2023 Acura Integra First Look: Civic, Elevated
When Acura showed the Integra Prototype in November of last year, the reaction was overwhelming. Some applauded the iconic sport compact's return, while others gave its style thumbs down. To the surprise of no one, based on Honda/Acura's history of presenting near-production-ready vehicles as "concepts" or "prototypes" before debuting their final renditions, the 2023 Acura Integra looks just like last year's prototype. The only things missing are the prototype's graphics package, yellow paint, and the cool-looking dual exhausts also painted in yellow. Its swoopy roofline, liftback tailgate and classic five-door shape pay homage to the original Integra hatchbacks from the '80s, while its new powertrain and chassis are lifted straight from the latest Honda Civic.
The 2023 Acura Integra takes over from the outgoing ILX as the gateway to the brand. And it's a smart strategy. While some Integra enthusiasts may be disappointed with the new car's design, others will see it as an opportunity to get a spirited, entry-level car without spending a fortune—or even just a more luxurious Civic with a sportier bent. The Integra will launch in three trims—Integra, A-Spec and A-Spec with the Technology Package—in the first half of this year, with a price tag starting around $30,000—pretty much where today's regular-grade Civic hatchback tops out.
The Design Is Loaded With References to Early Integras
Penned by Acura's studio in Japan, the new Integra carries Acura's design language first seen on the 2019 MDX. Despite sharing its platform and overall shape with the 2022 Civic hatchback, the Honda and Acura don't share any sheetmetal. In fact, the Integra is a massive 6.8 inches longer, 1.1 inches wider, and 0.2 inch lower than the Civic Hatchback, though both cars share the same 107.7-inch wheelbase.
The Integra marks the first use of Acura's pentagonal grille without a frame, a feature we saw on the prototype that adds a touch of sharpness to the front end. Like other Acuras, the grille is flanked by kinked LED daytime running lights and jewel eye headlights. From the profile, the most attractive part is the C-pillar, where the roofline sharply drops down to give the Integra A a classic liftback design. The rear's soft character lines blend in nicely with the rest of the car, while its ducktail spoiler and dual exhaust lean hard into the sporty presence that Acura is hoping its Integra gives off.
Like early Integra models, the Integra name is embossed in the front and rear bumpers under the driver-side headlight and passenger-side taillight, a cue that we saw on the prototype and was (thankfully) kept on the production model.
A Roomy, Luxurious Space Inside
Though the Integra's exterior design was previewed by the prototype, this is the first time we've truly seen the cabin. (We nabbed a brief look at a working prototype's interior recently, though it was mostly covered up at the time.) There's no masking the Honda Civic ties, but Acura took some of the best traits from the (admittedly excellent, surprisingly upmarket) Civic's interior and built on top of it, ladling on extra luxuries and some unique touches. Among the surprises? That the cabin design takes a departure from Acura's other current models by ditching those cars' big, bold rotary knob in the center console for selecting drive modes. The Civic's slim toggle switch on the console for handling the same task remains.
Besides the soft leather and suede inserts on the seats, the one thing that will impress Integra drivers is the standard 10.2-inch digital dashboard display. Dubbed Acura Precision Cockpit, the screen takes place right in front of the driver, offering modern graphics and multiple display modes that make the instrument cluster unique (a similar feature is only available on top-spec Civics). A 7.0-inch central touchscreen is standard, though top trims get a 9.0-inch touchscreen. The smaller display comes with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the bigger screen adds wireless connection with Amazon Alexa integrated. Those who select the A Spec with the Tech Package will also get a head-up display and four USB ports instead of one.
We've praised the Civic's interior for its cool full-width air vent design, and Acura kept parts of it in the Integra. Although the vents don't run along the entire dashboard like in the Honda, its diamond pattern design is unique, and its functionality is the same.
As far as equipment goes, the 16-speaker ELS Studio premium audio system is standard on the top trim, while an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat is standard on the base model. Those who get the base or A-Spec trims will get synthetic leather seats and a manual-operated passenger's seat.
Thanks to the hatch body style and longer-than-Civic dimensions, the Integra is quite roomy. The rear seats fold completely flat, leaving a ton of space for large items like a surfboard, or even allowing short people to sleep in it. The drawback to that sultry roofline is headroom for the rear seat occupants is tighter, meaning tall passengers will feel the headliner touching the top of their heads.
Body By Acura, Powertrain By Honda
The 2023 Acura Integra will be powered by a 1.5-liter turbo-four engine sending 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. A CVT transmission is standard, though a six-speed manual with a limited slip differential is available. That comes with a bit of a catch, as the manual is only available in the top trim, but it will be offered at no cost. Automatic versions will get paddle shifters. If these setups sound familiar, it's because they're lifted from the Civic; however, the turbo engine is the version from the sportier Civic Si—as is the six-speed manual transmission—while the CVT is borrowed from the lower-output 1.5-liter turbo engine offered in the regular Civic EX and Touring models. Honda doesn't offer the Si with any automatic, making the Integra's entry-level setup (200-hp turbo and CVT) unique. Ditto the combination of Si power in a hatchback body; the Civic Si is only offered as a sedan.
For enthusiasts, the A-Spec with the Technology Package will be the trim to get solely due to the availability of the six-speed and adaptive suspension (besides, of course, its attractive equipment). A-Spec models also get the optional 18-inch wheels (compared to 17s in the base model), though there will be 19-inch wheels available as dealer-installed options.
Four drive modes are available—Comfort, Normal, Sport and Individual. The latter allows the driver to change the suspension, steering and transmission settings individually.
So, How Much?
Acura says the Integra will start around $30,000 and will max out in the mid-$30,000s. And from what we've seen in person, Integra will bring great value to shoppers. It will be a good alternative to those considering a Mercedes-Benz CLA, BMW 2 Series or Audi A3, and it might even steal some buyers from the Civic hatchback, which maxes out at $30,865. While some might bemoan the overall, well, Civic nature of the Integra, know this: The latest Civic is a premium-feeling, slick-driving compact. A version with power in line with the sportier Civic Si that also combines a ton of extra luxuries and even more upmarket styling with a practical hatchback body sounds pretty appealing, especially given it won't cost much more than the Honda.
Reservations for Integra are now being taken, and the first 500 buyers will have a chance to get a limited-edition NFT. We look forward to driving Integra in May of this year, with the vehicle arriving to U.S. dealerships soon after that.
You may also like
Most people wouldn't associate the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Subaru WRX with extraordinary fuel economy, though the four-door sedan caters to young buyers who care about fun driving dynamics as well as saving their money. That may soon change—albeit not because its fuel economy is extraordinarily good. The new 2022 Subaru WRX has just been rated by the EPA and its fuel economy numbers slide past mediocre and fall below those of the outgoing model, landing weirdly close those of a full-size, four-wheel-drive Ford F-150 pickup truck powered by the midrange 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine.Yep, you read that right. The WRX has been rated at 19/25/21 mpg on city/highway/combined with the CVT transmission, while Ford's much larger, heavier, and larger-engined truck delivers 19/24/21 mpg—just 1 mpg short of the Subaru on the highway. Even if you opt for the manual transmission (like you should), the Subie's EPA figures only improve to 19/26/22 mpg. There's no other way to put it—those numbers are pretty bad for a car of the WRX's size and power output.The 2022 WRX gets a new 2.4-liter turbo-four engine that makes 271 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. That's just three extra ponies and no more torque than the old WRX's 2.0-liter boxer engine. That extra displacement means fuel economy drops by 1 mpg across the board (except for the automatic's combined rating) compared to the previous model, which itself was no model for efficiency.Looking at the Subaru's direct competition, the story stays pretty bleak. A Honda Civic Type R makes more power and carries EPA estimates of 22/28/25 mpg; the also more powerful Hyundai Elantra N sedan with the manual is rated for 22/31/25 mpg; and the (you guessed it, also more powerful) Volkswagen Golf R six-speed gets 20/28/23 mpg (it also has AWD like the Subaru, while the Honda and Hyundai are front-drive). While some of those are hatchbacks, they still play in the same sporty compact segment, and all three at least deliver something close to or above 30 mpg on the highway. If you can deal with a little less power and front-drive, the 200-hp 2022 Honda Civic Si delivers 27 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined.Subaru said the EPA tested the WRX in Sport mode, its most performance-oriented set up as default, which obviously doesn't maximize fuel efficiency. While the WRX has never been a fuel efficient car, the fact the competition is much more efficient is uneasy.We are very pleased with the way the 2022 Subaru WRX drives, which again is largely the point of a car like this. It's fun, sticky, and practical. It has all the right ingredients to stand out in the sport compact world—except wallet-friendly fuel economy. Although the WRX's pricing hasn't been announced, we don't think it will deviate much from the outgoing model, which starts at $28,420, when it arrives at dealerships this spring.We do not believe that customers view the WRX as an economy car. The WRX is designed as a performance vehicle first and foremost and does sacrifice some economy as a result. The automatic WRX did improve over the previous generation, even though it is EPA tested in Sport mode, its most performance oriented set up as a default, which doesn't maximize economy.
Factory off-road trucks have never been hotter. Every year, manufacturers introduce new models, trims, special editions, and off-road packages that often sell out in record time. This trend continues with Chevrolet's introduction of the all-new 2023 Colorado midsize pickup. When the current generation of the Colorado was introduced for the 2015 model year, it came with Chevy's optional Z71 off-road package. In 2017, the high-performance ZR2 model was added to the lineup. Now, for 2023, Chevrolet has added not only the new Colorado Trail Boss to the lineup, but the ZR2 Desert Boss as well. With these additions, off-road variants of the Colorado outnumber the standard trims two-to-one. Read on as we break down some of the differences between the 2023 Colorado Z71, Trail Boss, and ZR2 models.Related: 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 First Look—Concerns Addressed
0 Comments