Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2012 Volkswagen JETTA VS 2013 Acura ILX Near Scottsdale, AZ

Both the Jetta and the ILX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

For its top level performance in frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the Jetta as a “Top Pick” for 2012, a rating only granted to 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The ILX has not been tested, yet.

The Jetta’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the ILX’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Jetta for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotation, lubrication and any other scheduled maintenance. Acura doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the ILX.

There are over 2 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Jetta’s warranty.

The Volkswagen Jetta’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the ILX’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Jetta has a standard 140 amp alternator. The ILX’s standard 95 amp alternator and largest (2.4L) 105 amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

The Jetta has more powerful engines than the ILX:

For more instantaneous acceleration and better engine flexibility in any gear, the Jetta’s engines produce their peak horsepower at lower RPM’s than the ILX:

On the EPA test cycle the Jetta S Manual gets better fuel mileage than the ILX 2.4L (24 city/34 hwy vs. 22 city/31 hwy). The Jetta SE/SEL Manual gets better fuel mileage than the ILX 2.4L (23 city/33 hwy vs. 22 city/31 hwy). The Jetta GLI Manual gets better fuel mileage than the ILX 2.4L (22 city/33 hwy vs. 22 city/31 hwy).

The Jetta has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the ILX (14.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the Jetta’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the ILX:

For better traction, the Jetta SEL/GLI’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the ILX (225/45R17 vs. 215/45R17).

The Jetta GLI’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the ILX’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Jetta GLI offers optional 18-inch wheels. The ILX’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Jetta is 1.3 inches wider in the front and .4 inches wider in the rear than on the ILX.

The Jetta has 4.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the ILX (94.1 vs. 89.3).

The Jetta has .3 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 4.1 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the ILX.

The Jetta has a much larger trunk than the ILX (15.5 vs. 12.4 cubic feet).

The Jetta’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The ILX 1.5L Hybrid doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

The Jetta’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The ILX’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

The power windows standard on both the Jetta and the ILX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Jetta is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The ILX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Jetta’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The ILX’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Jetta (except S) to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The ILX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To shield the driver’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side window, the Jetta has a standard extendable sun visor. The ILX doesn’t offer extendable visors.