When the 2024 Acura Integra Type S was first unveiled, I was a skeptic. After all, it’s a strong ask for what, on paper, seems like a slightly more luxurious, slightly softer Honda Civic Type R. After all, if you’re buying a raucous, manual-only, big-power front-wheel-drive hot hatch, wouldn’t you want the more ballistic option?
Well, what if you aren’t buying a hot hatch? Having now driven the Integra Type S, I have a feeling it will fly out of showrooms, and that’s not just because people want their Civic Type Rs with heated seats — it’s also because BMW doesn’t make the same sorts of cars it used to. Let me explain.
[Full disclosure: Acura Canada let me borrow this Integra Type S for a week so long as I kept the shiny side up, returned it with a full tank of premium fuel and reviewed it.]
Growing Up
It’s easy to view the Integra Type-S as a Civic Type R with softer suspension and heated seats, but the changes go deeper than that, even down to where the two cars are made. When Honda builds a Civic Type R for the American market, it first assembles an engine in Ohio, which is then shipped across America, across the Pacific, and to Yorii in Japan, where it’s then installed in a car. The car then goes through the rest of its assembly process, get shipped to a port, loaded onto a boat, sent to America, and finally shipped to a local Honda dealership so it can make a customer absolutely ecstatic. Needless to say, this is a hugely time-consuming and resource-intensive process, so for the Integra Type S, Acura’s cutting out the boats and building it in Marysville, Ohio. You know, right down the road from where the engines are made.
Of course, it helps that the regular Integra is built in Ohio, and it doesn’t share any sheetmetal or an interior with the Civic. The two cars share a wheelbase, a heart, a gearbox, and a litany of chassis components, but the outwardly facing experiences are wholly different. Instead of swallowing wide tires under subtly bulged fenders, Acura has gone wild, bolting on the gnarliest set of flares since the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody. Add in a liftback silhouette, and the result looks damn near close to a touring car for the road. It’s subtle enough to blend in at work, yet rambunctious enough that enthusiasts across the land know it’s something special.
Note, however, that the badge on the back says “Type S” instead of “Type R.” Acura’s been working on making this a softer, more mature package than a Civic Type R, and the most obvious visual proof of this is in the seats. Instead of thick yet wonderfully supportive high-backs with bolsters that hug you in all the right places, the thrones in the Integra Type S seem, well, pedestrian. If you’re built like a beanstalk, you’ll fall out of the seats long before the tires relinquish grip, but the tradeoff is heating to warm your back on cold winter nights. Likewise, the steering wheel is heated, and dashes of red leather brighten up the dashboard. However, neither of those minor concessions to growing comfortable with age dominate the creature-comfort experience.
No, the highlight of the cabin is a 16-speaker ELS audio system that goes to eleven. From crisp string plucks to audacious 808s, the clarity is surprisingly excellent for a system in this segment, and the soundstage is wider than Texas. If you really want a juvenile party trick, throw on “Starfall” by Salem, crank the volume up just past 20, and feel the cosmos vibrate at your feet. Yep, that’s worth the price of admission.
Another cabin upshot is the Integra Type S doesn’t share the trackpad infotainment setup found in other Acura models. Instead, it gets a touchscreen system nigh-on identical to what you’ll find in a Civic. It’s a huge improvement, but there are still a few quirks to the in-car electronics. Automatic rev-matching must be turned off in an infotainment sub-menu that’s only accessible while the car is stopped. In addition, the parking sensor beeps can only be disabled temporarily through the digital gauge cluster while on the go, which gets a bit annoying when the forward sensors jam up with ice in the winter because two of them are in the grille. Is that a minor gripe? Sure, but it might temporarily drive you mad if you live in the salt belt, but it’s a minor nit.
Spool And Lance
Remember how the Integra Type S uses the same two-liter twin-came 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the Civic Type R? Like many parts of this car, it’s undergone some minor software tweaks, and with figures of 320 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 310 lb.-ft. of torque from 2,600 rpm to 4,000 rpm, the Integra Type S claims a little more poke than the Civic Type R. Will anyone notice an extra five horsepower? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean it’s not appreciated.
Find a stretch of straight road, point the steering wheel dead-ahead, and hammer down, and you have a half-beat to ponder whatever you wish before the turbocharger really comes on song. Did you leave the bedside light on? What do you want for lunch? You should really call your cousin sometime, right? No matter, all those thoughts vanish once the effects of this boosted four leave an impression on the tarmac, especially on winter tires. This thing’s a bloody handful on Michelin X-Ice Snow winters, quick to light up both front tires at the first sign of moisture before traction control kicks in to shut the party down. Hitting the stability control off button doesn’t actually let this thing off its leash, as a preposterous pedal dance is needed to kill the nannies. Call it a digital manifestation of some petulant lawyer’s contempt for adult responsibility.
Still, if you find a stretch of dry road, you’ll find the Integra Type S about as quick as you want. Figure zero-to-60 mph in the low five-second range, and passing power just about everywhere thanks to the gearing. Delicious, and just enough pace to actually have fun with in the real world. Plus, unshackled from EU regulations, Acura’s engineers have been free to craft a more stirring aural soundtrack, with spicy yet restrained burbles on the overrev in Sport+ mode and a fuller tone when you’re on it. It’s still tasteful, but it adds an extra dose of specialness to the fast Integra.
However, outside of the odd on-ramp and overtaking maneuver, you won’t have to lean on the throttle in the Integra Type S often. When the road gets curvy, this thing scythes tarmac like Astaire could a rug. It feels like it’s made of Gore-Tex the way it’s stiff yet breathes with the road, with even the full Cialis Sport+ adaptive damper mode absorbing blows from broken tarmac without fuss. While not abundant in feel, there are missile guidance systems less accurate than the 11.62:1 electrically assisted rack in this quick Acura, and a firm brake pedal will rein in the fun if things get too hairy. Although the Integra Type S isn’t as eager to engage in lift-off oversteer as the Hyundai Elantra N, its default into gentle understeer is exactly what most drivers are looking for. Combine that with a comfort mode ride to rival that of most small luxury sedans, and only the odd bit of exhaust boominess prevents this car from settling down and becoming invisible. Depending on who you are, that near-invisibility might be a problem.
While I was testing the Integra Type S, Toronto experienced its single biggest snowfall event of last winter. On my way home from my office-share, it quickly became apparent that I was in a front-wheel-drive car with an electronic handbrake and a stern yet fair electronic safety net. On these winter tires, during this drive, the primary difference between the Integra Type S and a 200-horsepower Honda Civic Si was that the Acura had a more defined clutch bite point. Although that’s not a bad thing, it does speak volumes about the car’s character.
It’s a more grown-up sort of fun than a Hyundai Elantra N or Toyota GR Corolla. There’s pantomime without much delinquency, a quiet sort of excellence that almost makes you forget this platform pushes the boundaries of front-wheel-drive sport compacts. This isn’t the sort of car to replicate feats of youth in, it’s a symphony rather than a drum and bass track — tens of thousands of thoughtful parts working together for a superlative on-road experience. The revs rise and fall exactly how you’d expect them to, the bite point of the clutch is clear as day, and the shifter is beyond brilliant in Honda tradition, crisper than a fresh Benjamin and with the perfect amount of throw. So what if the metallic knob gets a bit cold in the winter? That’s what driving gloves were made for.
If there’s one noticeable hair in the driving experience, it’s that the fuel tank is the size of a Zippo. A 12.4-gallon tank is plenty for the standard Integra, but with observed fuel economy right on the EPA’s combined figure of 24 mpg (9.9 L/100km), you end up with a range of less than 300 miles. That gets a little bit annoying. However, it’s hardly a fly in the ointment of this wonderfully livable performance car. After all, storing more fuel onboard means storing more weight, and a little extra lightness has its upsides too.
Don’t Call It A Hot Hatch
In the end, the 2024 Acura Integra Type S is a fabulous entry level sports sedan. With a delightfully notchy shifter, more than enough grunt to be wasted on anything less than dry tarmac, a beautifully made interior, and a stereo that goes up to eleven million, it’s a more involving alternative to an Audi S3 or Mercedes-AMG CLA 35, even with only half the driven wheels. While it’s expensive for a sport compact car, with a price tag of $52,995 including a $1,195 freight charge, or $58,195 in Canada, it’s actually well-priced to fight the more anodyne Germans.
If anything, it reminds me less of sport compact cars of old and more of what the BMW 330i ZHP used to be decades ago — an expertly-tuned, well-crafted compact sports sedan. The sort that’s hard to find anymore. In fact, perhaps the most direct competitor to the Acura Integra Type S is the Cadillac CT4-V. Sure, one’s rear-wheel-drive and one’s front-wheel-drive, one’s six-speed-or-bust while the other’s automatic only, but they’re both similarly sized, similarly priced, similarly upscale compact sports sedans that hit a certain satisfaction switch in the corners. Decisions, decisions, am I right?
(Photo credits: Thomas Hundal)
Support our mission of championing car culture by becoming an Official Autopian Member.
-
Here’s Why The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Circuit Edition Is A Four-Season Valedictorian
-
The 276 Horsepower 2022 Hyundai Elantra N Is A Blue Collar Sports Sedan Revelation
-
America Might Be Getting The Wrong 2024 Honda Civic Si: Sensible Car Review
-
The 2023 Golf R Smacks You In The Face To Wake Up And Remember That You Can Drive A Hot Hatch, Dummy
-
The 171 MPH Civic Type R Is A Car Your Grandmother Could Drive
Got a hot tip? Send it to us here. Or check out the stories on our homepage.
Though minimal, I prefer the added creature features on the Type S. Additionally, the exterior styling is, subjectively, more appealing. The car is a niche within a niche; it appeals to such a small subset of enthusiasts that it generally gets overlooked. That and the existence of the Type R in terms of overall value and badge prestige makes you wonder why they even bothered. I’m genuinely surprised that this car made it all the way to production.
However, I’m glad it exists because it’s been an absolute pleasure to drive and own. I’ve never even considered owning a (Civic) Type R but I instantly feel in love with the Integra Type S when it was revealed. Visually, it flies under the radar while still looking great. The sound system is fantastic, the heated seats are easy to live with, the exhaust character is a blast to experience, and the suspension tuning is perfect for road use. All while having 320hp on tap with a slick 6 speed manual.
Honda/Acura figured there was enough room in the market for both cars to co-exist and I can see why Acura’s marketing team pushed so hard against comparing it to a Type R (despite the natural inclination to do so). It really is its own car despite sharing so much on paper with its Type R cousin.
My sense is that many of the people who are complaining about the price wouldn’t blink twice at the similar priced 4Runner TRD Pro. Except this seems more fun to daily.
Every time I read about the Integra I want to buy one.
I can see the infotainment screen from the fucking front clear as day in picture three. YUCK!!
This car is gross and its not fooling anyone with the Acura badge. Well correction, it fools the writers here and a few people pretending they will buy one, knowing they actually wont.
We have actually had a lot of success with the Type S. You would think that most buyers are cross shopping the Type R but they are, for the most part, very different buyers. This review is accurate in my opinion that the Integra Type S is just a little softer around the edges and overall a better daily driver. It also has some features that you cannot get on the Type R.
I don’t think the drive is bad, I just hate the looks. What type of customer do you find is the typical buyer for it? I definitely think its much more grown up than the Type-R, but still not quite a car for grown ups. Obviously my personal opinion there.
Do you have numbers on sales overall vs produced? Sales might not look “huge” but I am also guessing they aren’t producing them by the millions either.
Looking at inventories, they are selling all they can get in the dealers.
I wanna know the numbers! I know people will like this car and buy it, I just don’t want to admit it. I hate that interior screen.
*I’m in a one man battle with the entire car industry, I can fully admit its insane and not going anywhere. But I can’t stop the fight.
I do not have any hard data on the sales numbers. Acura is not making very many, we have gotten maybe 8 in the past year and they usually sold before they hit the lot. My dealership does not charge over MSRP so that may have something to do with that. Most of our buyers and people that shopped for them are older millennials, they had an Integra years ago, or a Honda. Graduated to Acura and now have the disposable income to buy a toy that is also a reminder of times past. This is in the Midwest too, and they only come with summer tires in the US.
I’ve also found that the looks are much better in person, the lines on this car do not translate that well in photos.
Thank you!
Don’t call it a hatch at all? I’m sorry but hatches with sedan lines are such a waste. Give me a real trunk that’s not easy to break into and has a light easy to use trunk lid, or give me an honest to god two box hatch with real cargo capacity. I had a Mazda 626 that was a sedan-hatch like this and it was the worst of both worlds. Love the looks of these though now that I’ve seen a couple in person, if it wasn’t for the outrageous price I’d be genuinely tempted.
Some would argue it’s a better blend of both: retains the styling of a faster roofline while adding the versatility with a larger opening to the cargo area and full seats-down cargo volume, rather than the mail slot trunk opening and narrower pass through opening in the rear bulkhead typical of sedans.
Touche! Obviously room for personal preference here. Personally the one sedan-hatchback I had while yes more versatile than a sedan never felt like it added enough versatility to outweigh the downsides. Subjectively, I often like the looks of wagon bodied hatches more than sedans, but I realize I may be in a minority in that opinion. Don’t get me wrong I love hatches, I’m just not in love with losing utility in the pursuit of what is imo a very small improvement in looks.
Yeah, it’s just like you said, a lot of room for personal preference and use cases, I think there’s plenty that lean more toward your preference as well. The trunk lid reference you made actually stuck out to me too, because there is something about being able to just throw it in quick vs. lifting and ducking under a hatch.
The biggest advantage I felt when switching from midsize sedans to a GTI was just being able to open up the space for longer items when I’ve needed it, which I feel like is more often than I’ve needed to fill in that upper/vertical cargo area, but quite possibly one of those things I wouldn’t realize until after the fact, lol.
I toss around the idea of whether I would/could go back to a sedan, but the Civic/Integra seem like they’d be the right balance for me. Whatever they lack in vertical cargo height, they seem to gain in cargo area length (depth?) with the longer sedan-type body, which I do find I find I miss from a sedan/trunk.
I am actually looking at these at the moment. How close is the bodywork to the Civic’s?
I like everything about the Acura except for the Acura name and Acura face. If I could swap the front end from a Civic hatchback it would come close to addressing my issues.
No personal problem with Acura. I tent to hold onto cars for a while and Acura’s styling looks old like 4 months off the dealer’s lot.
None of the body panels look the same at all. The dashboard is remarkably similar though.
Loved the review. In particular this section:
“It’s a more grown-up sort of fun than a Hyundai Elantra N or Toyota GR Corolla. There’s pantomime without much delinquency, a quiet sort of excellence that almost makes you forget this platform pushes the boundaries of front-wheel-drive sport compacts. This isn’t the sort of car to replicate feats of youth in, it’s a symphony rather than a drum and bass track — tens of thousands of thoughtful parts working together for a superlative on-road experience. The revs rise and fall exactly how you’d expect them to, the bite point of the clutch is clear as day, and the shifter is beyond brilliant in Honda tradition, crisper than a fresh Benjamin and with the perfect amount of throw.”
I am into this car, but I’m not fully sold on it.
This has most of what i want: A drivers car that is highly predictable and accurate levels of responsiveness (and sensory experiences) in all major categories:
SteeringBrakingThrottleManual transAlso desired:
Quick, yet not overpowered (looking at you CTSV)Nice interior, but not too nice (give me more buttons so I can focus on the road).Decent operating costsKeep the sticker price down!Unfortunately, it’s expensive, heavy, not neutral handling, piped in engine sounds (ick), pedal placement (?), touchscreen, small gas tank, and get rid of the rev matching.
Will I pull the trigger? Depends on how the car develops in the next few years. We are still in the first year of sales. Based on experience, year 4-5 will be decision time. Will I have accept there will never be another reasonably priced ICE drivers car with a soul? Is it not possible to create another, better, and reasonably priced GSR, E39, E46?
And the post no longer has my bullet points, So it seems weird now.
From the look-at-me red interior, to the aggro angular styling, to the seizure-inducing overly edited marketing attempts… Everything about this car aside from the drivetrain is a hard no.
Oh. and it is a hot hatch. It just doesn’t advertise itself in that way.
Does it come in Corvette Yellow?
The price is too damned high. We’re gonna need some more PPP loans so America’s “business class” can get back to irrational spending.
This. I like it, but it is simply too much for what it is. That’s especially true when the dealer markup comes in, like my the $10k my local Acura dealer added onto the two they had in stock when I was last there.
Yeah there just isn’t enough there to make it seem worth it at $50k. But I am also cheap and think everything is overpriced now, except maybe the Ford Maverick and Kia Soul.
Golly I do like that interior. This or Golf GTI hmmmmmm..
I’d love to replace my GTI with one of these and I would if it weren’t for the price. Aside from that, this is a perfect blend of comfort, sport and practicality.
I mean, $52,500 vs $37,000…
The Golf R would be amore direct apples to apples.
yes, but one of them would run to the end of times, and the other would make a subaru that requires head gaskets replacement every other spark plug change seem reliable.
2 of those makes mentioned above are in my garage
try the eye doctor first.
And I’m supposed to feel bad about my personal decisions regarding the environment? “But it gets 22MPG!” I could drive a 1970’s Cadillac Eldorado every day for 1000 years and not get close to that level of wastefulness. Ridiculous.
Your comment defies any knowledge of modern logistics.
The don’t ship each Civic Type R engine individually. I’m sure they send more than enough in each shipment to make up for not building a whole second assembly line for cars in Ohio or engines in Japan. I’m sure that what they’re doing with the Civic Type R is far less wasteful than duplicate assembly lines.
But go ahead and use your ignorance to justify your bad choices going forward.
Isn’t there a huge trade deficit problem with freighters bringing goods from China, Korea, and Japan returning home half empty? I would imagine that the main cost of shipping the engines from Ohio to Japan is the train ride from Ohio to which ever US port they ship from. The shipping from US port to Japanese port should be practically free.
Lol you are pretty misinformed on how logistics and supply chains work.
Not really. I’d take any of the other cars you mentioned. Melting the front tires every time I wanna take off in a hurry would quickly lose its allure for me.
Absolutely would not knock anyone for buying a grown-up CTR, but it ain’t for me.
If you are melting tires while trying to take off in a hurry you are doing it wrong.
I have a Type R and my tires are not melting. If you’re melting tires it’s because you’re making a choice to do so.
I don’t fully get the hate for the track pad style interface. Is it because there’s a learning curve and journalists don’t spend enough time in the car to really get used to any one system? I’ve used multiple OEMs systems and they all struck me as far superior to touch screens.
Personally, I absolutely hate having to lean forward with full arm extension just to miss the touch screen button I was reaching for while simultaneously leaving a greasy finger smudge on the screen that will then mock me until I take the time to carefully wipe it down.
I understand how frustrating it is for otherwise good ideas to be shunned because journos, test drives, and JD Power abhor a learning curve. But imagine how peeved you’d be if your $53k car had a feature that you assumed you’d adapt to, but never did because it was simply too intuitive?
THIS. Acura is switching to a touch screen for MDX 2025MY and I have had multiple clients decide to purchase a 2024 as they prefer the touchpad. The complaining from car reviewers is over the top, spend an afternoon with it and it really starts to make sense.
Guy on my block has two of these and a C8. The jealousy is strong.
It remains to be seen what kind of buyers this thing finds. The combination of power, driving dynamics and creature comforts is enticing. At the same time its in a strange spot missing the prestige of the Germans while overshooting the price/value proposition of the Japanese and Korean competition.
Maybe its only job is to be a halo for the Integra revival and volume doesn’t matter. Or maybe it really is just so good that it can square off against the Germans for a certain kind of buyer.
And if you don’t need 4 doors 55k gets you a V8 Mustang with a hell of a lot of options checked.
For that V8 burble, I’ll accept struggling a little to get my son in the back seats
I’d be a buyer if I were in the market for a car. I actually don’t view German cars as prestigious unless you’re driving around in an S Class or 7 Series. But I know I’m in the minority there.
The only thing the Integra is missing for me are cooled seats and that could be enough that I’d jump over to the TLX as it’s offered on that car.
Is this the next thing we’re supposed to hate?
Curious for real input from people who have owned/driven a car with rev matching. I never have, but it always seemed like kind of a nice feature in theory.
Regarding the car in general I’ll be very curious to see how it does. $53-$60K for something that shares a lot with a Civic is a tough ask IMO but it does look like a nicely done package.
I thoroughly enjoy the act of rev match downshifting, so this feature would actively rob joy for me. I don’t care if it makes me faster, it’s inching it towards automatic territory which defeats the purpose for me.
Agreed. My next car will be either a gas-saver EV/plug-in hybrid (cuz I’m getting old and I’ll need the cash) — and even then it would be for my wife while I tool around in her current hybrid — or this Type S for me only.
But, if the gear-matching cannot be defaulted to OFF upon start-up, hard pass. If a car has all these options, then the OWNER should have the means to set the defaults on start-up. Not some engineer who allegedly knows better or is forced to design it that way.
My car turns it on by default on every startup.
If I’m going to go chuck it around, it gets turned off. Though for the two hours of highway driving (yes, seriously) to get those fun roads? I just keep it on. Nothing is going to make two hours of highway driving enjoyable, so I might as well be comfortable in the traffic until I get to where I can actually have fun.
This seems like exactly the attitude I would have too.
Most of my driving, even in manual cars, is fairly boring suburbia stuff. Making downshifts smoother on all that driving seems nice.
Exactly.
If I for some reason thought driving during normal daylight hours, weekday or weekend, was a great idea, I have the photos of that experience. Average speed of sub-20mph, even for 1+ hour trips. Why would I turn off auto-rev matching if I’m just in first as I crawl along in traffic?
Need to get to fun roads? Great. I’m staying all the way over to the right, at something like 7-11 over the speed limit (flow of traffic) and let the maniacs in the 2-3 lanes left of me go 90+ in their crossovers. I’m just sitting in 6th. I might occasionally move over once in a while if there’s upcoming traffic in the climbing lane, but I just do a 6-to-3 to pass and back to cruising. Again, why turn off matching for the 2 times I need to do that?
When I want to it off, it’s a button on the center console.
Boo. My way or, I’ll buy something else.
I had 1 car with auto rev matching for a manual tranny. I liked it, but if I didn’t also cars with non matching manuals I might feel different. Mine could be turned off by switching modes anytime. Having to stop the car to turn it off is just plain stupid Acura.
Still think an Integra with only a 4c engine is just garbage, especially for $60k.
The Type R pedals are terrible for heel-toe, I can’t even do it even after adding a spacer, so I have to use the auto rev match anyway.
FL5 or FK8? I’ve had my CTR for a couple of months and I like the rev matching enough that I haven’t bothered trying it the old fashioned way.
Hating on automatic rev matching is just gate keeping from the “you’re not a real enthusiast unless you do it manually” crowd. I’ve only owned and driven manuals for 20+ years and not once have I felt the need to rev match.
It sounds fine but I think the issue is that it should be easy to disable. A review of the Supra on this site 5 days ago made a point about it that resonates with me.
I don’t have one but I would want the ability to turn it off entirely or easily, like the auto start/stop disable button in cars today.
rev matching or rev hang? I will take rev matching
Lovely review Thomas! For all the bells and whistles, plus the performance, I’m a little surprised it doesn’t start at $59,995 USD. I’ll be curious to see how this model holds up over time, along with its value, but it sounds like a modern classic.
However, if we can’t call it a hot hatchback…can we at least call it a fiery fastback?
My main concern is how long it will last. I’ll run it to the ground, but that has to be for 25 years or so. And it will still have costed twice as much per year as my current car ($25K 22 years ago).