The Acura Integra was one of the biggest names around the Japanese import car scene in the U.S. in the 1990s and 2000s. That third-generation car ended production in 2001 and was replaced by the Acura RSX using the company's new naming scheme, but didn't truly get a successor until 2023 when the revamped fifth-generation hatchback appeared.
It is technically a hatchback as the rear hatch does raise, offering tons of storage space, but the Integra, and this new-for-2024 Acura Integra Type S look more like low slung sedans with fastback roofs.
The 2024 Integra Type S is 2.8-inches wider than the standard model and features wider fenders and bigger wheels. Though it shares architecture with the Honda Civic Type R, every body panel forward of the A-pillars is unique to Type S. The new fascia has larger open-surface Diamond Pentagon grille that combines with a new vented hood to improve airflow by 170 percent.
In back a redesigned rear bumper houses three large center-mounted exhaust outlets along with a new gloss black diffuser and a decklid spoiler. Type S badges find homes on the front grille, fender and trunklid.
Acura fittingly introduced this high-performance version at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, a long-running stop on the Indycar racing schedule. It comes with a 320-horsepower (hp) turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a six-speed manual transmission. The base Integra delivers 200 hp and offers either a manual or continuously variable transmission.
The cabin comes with heated front sport seats with perforated Ultrasuede inserts that are both comfortable when on longer trips and supportive when cornering at speed. However, they do get a little hot on summer days. The Type S has suede with colored stitching covers on the steering wheel and a Type S-specific shifter knob making them comfortable to grab and control.
The metallic knob is small but hefty and easy to grip when shifting. The linkage is also excellent, as high-performance Hondas and Acuras usually are, with small throws, easy-to-find gates and a satisfying feel and sound. This six-speed is one of the best.
The cabin takes the simplicity of the Civic's interior and transforms it with better materials and options. The 9-inch color touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is easy to use with a knob for volume control on the glass. The climate is also controlled with knobs that are tactile and clicky. It also has wireless phone charging and a head-up display and a 16-speaker sound system.
The back is spacious for two passengers, in or out of car seats, with a class-leading rear seat legroom measurement of 37.4 inches. The trunk will fit at least three sets of golf clubs, but only when one side of the rear seats is folded, but when up the Integra Type S has 24.3 cubic feet of cargo space.
The Acura Integra Type S is beautiful return to small sports sedans not from the German luxury marques. The turbocharged four is smooth on acceleration, and quieter than the Civic Type R, but still pops and bangs on shifts and when decelerating in Sport + driving mode.
The steering also tightens up in that fastest mode, as does the suspension, making for a bouncy ride on all but the smoothest roads. The Type S also has an Individual drive mode where owners can spec the most aggressive throttle and softest suspension, or any combination. And there's a good span between the stiffest and softest modes. The brakes are excellent, progressive, have a short pedal stroke and good stopping power.
The premium four-door finds itself in a predicament as far as competitors go. Its platform-mate Civic Type R is $7,000 less than the $51,895 base price of the Integra Type S. However, the Type R only comes in sedan form. The all-wheel drive 306-hp Audi S3 starts at $46,800 and the all-wheel drive BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe has a base price of $49,295. The Acura is front-wheel drive only.
The Acura Integra Type S is everything that's good about the Civic Type R, which is a lot, plus a ton of luxury in the seats, materials and overall feel. They're both good, sporty options that have cargo space and room for four adults. If someone needs a single car to handle all of their daily needs, backed by a sporty powertrain and with a reputation of reliability, the Integra is in a class of one. Two, if you count the Civic Type R.
Uncommon Knowledge
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About the writer
Jake Lingeman is the Managing Editor for the Autos team at Newsweek. He has previously worked for Autoweek, The Detroit ... Read more
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