In the past year, Acura has been teasing the rebirth of the Acura Integra. In fact, they just recently showcased the 2023 Acura Integra Concept vehicle. The verdict? EVERYONE HATES IT. YouTube Comments are flooded with disappointment and comparisons to the Nissan Z and Toyobaru Twins- cars that the Integra does not even compete with. I personally think the new Integra is keeping to its true original form and I think it will be an excellent modern Integra platform. Hear me out.
Precision-Crafted Automobiles
Launched in 1986, Acura was the first luxurious Japanese brand, first offered for sale in the United States and Canada before expanding to other markets. For those who don’t know, Acura is Honda’s luxurious brand and they launched with two initial product offerings – the Flagship V6 Powered Acura Legend and the Compact Acura Integra. Their slogan, “Precision-Crafted Automobiles” is designed into their logo, showing a precision tool caliper in the shape of the letter “A”. Following the success of the Acura brand, dominating sales over BMW and Mercedes Benz, Toyota and Nissan joined in the fray with the launch of their Lexus and Infiniti brands, respectively.
The Humble Beginnings of the Integra.
Honda launched the Honda Integra in Japan in February of 1985 as a 3 door hatchback. Eight months later in October of 1985, they made the Integra available in a 5 door hatchback trim. In 1986, Acura launched in North America with the Acura Integra. This part is important for the premise of this argument. The Integra was a rebadged Honda that shared many components with the Honda Civic. In most markets, the Integra came with a 113HP 1.6L Inline-4 pushing 99 ft-lbs of torque. In 1988, the Integra gained 5HP. It was a slow and fuel efficient car, but it was fun and handled well.
The second generation of the Integra came in April of 1989 with the first ever VTEC engine, the B16A. The lower level trims of the Integra only made around 130hp. In North America, the quicker and more powerful Integra GS-R was introduced. The GS-R’s 1.7L engine produced 160hp, pushing the Integra from 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds with a 1/4 mile time of 15.1 seconds. This was considered very quick in 1989. Fast forward to 2021, some crossovers and minivans can match that acceleration.
Enter The DC2
The third generation of the Integra is the most popular. It is what people imagine when you say the word Integra. This generation came out in 1993 and stuck around until 2001. The base models now made 140hp. The GS-R gained 10hp and now made 170hp. What really made this generation special was the birth of the 195hp Integra Type R in 1995 (1997 in U.S.). Motortrend clocked the Type R’s 0-60 time in 6.2 seconds with a quarter mile time of 14.8 seconds. Others were able to get quicker times. For comparison sake, the Integra Type R was faster and much cheaper than the 986.1 generation Porsche Boxster. At the launch of the new 2023 Integra concept car, Acura said the rebirth was inspired by the DC2 Integra. That statement is precisely why people don’t like the new Integra.
Rebranding the Integra
As the millennium approached, Acura developed a new branding strategy. The Legend was named the RL and the Rigor became the TL. In 2002, the Integra sedan became the TSX and the Integra 3 door hatchback became the 2002 RSX. The TSX and RSX Type S launched with 200+HP VTEC engines while the standard RSX came with 160HP. While the TSX was a super reliable and successful vehicle, it was not nearly as popular or affordable as the Integra was. The TSX grew in size and weight. It did not feel like an Integra successor and it was in fact a rebadged Honda Accord – the European version of the Honda Accord, that is. Meanwhile the RSX was doing well in the car enthusiast circle. It was popular in the aftermarket and was playable in many racing video games. In my opinion, this new Integra concept looks a lot like a new RSX, especially in the rear with those tail lights.
The Integra Spirit Lost
In 2013, Acura decided to rebrand again. The Legend turned RL was now called the RLX. The Rigor turned TL was soon to be called the TLX. In 2013, the Integra lost its spirit with the introduction of the Acura ILX. The ILX was the replacement for both the TSX and RSX. It was the spiritual successor to the Integra, offering a 140hp base engine, just like the base model 1993-2001 DC2 Integra. This is where Acura went wrong with car enthusiasts. The newer Acura’s of 2013 were heavier, larger, and slower than before. They were less luxurious and less sporty than their predecessors. Some say that they are barely more luxurious than the Honda Accord EX-L or the Civic EX.
This new ILX was based on the Honda Civic Platform. While the 140hp Civic engine was an embarrassment for Acura, they did offer a 200hp engine and a manual transmission. However this did not last long. Acura stopped producing manual transmissions in 2015. The ILX became an automatic only vehicle with no Type S or Type R trim levels. It was slower, more expensive, and heavier than the Civic Si counterpart sharing a similar 200hp engine. Even now in 2021, the ILX is based on a previous generation (TWO GENERATIONS AGO) of the Honda Civic, being that the new generation 2022 Civic is now on sale.
The Integra Legacy Reborn
Acura says the Integra Legacy is Reborn. At least on paper, I agree with Acura’s claim. Let’s examine that.
- The 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS BACK!
- The new Integra is a 5 door hatchback, just like the original one that launched in October of 1985. It does not need to be a 3-door hatchback.
- The new Integra has a High-Output 1.5L Turbo engine. While power figures have not been released, many expect this to be the Civic Si’s 1.5L Turbo 205HP engine. Remember that this new Integra is the BASE model and it makes more power than 1995’s DC2 Integra Type R.
- This is the first turbocharged Integra. This gives car enthusiasts more options for making big power.
- This new Integra comes with a Limited Slip Differential, just like the DC2 Integra Type R. Again, this new Integra is just the base model. No information has been released on an possible A-Spec, Type S, or Type R version that could have the 306hp Civic Type R engine.
- It will be offered in Phoenix Yellow, one of the most iconic colors of the 2000-2001 Integra Type R.
- This new Integra has the name embossed in the front and rear bumper, just like the DC2 Integra.
- Brembo Brakes will help stop the Integra. No Integra variant came offered with Brembo’s before.
- If this new Integra weighs 3100 lbs like the ILX does, and comes with the Civic Si’s 205HP engine, the power-to-weight ratio should be identical to the popular Integra GS-R of the 90’s.
Summary
I am excited for the new Integra and I don’t believe it deserves the hate. Fans focused on the tacky decals and yellow painted exhaust tips of the concept car. Obviously, those details will not make it into production. People need to remember that the Integra’s original purpose was to be a sporty entry-level luxury car. I think Acura has done well to revive the Integra. We were lucky to get the limited production DC2 Integra Type R and the Integra brand is more than just the Type R. It was never a Nissan Z competitor. Think about the other revival launches. The GTR, Supra, and String Ray Corvette were released with no manual transmission option. All we are missing from the Integra is a 3-door hatch. While I wouldn’t mind owning this new Integra – and maybe I will someday – I believe it won’t sell very well in North America. The unfortunate truth is that American’s prefer crossovers. I am surprised Acura is launching a new ILX/Integra at all.
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