If all you want to know is whether the 2023 Acura Integra is a good car, the answer is…yes.
Propelling the Integra is a 1.5L turbocharged engine (200 hp, 192 lb-ft) matched to a continuously variable transmission or a 6-speed manual transmission teamed with a limited slip differential. Pricing for the Integra starts just under $31,000 (text: $30,800) plus $1,095 in destination charges. For that price you get a 10.2” digital gauge cluster, heated front seats, smart key access, a 7” touchscreen screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot warning.
I’ll leave it up to you to debate its exterior styling, but I will praise the Integra’s sporting yet functional interior. This red motif isn’t for everyone, but I like it and there are more sedate interiors if you prefer. The front seats provide helpful lateral support, adjustable driver lumbar support, and a happy lack of pressure points. Very comfy. Elsewhere the places you’ll touch the most have a soft premium feel and many of the controls offer a satisfying clicky operation.
Practically speaking the cargo hold is a roomy useful space (24.3 cu-ft), provided you can manage the high lift over. With the rear seats dropped the hatchback design accommodates bulky loads. Flip those seats up and rear occupants will find generous legroom, though for my 5’ 10” body, rear seat headroom is merely adequate.
If you want more than the base trim offers, there’s a stylistic bump from the $2k A-Spec package. Beyond that the technology package adds a larger 9” touchscreen, 16-speaker ELS audio, wireless smartphone integration, these microsuede trimmed front seats, front and rear parking sensors, and a host of other upgrades for a grand asking price of $35,800.
For competitors Acura has identified the Audi A3, BMW 228i Gran Coupe, and Mercedes-Benz CLA 250. Versus that crew the Acura Integra is much less expensive alternative. I’ll also note that the Integra’s powertrain can be had in the Honda Civic Si for less than $28-grand and, if you want a loaded premium-felling hatchback with even more power than the Integra plus all-wheel drive, the feature-filled Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus trim costs a little less than $35k.
I’m curious to experience the Integra on more familiar roads because honestly when hanging out with cool people in fun places, like on a press event, it can be hard to get a complete picture of a car. What’s even harder, is carrying the weight of nostalgia.
The Acura Integra has a storied reputation, and the new kid here won’t satisfy everyone’s expectations. But to me in this moment, the Integra feels like what it should be: a playful, somewhat elevated yet accessibly priced Acura. And, importantly, a capable jumping-off point for Integra types to come.
00:00 2023 Acura Integra
0:47 Exterior
1:19 Engine
2:05 Pricing
2:31 Driving Impressions
6:58 Interior
8:17 Competitors
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