An icon has returned, and it’s an instant winner.
The Acura Integra nameplate returned last year, and a hotter powertrain has finally pushed it into the winner’s circle. The Acura Integra Type S turns the premium hatchback into an undercover hot hatch with all the smiles per mile one can ask for without the attention, which has resulted it in it being The Car Connection Best Performance Car To Buy 2024.
2024 Acura Integra Type S
At its core, the Acura Integra is a reskinned Honda Civic Type R, and that’s a good thing. The Type S is powered by the Type R’s 2.0-liter turbo-4 huffing 25.2 psi of boost for 320 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Mathematicians will note that’s 5 hp more than the Type R, which is courtesy of a software remap. Bragging rights come standard, but no one will ever notice the extra horsepower.
What will be noticed is the high giggle factor. The standard 6-speed manual transmission–there’s no automatic transmission option–features short throws that snick from gear-to-gear. The engine’s even chattier in the Type S than in the Type R thanks to the triple exhaust outlet’s not breathing through a front resonator. Winding out the Type S to its 7,000 rpm redline is smile-inducing, but nailing the launch through the front wheels without launch control can be tricky. The mechanical limited-slip differential does its best to keep the tires from spinning.
Acura Integra Type S
The Type S lacks the Type R’s Race Mode, which is fine because the Type R is a smidge softer and more settled on broken pavement. If the Type R is at a 9 out of 10 then the Type S is cranked down to a 7.5 for livability sake. That makes it no less capable or fun. It’s perfectly at home on the track, though for serious track use it needs some high-test brake fluid and different pads.
At its core the Type S is an undercover and more grownup Type R. The body kit is subtle with slight rocker extensions, flared fenders, and small rear lip spoiler. The front and rear diffusers are specific to the Type S, but they aren’t visually loud. It’ll take a keen eye and enthusiast to spot a Type S going down the road. The triple exhaust tips are the easiest giveaway.
2024 Acura Integra Type S
The interior loses the middle rear seat in favor of two built-in cup holders, which takes seating down to four from five. The Integra’s 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster and 9.0-inch touchscreen carry over from the less powerful model. Sport seats up front are all-day comfortable with firmer bolster for hard cornering, but they will struggle to keep you firmly in place on the track.
The worst seat in the house is the rear, which lacks headroom. At 5-foot-10, my head kisses the headliner thanks to the sloped rear roof.
For $51,995 the Acura Integra is a performance value compared to cars like the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche Taycan, which was last year’s award winner. While the Integra Type S costs $10,000 more than the Civic Type R, which itself seems about $5,000 too expensive, the giggle factor and under-the-radar nature of this hot hatch make it a team favorite.
Read about the segment winners of The Car Connection’s Best Car To Buy 2024 awards, and find out which vehicles took home top honors from our sister sites, Motor Authority and Green Car Reports.
