will deliver its performance on packed and unpacked snow. It also does an excellent job of stopping, thanks to the short braking distances. If I have to critique the tire it would have to be the ice performance. Even though it’s usable, it’s noticeably behind its premium rivals.
In terms of refinement, the WinterCommand Ultra is a very good choice. The tire’s comfort levels are excellent, and you expect to get a very comfortable experience. It won’t smooth out the smaller imperfections as well as some of its rivals, but it won’t struggle with the larger ones. In terms of noise levels, they’re solid, as long as you don’t compare it back-to-back with some of the other tires from this category. You’d notice a small difference that doesn’t work in favor of the Goodyear tire. With that aside, I cannot fault it, as it’s not the loudest tire in this category.
Pros
- The performance is excellent for daily driving
- Plenty of traction on snow
- Handles well for a winter tire
Cons
- Traction on ice is average
- Not as well refined as some of its rivals
#9. Continental VikingContact 7
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The last of the premium winter options on my list is a model from Continental. I’m talking about the VikingContact 7, a studless winter tire without a lot of drawbacks.
If the roads are clean and dry, the VikingContact 7 will provide plenty of performance, something that you’d expect from a premium tire. The tire’s grip and traction levels are very high, so it will handle regular driving easily and won’t struggle too much with a bit of aggressiveness. You’re also looking at short braking distances that are pretty close to the top in this category. The handling is also pretty good. Despite being a winter tire, it’s responsive enough, and you won’t have a numb steering wheel like with some of its rivals.
Wet is another situation where the VikingContact 7 will deliver plenty of performance. The traction on damp roads is excellent, meaning you won’t experience slip even if you get a bit aggressive. Going into a corner with an understeer isn’t something you’ll experience unless you really push it. As for the braking distances, they are short, which is good, but they are behind a few models in this category. The stability in harsh rain is thanks to the tread pattern, meaning the aquaplaning resistance is excellent.
When it comes to winter performance, the VikingContact 7 is among the best in its class. The tire offers high levels of traction on unpacked snow, and thanks to the pattern, it will continue delivering even in deeper patches. Unlike some of its rivals, packed snow won’t be a massive issue, and the tire will continue delivering excellent performance. Traction on ice is also available, and even though it’s not as good as a studdable tire, it’s still usable in these conditions.
Refinement is something that the VikingContact 7 does well, as long as you’re aware of what to expect. The comfort levels are solid, and bumps and cracks aren’t an issue, as the tire will smooth or absorb them well. With that said, it doesn’t do the best job when you’re driving on really bad roads. The noise levels are pretty good for a winter tire. It’s not as quiet as a touring option, but the roar isn’t overly pronounced, and even on the highway, it won’t be the loudest thing you’ll hear in the cabin.
Pros
- Snow performance is excellent
- Dry and wet traction is excellent
- Very stable in harsh rain
Cons
- The tire struggles a bit on rougher roads
- Wet braking distances are a bit longer than its rivals
#10. Firestone Winterforce 2
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Finally, my last pick for the ILX is another winter tire, but this one is studdable. The Winterforce 2 is the model you’d be looking at if you need that boost in winter performance, especially on ice.
Despite the Winterforce 2 being a mid-range tire, the performance isn’t too bad. There’s plenty of grip and traction for daily driving, leaving you with some room to push it a bit. It’s not a premium model, so it’s behind that class of tires, but it’s still more than enough. The braking distances are solid for this class, and you won’t feel like they’re too long and unsafe. As for handling, most drivers will be fine with the responsiveness. With that said, there isn’t a lot of feedback, so enthusiasts won’t be too happy.
In wet conditions, the Winterforce 2 will continue to deliver solid performance as long as you don’t expect wonders from it. The grip and traction levels on damp roads are perfectly fine for daily driving. You can push it, but the tire will let go at a certain point, so you’ll need to set your expectations right. The braking standards of this tire are good, and that’s all I can say about them. They are short and safe, but there are a few models that can do a slightly better job. Finally, the aquaplaning resistance is excellent, meaning that the stability in harsh rain isn’t compromised.
Winter is what the Winterforce 2 is all about, and it does that very well. The tire offers plenty of traction on snow and will have no issues, especially if you’re driving on an unpacked one. You can overwhelm it on packed snow a bit, and it will start to struggle, but for the most part, it won’t be a terrible experience. Some performance on ice is on the table, but for the best experience, you’ll need the studs. In this case, the tire’s traction levels are excellent, and the braking distances are quite shortened.
Unfortunately, the Winterforce 2 isn’t a tire that can brag with the refinement levels. The comfort is decent, and the tire will offer a soft-enough ride. Smaller bumps or road imperfections aren’t a problem, and the tire will smooth some of them out. It will struggle a bit with the larger ones as it won’t dampen the initial impact and minimize the vibrations, as well as some of the premium rivals. The noise levels are average at best. At slower speeds, the tire is acceptable, but that changes when you’re driving on the highway, and the noise becomes more noticeable.
Pros
- Plenty of traction on ice with the studs
- Snow performance is among the best in its class
- Enough grip and traction for daily driving
Cons
- The noise levels increase a bit at highway speeds
- It doesn’t absorb larger impacts as well as some of its rivals