10
Loading video...
By Jake Lingeman
Managing Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
There are two lanes an automaker can take when bringing back an old nameplate. It can go full retro, trying to capture the magic of the original, or it can go all new in every dimension besides the most basic design attributes.
Acura did the latter with the 2023 Acura Integra, limiting the link between old and new to its five-door hatchback bodystyle, name and the option of a manual transmission. Almost everything else is new and modern.
Acura first teased the return of the Integra in August of 2021, calling it the fifth-generation hatchback, though Americans only have seen four. From 2001 to 2006 the U.S. and Canada got the Acura RSX, but around the world it was the fourth-gen Integra.
Read More
The 10 Cars to Buy Other Than the New Acura Integra7 min read
Thinking About Buying the New Acura Integra? Consider the Honda Civic Si4 min read
Seventy Percent of 2023 Acura Integra Buyers Are Taking the Manual Transmission3 min read
The new Integra starts with a frameless diamond pentagon grille, a take on its pentagon shield front end from a decade ago, but with much more style. It's flanked by slim LED headlights on a pointed front end with LED daytime running lights and optional fog lights on the A-Spec Package ($2,000), which buyers will need to get the manual transmission.
The Acura's roof looks lower in person than it does in pictures and its length of 185 inches puts the Integra at the high end of the compact car category. In back, dual exhaust tips punctuate the corners with sharp LED taillights cutting in towards a pronounced Acura badge.
The visual A-Spec Package adds LED fog lights, 18-inch split five-spoke wheels, performance all-season tires, A-Spec badging, matte black window trim and gloss black on the spoiler, lower grille and rear diffuser.
Like the exterior, the cabin of the 2023 Integra is thoroughly modern with a standard 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster and a 7-inch infotainment touch screen with tethered Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Technology Package ($3,000), only offered on with the A-Spec Package, bumps that to a 9-inch touch screen, adds wireless phone integration, suede-insert seats, ambient lighting, premium sound with a 16-speaker ELS system and an adaptive suspension (one things the platform-sharing Honda Civic does not have).
In practice, having a volume knob and hard buttons outside of the touchscreen makes navigating everything so much easier. Wireless Apple CarPlay works perfectly, and if the driver needs to switch back to the native system, the home button is right there. Tuning is accomplished through teeny hard buttons on the dash or from the steering wheel.
One thing it does share with the new Civic sedan is its honeycomb pattern on the dash. The metal grates camouflage the air vents with only the direction controller poking through. The climate is controlled below the touchscreen with three excellent and clickable dials (along with a few buttons), which is above two types of USB port and the wireless charging area.
The suede-insert driver's seat in the Integra A-Spec is comfortable and 12-way power-adjustable for a perfect position with good views over the low dashboard. Rear visibility is much worse with the shallow angle hatchback and window that feels small.
The front area feels spacious with door pockets and two big cupholders. The back seat feels absolutely cavernous with the front seat adjusted for adults and the trunk holds 24.3 cubic feet of space, just a foot less than the Jeep Cherokee.
...
Interior color options include Ebony and Graystone for the standard model. A-Spec versions add Red and Orchid options.
The leather-wrapped metal six-speed shifter sits at the center of the console, surrounded by the drive mode and parking brake switches, and that's really where the Honda/Acura quality starts to show through.
There are shifters with shorter "throws" from gear to gear; there are shifters with more heft; but Acura's shifter and linkage combination here is top notch. Gear changes feel smooth and confident. The gear gates are defined and there's no hesitation in the middle. Add that to the easy clutch pedal and this is a fun car to engage with.
The turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder makes 200 horsepower (hp) and 192 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque. That torque figure comes at just 1,800 revolutions per minute (rpm), making the Integra feel extra quick from a red light.
...
The easy clutch has a high catch point, which takes some getting used to, as does the rev matching feature that blips the throttle on a downshift for smoother changes. That feature can be disengaged in the infotainment screen.
A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is standard for those who don't want the no-cost six-speed manual option.
The 2023 Acura Integra has three drive modes: Comfort, Normal and Sport. There's also an Individual mode where parameters including throttle sensitivity, CVT, Active Sound Control, adaptive dampers, power steering effort and the color of the digital instrument cluster can all be changed. Usually, sporty throttle and soft suspension works best, but even the harshest setting was fine for all day driving.
The turbo four-cylinder sounds the best in Sport mode, making this car an audible delight to shift through the gears near redline. The red accents on the gauges are cool to see.
The power steering is also best in Sport mode, which allows a little bit of front wheel slip when cornering at speed. The Integra, like the Civic, comes standard with a front limited-slip differential, meaning power is fed to the wheel with the most traction, as opposed to the least on a traditionally set up car.
...
That means when the Acura accelerates through a corner, the front end doesn't slide to the outside. The outside tire bites in, pulling the car back into its lane. Changes of direction are quick with very little body roll and the steering effort in Sport mode seems right, however the drivers' hands are still well insulated from the bumps in the road.
Brakes discs measure 12.3 inches in front and 11.1 inches in back and were confident all day, though there was very little aggressive driving. Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist help keep everything stable during panic stops.
The AcuraWatch suite of safety and driver assist technology is standard with forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control (CVT cars have a low-speed follow function), lane keeping and departure warning, traffic jam assist, traffic sign recognition and pedestrian detection.
The 2023 Acura Integra starts at $30,800. The A-Spec bumps that to $32,800 and if buyers add the Technology Package they'll be in for $35,800. Acura considers the manual transmission a "no-cost option," but it is only offered on the most expensive A-Spec model. Acura named some high-value competitors including the Audi A3 ($34,800), Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 ($38,200) and BMW 228i Gran Coupe ($37,500).
Both the BMW and Audi are all-wheel drive, which Acura doesn't offer. All come with similar horsepower levels to the Acura with the Audi making 201 horsepower and the BMW making 228 hp. The Mercedes delivers 221 hp. But if you want a manual, you'll have to choose the Integra.
The first reservations for the 2023 Integra sold out within hours with 50 percent of hand raisers being first time Acura or Honda buyers. Additionally, a full 65 percent have chosen the manual transmission so far. Those are certainly some early adopters and former fans, but the plan of bringing back a modern vehicle with a retro name is a total success.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines