Pros: Civic Si performance with more refinement; candy manual transmission; thrifty gasoline financial system; versatile hatchback
Cons: Underwhelming base gadget; cramped rear headroom; a few reasonably-priced interior bits in returned; a CVT, definitely?
For those of a sure age and/or certain automotive fandom, the 2023 Acura Integra represents the go back of an icon. Yes, the Integra is lower back, and because it become in the very beginning, it’s a four-door hatchback that may be both an fans’ darling or just a well-made, well-prepared compact vehicle for folks who need some thing a bit extra top rate than a Honda Civic.
And that closing evaluation is fundamental, due to the fact the Acura Integra is essentially a Honda Civic that’s been very well worked over with a very exclusive body, stiffer structure and special(ish) indoors. Admittedly, the Civic is a brilliant region to begin, because it’s a first rate little sedan/hatchback that arguably outpaces its competition and does a pretty accurate activity of being a well-made, nicely-prepared compact car itself. There clearly wasn’t that a good deal for Acura to do to rework the cabin for luxury duty, although it’s truely pleasant realized with the non-obligatory Technology bundle and there are some regions (like the back seat) wherein the posh touches might have been in addition carried out.
From a mechanical attitude, the Integra specially builds off the Civic Si. It has the same 200-horsepower turbocharged engine and front-wheel pressure, however with a saucier exhaust and CVT as popular. A six-speed guide is available, however only at the variety-topping A-Spec with Technology package deal. The A-Spec’s adaptive dampers also do a better task of each avenue-conserving and trip comfort. Honestly, there’s nothing wrong in any respect with seeing the Integra as a more subtle Civic Si.
As it was within the beyond, the new Integra is both a luxury-adjacent sedan and a sport compact automobile. That way it may be a ritzier alternative to the Civics of the world, a greater budget-aware alternative to the Audi A3s, or Acura/Honda’s solution to the Volkswagen GTI and GLI. No depend what you compare it to, even though, we suppose the brand new Integra is a winner. Welcome returned, vintage buddy. The great manner to describe the Integra indoors is Honda Plus. Almost everything you touch, from the buttons and knobs, to the squishy door tops and touchscreen interfaces, are plucked from the Honda parts bin. Specifically, they’re shared with the Civic. Now, that elements bin features lots of exceptional bits and portions, which we’ve routinely praised as being amazing for the compact automobile section. A luxury car is a exceptional story, however, and the Integra interior looks and feels more competitive with a VW GTI than an Audi A3. This is maximum wonderful inside the lower back seat, which lacks air vents, has hard plastic door trim and, inside the A-Spec, leatherette upholstery rather than the micro-suede up front.
As formerly cited, the infotainment device makes use of the identical 7- or nine-inch touchscreens as the Civic, and therefore now not Acura’s True Touchpad interface that has drawn few fanatics through the years. Well, except our street test editor. Although it’s lame that the larger display isn’t wellknown on an Acura, each are usually smooth to use, brief to react and feature pix which are easily examine, if a tad simple. And if we are comparing the Integra greater to a GTI than numerous luxurious-branded fashions, Acura receives a huge benefit here as VW’s brand new tech interface is a multitude.Unlike beyond Integras, there’s most effective one body fashion: four doors with a fastback hatchback trunk lid. Basically, just like the primary-era four-door version. It’s pretty a piece large than that, though, as the Integra features in addition to a 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback, which means it offers loads of grownup-friendly legroom front and rear. The wellknown eight-manner energy driver seat additionally provides plentiful adjustability, and also you ought to even have enough room for a rear-going through infant seat. Unfortunately, that racy roofline certainly chews into rear headroom, and even the ones of common peak will locate themselves grazing the roof.
On paper, the Integra trunk wows with 24.3 cubic feet, which might in concept be equivalent to a small SUV. It’s also a much higher parent than the 14.8 cubic-ft of the Honda Civic Si and its conventional trunk. In practice, but, we determined that the Civic sedan has greater cargo-wearing capacity than the Integra — by using a surprisingly large margin, too. It’s wider, longer and almost as tall regardless of Integra benefitting from a hatchback. Basically, it’s in reality now not SUV-like, however anticipate it to be superior to an Audi A3, Mercedes CLA or BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe trunk.
