The Acura Integra returns after a 22-year hiatus

After more than two decades off the books, Acura has revived the Integra name. After  a roller coaster of emotions revolving around the name, from the announcement hype to a disappointing concept reveal, we at least now have some concrete numbers on which to judge the successor to one of the most beloved sport compacts in history.

In typical Honda fashion, the production car is remarkably similar to the concept introduced last November. As predicted, it’s powered by the exact same drivetrain that powers the new Civic Si, a 1.5-liter turbo four rated at 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque. Some believed that it might have come with a modest power bump to differentiate it from its Honda sibling, but no. Perhaps Acura is saving that for the Type S variant (a Type S is something that has been promised for every Acura model).

After making a big deal out of the manual transmission, the standard transmission is a — brace yourself — CVT. The 6-speed stick is only available on the higher-grade A-Spec trim, but we think that’s perfectly fine. Gone are the days when a manual transmission was for thrifty types. Now only enthusiasts choose stick, and the A-Spec comes with other stuff fun-havers are likely to pick — larger wheels, a more aggressive aero package, and fog lamps. Manual cars also come with Honda’s wonderful helical limited-slip diff.

Annoyingly, the 6-speed appears to only be offered with A-Spec Tech Package, which has a bunch of other features, like safety alerts and premium stereo, that we couldn’t care less about. The non-Tech Package A-Spec would be the ideal trim for the manual option, but Acura isn’t going to play nice here, it seems.

So how does the Integra differ from the Civic Si?  Well, for one, it comes in an exclusive 5-door body style. The Civic Si has a traditional trunk, but the Integra’s cargo door incorporates the rear glass, making it more of a hatch. Then there’s the (to our eyes) somewhat sleeker exterior styling, as well as a vastly improved interior design that does away with the Civic’s gimmicky cabin-spanning vents.

What’s less appealing is the way Acura is trying to appear hip by opening a virtual showroom in the metaverse and creating an Integra NFT. The digital token will be given to the first 500 people to reserve an Integra. I am angry that I even had to type these words.

Acura says pricing starts at around $30,000, but that’s almost certainly going to be for the base CVT model. The A-Spec Tech Package 6-speed will likely be quite a bit more, making it a less tempting alternative to the Civic Si. Does Acura really think the Integra name is worth that premium?

Additional Images:

Images courtesy of Acura.

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12 Responses to The Acura Integra returns after a 22-year hiatus

  1. BlitzPig says:

    Oh how the mighty have fallen…

  2. daniel says:

    What is the difference with the competition today? what does it do best? What do you have that the rest don’t? Not to mention for the same money.

  3. leekd says:

    “a virtual showroom in the metaverse and creating an Integra NFT” thats criminal right there lol buy an integra NFT and ya can’t even drive it. haha.

    Welp, hopefully Gran Turismo throws this into their game. That’d be way more fun than a screen shot of this car.

  4. Alan says:

    Oh snap, a derivatively styled Accord-sized thing with a (whoa nelly!) 6,500 RPM redline and a boatload of tech! Sign me up for one of those NFTs!

    (Not a Fucking ‘Tegra)

  5. Chet Manley says:

    I’ll just save myself $15k and get a base Mirage with a manual transmission. Then I can actually get some level of driving exhilaration when I try to keep up with traffic at wide open throttle.

  6. Speedie says:

    Hey, I happen to like the Civic Si’s cabin expanding vents. I actually think the Integra interior looks a lot like the 2022 Corolla albeit with better materials. Not vey original. I hope Acura sells a lot of these so they can make better ones. The NFT is gimmicky not trendy, and only offering the manual in top trim is a mistake. I know the thinking is to not to steal sales from the Si, but since you can’t find those on dealer lots anyway (i know as I have been wanting to test drive one for two months), why does it matter.

  7. Land Ark says:

    Thanks, but I’ll pass.There’ll be too many other options in the $40k range to get something as compromised as this.

  8. nlpnt says:

    Nice-ish car. If they had commissioned a physical scale model as a promo instead of an NFT, I’d consider buying one. The model that is.

  9. BlitzPig says:

    Why anyone would purchase this over a new Civic SI is a complete mystery to me.
    As a former 1st. gen Integra owner, and a long time Honda fan, I was ready to throw down money for a new Integra, until I saw the photos of it, and now with it’s bizarre equipment packages, and identical running gear to the Civic SI, for a lot more money, not a chance.

  10. Mark F Newton-John says:

    Honda board meeting:
    ILX sales sux! What do we do?
    Hey, let’s ditch the Ero-vague letters and make the I a, a….
    INTEGRA!
    Yeah, that’ll help sell it to the guys who were in their twenties in the 1990s!
    Nostalgia goggles does wonders, look at Toyota bringing back the Supra.

  11. NotNow says:

    As someone who owned a 1990 Integra, a 1994 Integra, and currently owns an RSX, I think I’ll pass.

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