2023 Acura Integra Manual First Test: The Honda Civic Si for Adults
Pros
- Versatile hatchback form factor
- Zippy and fuel-efficient engine
- Uniquely positioned and priced within the segment
Cons
- Not necessarily better with the manual
- Unimpressive at the test track
- Can't escape comparison to the Honda Civic
Having now lived with and tested the new 2023 Acura Integra, we know it isn't a revival of the driver-focused, straightforward hatchback the internet commentariat yearns for. This may dismay Acura acolytes, and indeed we'd celebrate the arrival of such a car in our crossover-saturated market.
But don't forsake the 2023 Acura Integra because it doesn't meet your preconceived expectations. Even though it feels similar—perhaps too similar—to the Honda Civic Si, Acura sufficiently elevated the Integra to the luxury realm. It's a genuine rival to its European competitors, with some uniquely distinctive attributes. If you read on and discover it's not the Integra you wish it would be, well, maybe you need to grow up—the Integra certainly has.
How Quick? Not Particularly
One of those attributes—the one most crucial in this test—is its transmission. Automatics are prevalent among luxury subcompact cars, but choosing the Integra in A-Spec trim and adding the Technology package unlocks a no-cost option to swap the standard CVT for a six-speed manual gearbox. As in every Integra, it's joined to a 1.5-liter turbocharged I-4 that sends 200 hp and 192 lb-ft to the front wheels. In manual Integras, the power is regulated by a limited-slip differential.
Pauses introduced by clutch and shifter actuation are factors in the Integra's 7.7-second 0-60-mph time. All of its two-pedal rivals do the sprint in less than 7.0 seconds. Likewise, the Integra crosses the quarter mile in 15.7 seconds at 91.0 mph, trailing many of its adversaries in both metrics. Even so, the engine feels strong for its size, delivering a torquey surge on-boost that's accentuated by little wastegate whistles. What's more, its fuel economy rating of 26/36 mpg city/highway tops many of the 2.0-liter mills common in the set.
Manuals typically enhance involvement at the expense of outright acceleration, and the Integra's shifter justifies the trade-off. It moves between gates precisely and is weighted so it requires deliberation but not undue effort. Automatic downshift rev-matching is activated by default—don't worry, you can deactivate it, but don't knock it till you try it. The clutch is less tactile than the shifter; it's light and engages vaguely at the upper end of its stroke. In fact, it caught out a few of our drivers with unexpected wheelspin.
Fun-ish
The turbocharged, lightweight, manual 2023 Acura Integra embodies buzzwords that set enthusiast hearts aflutter. In most situations it's entertaining, moving with poise and pep that evinces the great engineering in its architecture. But the Integra is not a particularly sporty car, as proven by its test results and how it feels when driven hard.
A 60-0-mph braking distance of 123 feet is on the longer end in this category. Fade was generally a nonissue even under repeated heavy braking, but the pedal, soft at the top and requiring significant depression, doesn't seem tuned for dynamic driving. This setup disposes it to around-town use, as does the brake auto-hold function, which works flawlessly—not always the case in manual cars.
The Integra's 0.87-g skidpad average is about what's expected for the class, but the Acura's figure-eight time of 27.2 seconds at 0.63 g average doesn't impress, considering its rivals run the lap in the 26-second range. Our test team was frustrated by meddling traction control, which never seems to truly turn off and prevents full power unless the steering wheel is straight. Such interference negates the differential's benefit in on-limit driving.
Out on the road, the Integra is willing to play up to a point. Its tidy size and weight let it flow between corners, but the verve it initially presents evaporates if you ask too much of it. Instead, the Integra becomes overwhelmed by understeer and imprecision. Truly sporty cars come across as a vivid conduit between driver and road—the new Integra doesn't.
Our Civic Duty
At this point we'd be remiss to not mention how the 2023 Acura Integra compares to the Honda Civic Si. The chassis, powertrain, and amenities in these vehicles are largely identical, and perhaps unsurprisingly they drive very much alike. The shared shifter and clutch play a part in that. But our tests verify Honda's interpretation is the higher performer: It's quicker, stops better, and is grippier all around. Crucial to that are the optional summer tires equipped on every modern Si we've tested; all-seasons are standard on the Si and the only choice on the Integra.
Much more important than the Si's fractional test-figure advantages, though, is the fact the Honda is sharper, louder, and more direct—simply put, more fun to drive. At the point where the Integra falters, the Si stays hungry for the road ahead. It's remarkable how two vehicles so similar in hardware, performance, and general feel end up with such different personalities.
All Hail the Hatchback
This is not to suggest the Civic Si is necessarily better than the Integra. Aspects of the Acura make it more appealing than its platform counterpart, and—critically—cars in the luxury subcompact category.
Its hatchback format is high on the list. With a conventional small sedan, there will come a time when you'll size up its trunk opening, contemplating how you'll get some rather large thing inside. There's little such issue with the Integra: Lift the rear enclosure and revel in the big cargo area, made bigger by folding the second row. This setup makes Integra living realistic for anyone who carries bulky items or lifestyle gear. Its tall lift-over height is only a slight hindrance.
The luxury quotient is there, too. Adaptive dampers fitted on the Integra A-Spec bring a suitably smooth ride in Normal and Comfort modes and stiffen just so in Sport. Plush centers and firm, supportive bolsters make the front seats quite comfortable. Beyond a standard 10.3-inch digital gauge display, the 16-speaker audio system, wireless charger, and head-up display added by the Technology package qualify the Integra to run in today's luxury league.
Likewise, the cabin's layout and quality of materials are suitable for an entry-level luxury car. Yet the interior's similarities to the Civic are obvious. Acura could have done more to avoid such comparisons, particularly by distinguishing touchpoints like the steering wheel, shift knob, or infotainment system layout. But given how nice the Civic's interior is to begin with, how the Integra builds on it is no bad thing.
The same notion extends throughout the experience: that the Civic is its starting point bodes well for the Integra. If you recall, the Civic was a finalist in our 2022 MotorTrend Car of the Year contest, and we deemed it "one of the best vehicles on sale" in a comparison-test win. Most of the Civic's great things are present, if not enhanced, in its Integra transformation.
The Nicer Version of a Nice Car
Acura succeeded in creating a rival to starter cars from other luxury brands and offering a unique, practical vehicle to drivers who want something more upscale than a Honda. The Integra's pricing—slightly more than $30,000 to start and less than $40,000 in our fully loaded test car—undercuts the field by potentially many thousands of dollars to make it an undeniable value. It's luxury on the cheap that feels nowhere near cheap.
Yet even with its vaunted manual transmission, the Integra isn't the hot hatchback seemingly everyone across the internet insists it must be. That might be you. If so, accept the fact the Integra of 2023 isn't exactly like the Integras of yore. Time and progress ran their course, and Acura built a car that represents what it is now. If that's not enough, don't despair: This entry in the Integra tale is only at its beginning, paralleled promisingly by the reemergence of the Type S performance badge.
Looks good! More details?2023 Acura Integra A-Spec Specifications BASE PRICE $33,895 PRICE AS TESTED $37,395 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door hatchback ENGINE 1.5L Turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 POWER (SAE NET) 200 hp @ 6,000 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 192 lb-ft @ 1,800 rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,040 lb (60/40%) WHEELBASE 107.7 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 185.8 x 72.0 x 55.5 in 0-60 MPH 7.7 sec QUARTER MILE 15.7 sec @ 91.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 123 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.87 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.2 sec @ 0.63 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 26/36/30 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 372 miles ON SALE Now Show AllYou may also like
chevrolet silverado-1500 Full OverviewProsPowerful V-8New interiorSuper Cruise ConsSome questionable exterior styling decisionsDoor-mounted mirrorsRough rideIt happened not once but twice, and it's the only time we recall it ever happening. As if SiriusXM satellite radio knew how to mitigate the uneasiness we felt by the fact our test truck—a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country pickup—was driving us courtesy of its Super Cruise system, we couldn't help but sing heartily along to Bob Seger's "Like a Rock." If you're of a certain age, you know this song backed Chevrolet's epic pickup ad campaign of the 1990s. And in this moment as we drove the Silverado 1500 High Country, it magically and nostalgically bridged the gap between the Silverado of the past and the Silverado of the present. Yes, the Chevy Silverado 1500 has come a long way since its "Like a Rock" days, but it's still a Chevy truck through and through.By the StickerHere's a quick rundown of the Monroney label—otherwise known as the window sticker—for the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country 4x4. The High Country is the Silverado lineup's top trim alongside the off-road-oriented Silverado ZR2. We'll leave it to you to decide whether you love or hate the idea of a street-oriented luxury Chevy with 22-inch painted aluminum wheels featuring chrome inserts. One opinion is that the wheel's complexity could render well in an even larger 24-inch (or more) diameter.Chevrolet delivered the Dark Ash Metallic (a new color for 2022) Silverado High Country to us equipped with a bounty of add-ons: High Country Premium package (power sunroof, all-weather floor liners, 22-inch wheels), Super Cruise, Technology package (rear camera mirror, head-up display, adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking), power-retractable assist steps, adaptive ride control suspension, wheel locks, and Multiflex tailgate.0-60 MPH: Trailing the Twin-Turbo V-6s, Leading Other V-8sThe 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country is powered by Chevy's 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V-8 gasoline engine. It's good for 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission. This is the largest-displacement, most powerful naturally aspirated V-8 in the segment. Bigger doesn't always mean better, though: While GM continues to smash this stout V-8 under the hood, many of its competitors offer smaller-displacement twin-turbo V-6 variants.To the point, how does the 5,578-pound Silverado High Country stack up against the new 2022 Toyota Tundra Platinum? The latter is a prime example of a truck that ditched its V-8 in favor of a 3.4-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder that makes 389 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. (There's also a stronger hybrid version.) According to our previous test numbers, the Tundra—532 pounds heavier (woof) while lacking 31 hp but gaining 19 lb-ft compared to the Chevy—accelerates from 0 to 60 mph a mere 0.1 second slower than the Silverado's 6.0 seconds. Sure, there are a bunch of additional variables at play here—we didn't test the two trucks at the same time, and they feature different gearing, transmission tuning, and so on—but the lighter, higher-horsepower 6.2-liter V-8 Silverado didn't run away from the turbo-V-6-powered Tundra.As for Ford's EcoBoost V-6? The 2021 Ford F-150 4x4 Lariat FX4 twin-turbo EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 (400 hp, 500 lb-ft, and 238 pounds lighter than the Silverado) hit 60 mph in 5.3 seconds. The 2021 Ford Raptor (with the high-output 450-hp, 510-lb-ft EcoBoost and 391 pounds heavier) needed 5.6 seconds, followed by the High Country 0.4 second behind. Ultimately, the Silverado's 6.2-liter V-8 is unsurprisingly better suited for heavy towing up grades than it is for track sprints against turbocharged V-6 trucks. Interestingly, the 6.2-liter Silverado RST—158 pounds lighter than the High Country—put down a 5.5-second 0-60 time, which spanks the High Country by half a second and lands it between the two EcoBoost Fords.How does the 6.2-liter 2022 Chevrolet Silverado High Country fare against other V-8 trucks in its class? The 2021 Ford F-150 4x4 King Ranch, packing a 400-hp, 410-lb-ft 5.0-liter V-8 and carrying an additional 109 pounds, hit 60 mph in 6.2 seconds. The 2019 Ram 1500 Limited 4X4 eTorque featuring a 395-hp and 410-lb-ft 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi (and 298 pounds heavier) did so in 6.5 seconds. So the 6.2-liter Silverado is no slouch against the other naturally aspirated V-8s in its segment.Finally, on paper and in certain conditions, GM's 6.2-liter V-8 certainly outperforms the 355-hp, 383-lb-ft 5.3-liter V-8, another engine option for the High Country, as is a 3.0-liter diesel. For daily trundling, though, it would be hard to discern a 5.3-liter from the 6.2. Worth noting: The 6.2 is available only with four-wheel drive.Track Attitude: Getting Aggressive in a Luxury TruckGranted, not many folks will ever drive their 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country like a sports car. But if you overheat its brakes, the truck tells you so via a dashboard message. A 45-mph speed limit kicks in at that point for a short period while the brakes cool down.As for the High Country's performance on the MT figure-eight course, which tests handling characteristics, tester Chris Walton was surprised by how sporty the upscale Silverado was in auto four-wheel-drive mode. "The firm brake pedal is quite effective, so long as you stay out of the ABS," he said. "Do it right, and you can bleed the brakes into the skidpad almost like a sport sedan. The truck doesn't roll much on the skidpad and stays quite neutral with a mild bit of understeer. The throttle mapping, however, is a bit off. The throttle is sensitive and makes it difficult to maintain a constant speed on the skidpad. Overall, it comes off as quite sporty for a luxury pickup truck."(Not) Driving With Super CruiseOne of the big deals about the 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 High Country is that it has available Super Cruise, a $2,200 option. Yes, GM's semi-autonomous hands-free-driving system has trickled down to Chevy trucks. We found some compatible freeways and gave it a try; despite some inherent trust issues, it worked, but we have a few stories.On one occasion, a car was merging onto the freeway at a substantially slower rate than we were traveling. We could see it was going to merge in front of us, but when it seemed like the truck "missed" seeing the car and did not lift, we took control and initiated braking. It's likely the Silverado would have seen the other vehicle by the time it was fully in our lane, but it might have left "unsmart" cars behind us braking too hard for comfort.On another occasion, Super Cruise deemed there was room for a lane change, but traffic in our new lane slowed substantially as the truck made its move. The High Country, still wanting to leave a rather big gap between itself and the car in front, also slowed substantially. We saw the driver behind us needed to unexpectedly brake hard—and our maneuver came across as a "brake check." Super Cruise was just doing what it computed was best for the situation, but we received an angry middle finger in return.A Cockpit Worth Talking AboutThe 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country's new interior is one of its other big deals. Good news: it's not offensive anymore. It feels and looks like it belongs in 2022, and it's competitive with other pickups on the market. It's natural and contemporary, more horizontally oriented than upright. The 13.4-inch color touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and 15.0-inch head-up display contribute to its modern feel.Did you notice the shifter on the center console? That's different for a Chevy truck. It took a split second to figure out how to work it, but we never looked back once we did. Also, the location of the wireless charging pad cubby is perfect and out of the way—and not inherently serving double duty as a crap pad. You know that spot where fast food trash, banana peels, and loose change resides. Don't worry, Chevy left some removable rubberized pads around three sides of the shifter for miscellaneous things.In terms of interior colors, our tester was labeled as Jet Black and Nightshift Blue. In true Chevrolet fashion, there's an uncountable number of available colors—variants of chrome, piano black, blue, gray, tan, brown, silver—in a cornucopia of materials including smooth plastic, textured plastic, open-pore wood, and leather. All in all, the touch points are soft, the seats are comfortable, charge ports are accessible, and it's all palatable and impressive.Indeed, this 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country is "like a rock," but one that's unrecognizable compared to what it used to be. Consider it a big win for Chevy.2022 Chevrolet Silverado High Country Specifications BASE PRICE $64,945 PRICE AS TESTED $75,820 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck ENGINE 6.2L direct-injected OHV 16-valve 90-degree V-8 POWER (SAE NET) 420 hp @ 5,600 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 460 lb-ft @ 4,100 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,578 lb (57/43%) WHEELBASE 147.4 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 231.9 x 81.2 x 75.5 in 0-60 MPH 6.0 sec QUARTER MILE 14.4 sec @ 96.8 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 133 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.75 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 28.1 sec @ 0.60 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 15/20/17 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 408 miles ON SALE Now Show All Looks good! More details?
Although Subaru's stable swells with SUVs, its lineup of cars remains robust for the 2023 model year. The automaker, which is best known for its all-wheel-drive cars and SUVs, just overhauled the sporty BRZ coupe and WRX sedan for 2022. For 2023, the entire lineup carries over with minor changes, aside from the Legacy's fresh sheetmetal. Read on to see what updates have arrived for the 2023 Subaru cars lineup.Want to learn more about 2023 Subaru SUVs? Check out the changes here.
Miss the Big Game this year? Maybe you don't get into the whole "sports thing." Either way, the commercials are always a huge part of the Super Bowl broadcast. Seeing as how you're reading about those game-day ads here, on MotorTrend, guess what? We're going to talk about the car commercials from Super Bowl LVI, of course! Here's a quick recap of the car spots we spotted during the game:Chevrolet | "New Generation"Fans of "The Sopranos" probably spat out their drinks and sat up when the HBO series' theme song "Woke Up This Morning" started oozing from their speakers while the show's opening sequence driving from New York City to New Jersey rolled on. But something in the iconic opening is different...James Gandolfini's Tony Soprano isn't peeking at us through the rearview mirror...it's his on-screen daughter, Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler). And there's something different about Tony's '90s Chevy Suburban...the dashboard looks way too modern. Without giving away the ending, "New Generation" reimagines the Sopranos' original family ride as the new Silverado EV pickup. Cool.Hyundai | "History Of Evolution"Starring actor Jason Bateman in his more usual comedic guise—as opposed to his darker turn in the drama "Ozarks" on Netflix—this Hyundai ad runs viewers through major technological developments throughout history while reminding them that those developments always had a rough start. This pivots, eventually, to the concept of an electric vehicle, which Bateman says is now reaching maturity—thanks to, of course, the new Ioniq 5 electric crossover. We're not sure about the Ioniq 5 being the be-all, end-all of EVs, but it is a darn good battery-electric SUV. And affordable, too.Kia | "Robo Dog"This Kia spot is cute and includes a dog, ripping a page out of Subaru's advertising playbook. But while general audiences might find the robot-puppy-finding-a-new-home-with-a-human plotline endearing, it takes a closer read to realize Kia is plugging (pun intended) the new EV6 electric crossover's ability to power other things using its battery. To wit, at the end of the commercial, the robo-dog is "saved" by an EV6 driver using its "vehicle-to-load" charging function, which can deliver electricity from the battery to external sources, be it a large appliance during a power outage or a stricken robotic puppy.Nissan | "Thrill Driver"Viewers should by now be familiar with actress Brie Larson making appearances in Nissan ads. For the Super Bowl, Nissan throws in a few more stars, including Eugene Levy, Dave Bautista, and Danai Gurira, to shill an unlikely car: The 2023 Z sports car. Hey, we're all for sports cars, but it's definitely unusual for an automaker to use such high-dollar ad space for a low-volume, two-seat sports car.BMW | "Zeus & Hera"BMW's ad leverages the high-wattage star power of Arnold Schwartzenegger and Salma Hayek but fails to generate much of a spark for the new iX electric SUV. Basically, Arnold plays Zeus and Hayek plays Hera; the god is retired yet is always being asked to charge up dead electronic devices using his lightning power (thunder?). Clearly tiring of his role as a god-smartphone-charger, Zeus is relieved to be given an iX by Hera, presumably because it zaps up Zeus rather than the other way around.GM | "Dr. EV-il"Reprising his role as Dr. Evil from the iconic Austin Powers comedies, Mike Myers holds court in one of his classic boardroom scenes with other original castmembers, including his son Scott (Seth Green); number two, Number Two (Rob Lowe); and Frau Farbissina (Mindy Sterling), while discussing his latest plans for world domination. Only one hitch: Climate change, which is billed as a pressing issue to first surmount. Dr. Evil must save the world in order to take it over, in essence, and needs to lower his carbon footprint to help. This is where GM's growing lineup of EVs comes in to play, and explains why Dr. Evil has anything to do with GM's EV lineup—Dr. EV-il, get it? The gang drives off in a new Hummer EV, a Silverado EV, and what appears to be a Cadillac Lyriq.Porsche | "Topgun: Maverick x Porsche"Porsche is one automaker that likely doesn't need to advertise, but here they are! This is less a commercial for a specific Porsche model than a crossover ad for its sports cars and the upcoming sequel to "Top Gun." If you remember the original fighter-jet bromance cinematic masterpiece, then you remember the love interest of Tom Cruise's character drove a classic Porsche; we assume, based on this ad, that a Porsche will feature in the new film, "Top Gun: Maverick." Really, it doesn't matter, because Porsche has wisely leveraged one of the best theme songs ever for a car ad.Polestar | "No Compromises"The brief, simple commercial from Polestar, Volvo's all-electric offshoot, seems effective. Listing several "no" phrases while flashing over the body of a Polestar 2 EV, "No Compromises" is a quiet introduction for Polestar on a stage as big as the Super Bowl, but it'll surely get people talking, and that's exactly what an upstart automaker wants.
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