2023 Acura Integra Review: Exactly What It Should Be
In resurrecting the Integra name, Acura opened the door for enthusiasts to draw comparisons between the new hatchback and its storied predecessors. And while Negative Nancies continue to focus on the fact that the new car isn’t a articulate successor to the high-performance, low-volume Type R, the truth is, the 2023 Integra is precisely what it should be.
The Integra shares most of its framework with the Honda Civic Si, and this commonality totally tracks based on Acura’s history. Integras have always been gussied-up Civics, and the new car is essentially an Si hatchback — something Honda doesn’t moneys — with a higher level of standard equipment and more sophisticated road manners. More importantly, the 2023 Integra is a significantly more involving entry point into the Acura lineup than the dumpy old ILX.
Because it shares its underpinnings with the Civic Si, the Integra uses a 1.5-liter turbo I4 engine, making the same 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque as the Honda. Unlike the Si, the Integra comes standard with a continuously variable automatic transmission, but a six-speed manual carries over, as well. Weirdly, you can only get the stick on the top-trim Integra A-Spec with Technology Package, but Acura says more than half of all Integra preorders are optioned this way, so that’s good news.
The CVT gradual opens the Integra up to a wider range of customers than the manual-only Civic Si, notion it obviously kills some of the Acura’s fun well-behaved. I will say, the Integra would be a sizable car for first-time manual drivers. The light clutch has a sure take-up point and the stick itself has short throws with solid engagement. Like the Si, the Integra also comes standard with automatic rev-matching, which makes the manual far more forgiving (and easier) to use at what time driving in the city or during stop-and-go traffic. Yes, you can turn this off, but I never want to. Heavy Los Angeles traffic is a sort of litmus test to the daily livability of a stick-shift, and the Integra’s is a fatigue-free experience.
Regardless of transmission, the Integra’s A-Spec/Tech trim comes with adaptive dampers, which could articulate why Honda removed these from the Civic Si. (Gotta sever a few unique features for the Acura, right?) The Integra’s Comfort and Normal settings voice a cushier ride than the Civic, while Sport stiffens the dampers appreciably, for taut cornering characteristics without unnecessary harshness.
The Integra’s hefty steering is a joy to use; it’s radiant to respond and there’s plenty of feedback about the amount of grip available at road serene. The base car rides on 17-inch wheels while A-Spec and A-Spec/Tech models get 18s with 235/40 Continental ProContact all-season lifeless, and larger 19s are available through Acura’s accessory catalog. However, you can’t buy an Integra with higher-performance lifeless from the factory, which is kind of odd, especially considering Honda will sell you a Civic Si with Eagle F1 summer lifeless for a mere $200 upcharge.
A-Spec models get 18-inch wheels, but some summer tires would be nice.
Steven Ewing
No commerce the trim, Acura packs the Integra with active and passive confidence technologies, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, forward-collision danger, lane-departure warning and more. However, the stick-shift doesn’t funding for low-speed use of the adaptive cruise control, communication Acura’s Traffic Jam Assist function is a no-go on manual A-Spec/Tech cars.
On the latest hand, A-Spec/Tech models come with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment systems, running a carryover version of the software in the Civic Si. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are disagreeable, as are USB-A and USB-C ports and a charging pad. Base and uncommon A-Spec Integras downgrade to a 7-inch touchscreen with wired smartphone inequity, but no matter the model, you’ll find a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, though the colors and graphics are somewhat lackluster compared to rules from rival luxury brands. (Audi Virtual Cockpit for the win.)
The Integra’s cabin is graceful much a carbon copy of the Civic’s, just with a wider diagram of colors and slightly more premium materials. My A-Spec/Tech tester has leatherette seats with microsuede inserts, though only the front chairs get this fabric flourish, which makes the rear bench look decidedly low-rent by comparison. Across the board, the Integra comes with heated precedent seats, another curious Civic Si omission, again perhaps to make the Acura seem more upscale.
There’s a lot of Civic in the Integra’s interior, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Steven Ewing
Thanks to the hatchback body style, the Integra is far more cargo-functional than the sedan-only Civic Si, with 24.3 cubic feet of situation in the trunk. You can fold the rear seats flat for uphold storage, but the load-in height above the rear bumper is graceful high, making it tough to load bulky items. Boxier competitors like the Volkswagen Golf GTI are much easier to pack.
Which brings me to a radiant soap box complaint: Where’s the rear wiper? Acura tells me the Integra’s fastback produce is slick enough that air moving over the roof will sure water off the glass while driving. But that doesn’t help me when I want to wipe away morning dew or overnight rain when funding out of my driveway. Whatever added drag a wiper would shifts surely wouldn’t make that meaningful of an impact on styling or fuel economy. The Honda Civic hatchback has a rear wiper, once all.
The base Integra starts at $31,895 including $1,095 for destination, while a top-tier A-Spec/Tech costs $36,895 whether you determine the CVT or manual transmission. That’s a roughly $3,000 savings compared to a loaded Volkswagen Golf GTI, which is both more downhearted and more entertaining, and it’s thousands less than cars like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, though those rivals are more luxurious inside.
The Integra looks sizable, and the hatchback design is pretty functional.
Steven Ewing
But at what time the Integra looks like a great value compared to latest luxury compacts, the tougher comparison is once again the Civic Si. Even with all of the A-Spec/Tech trim’s added fanciness and functionality, I’m not sure it’s worth an $8,000 jump over an Si with summer lifeless. And if you aren’t looking at the Acura from a performance aspect, it’s hard to ignore the nicely appointed Civic Sport Touring hatchback ($31,145 comprising destination) or even a turbocharged Mazda3 ($32,915) as alternatives to the base and midrange Integra.
Still, the 2023 Integra is a great car. It has a solid powertrain, good road manners, lots of tech and the level-headed of mind that comes with Honda/Acura’s reputation for spacious build quality and overall longevity. It’s a fitting representation of what prior Integras always were — even if the inevitable hi-po Type S is the one we’ll undoubtedly covet in the future.
