2023 Acura Integra

Test Drive Notes Library

Pros
Reclaiming past glory. The Integra was everybody’s favorite Acura. And hey, the 90’s are in again, right? The Integra was Acura’s first (and aside from the MDX SUV, only) big hit. It was affordable, fun, reliable, and just a bit more upscale than your average car. No wonder, then, that Acura is bringing it back, hoping to recapture the magic.
Building on the Civic. Just like the original Acura Integra, the new Integra is based on a very good platform; the Honda Civic. In this case, it’s the sportier Civic Si that provides the bones. That’s a great place to start. The Civic is practical, fun to drive, well-designed, and reliable. And the Integra adds some grown up style, refinement, and extra features on top of that.
Soft and fun. The Integra, with its optional A-Spec and Technology packages, includes adaptive dampers, which improve the ride. This more sophisticated suspension allows the ride to be both comfortable and sporty. The Integra zips around corners, but never feels punishingly hard to ride in. That’s a good trick for a car that tops out well below $40,000. In fact, the suspension upgrades are what most make this car an Acura, rather than a Honda, and make it worth the extra cost.
Clean, clear, practical interior. Like its Honda brethren, the Integra's interior is clean and simple. It’s what you might call slightly upscale. It’s not a full on luxury car — some surfaces are clearly chosen based on accounting — but the controls are well thought out, and make the Integra very easy to live in. Everything is where you expect it to be, the controls feel good in your fingers and operate with high-quality clicks. There’s not a “mess” of technology just to show they can do it. In fact, Acura has even thoughtfully omitted its infuriating track pad controller in favor of a simple touch screen for the infotainment system. The whole interior is simple and well done.
Fun engine. For decades, Honda has been known for its reliable, efficient, high-revving gasoline engines. The 1.5L, 200 hp turbo engine in the Integra comes from the sporty Civic Si. It’s quick and eager to rev, and sounds good when you really step into it. 200 hp is zippy for this 3,000 pound vehicle.
Practical. The Integra has four doors, a hatchback, and gets 30 mpg. It’s also considerably less expensive than its target competitors, the BMW 2-Series Grand Coupe and Audi A3. The interior quality and power don't quite match those two, but unlike those two, the Acura is available with a six-speed manual transmission.

Cons
Soggy transmission. Our test Integra came with Acura’s continuously variable transmission (CVT). While fine for day-to-day commuting, it can’t quite match the fun of the engine and suspension in the Integra. It works well enough, but it doesn’t make the Integra a sporty car — if that’s what you want. Fortunately for those willing, a six speed manual transmission is a no-cost option on A-Spec versions. Based on other Honda/Acura manual transmissions, it’s bound to be excellent, and should make the Integra even more fun to drive. Not everybody will want to drive a car with a manual transmission, but if you’re one of the few, the proud, the left-leg-bigger-than-right-leg-from-clutching types, the six-speed stick would make the Integra a fun, bargain sports sedan.
High trunk lip. The Integra is a four door hatchback, which is a very practical and versatile form. Unfortunately, the hatchback lid opens about a foot above the cargo floor. That means you have to lift stuff up and over that barrier to drop it in the back of the Integra. It’s mildly inconvenient for small items, but surely would prove to be a large pain in the trunk for heavier and bulkier items.
Low. Like its organ donor, the Civic, the Integra is low to the ground. All cars used to be low like this, but increasingly, people are buying vehicles that have their seats at butt height, rather than knee height, because they’re easier to get in and out of. We almost wonder whether Acura would have been smart to bring out a new, electric, sporty crossover, and call that the Integra, because that’s where the market is going.