It’s fancy but practical.
CAR FRONT
The all-new Acura Integra is here. Some claim this car is nothing but a Honda Civic Si with a different badge. They are incorrect. Yes, the platform and engine are shared, but there are plenty of improvements and differences to justify the Acura badge, as well as its higher price tag.
Text and photos by Chad Haire
CAR SIDE
The Integra is longer, wider, about 5% stiffer, and 130 pounds heavier than its Honda cousin. It's better looking too.
HEADLIGHTS
With four large LED bulbs on each side, the light output is excellent. We took this Acura out for some night drives on dark mountain roads, and never overran the headlights. This fancy TECH model also comes with LED fog lamps.
TRANSMISSION
The Honda Civic Si is only offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The Integra offers that as well as an automatic transmission. We got the self-shifter. This setup has a nice light clutch, and changing gears is smooth and quick. It is more fun to drive than the CVT auto as well.
DRIVE MODES
The biggest difference between this Integra and Civic Si can be found on this switch labeled "Dynamic". This is hooked to the "Electronic Adaptive Dampers", which is a complex way to say it also controls the adjustable suspension. You get SPORT, NORMAL, ECO drive choices, or go to the other button marked INDIVIDUAL.
ENGINE
The Honda Civic Si motor fits right in. With 1.5 liters, turbocharger, 200 horsepower, and 192 lbs./ft. of torque, this is a peppy engine that loves to spin at high rpm. It works great with that manual gearbox. The fuel economy is claimed to be 26/36 mpg. We observed 26 overall, and 39 at 75 mpg cruising.
POV
This Integra is a great car for long trips. The suspension is very comfortable, even when set in the sport mode. While the engine pulls a high 3,000 rpm at 75 mph, it is still smooth and quiet. And getting near 40 mpg is nothing to complain about.
WHEELS & TIRES
This car had the A-SPEC package. It includes sport pedals, a rear deck spoiler, fog lamps, 18-inch alloy wheels, and 235-40 R18 all-season tires. So equipped, the cornering ability of this car is very good.
Gauges
The gauge cluster is well designed, but we were unable to find a way to adjust the illumination.
DASH
The cabin is upgraded from what we get in the less expensive Civic Si, with better materials and appearance. The info screen is not the largest around but will do. The climate controls are very simple to operate.
SHIFT KNOB #1
The shift knob is topped with leather trim, and what appears to be aluminum. On the positive side, it looks "cool".
SHIFT KNOB #2
However, with outside summer temperatures running a scorching 100-117 degrees, the metal knob was not "cool" to the touch. HOT! A small baby sock over the top solves that issue!
