The excitement build up:
In the recent months, Acura had went on to tease a plethora of sports enthusiasts with the possibility of an Integra comeback.
After 20 years of absence, the news tensions had built up to be one of the most anticipated sports cars to come out of the market. This alongside the Toyota GR86, Nissan 400Z, Lexus IS500 and many more Japanese inspired automobiles.
With the suspenseful teaser posts from Acura exhibiting several teasers of the design for the Integra, they finally revealed it in its entirety in November.
Take a look at this video where the prototype was revealed:
There was a lot of hype and excitement built up, so it was easy to see why fans fell in love with possible renders and concept designs of the new anticipated Integra.
But when the news dropped and the anticipated Integra was unveiled in November, most people were met with hesitancy and disappointment. Many users online shared negative comments and weren’t too happy.
Performance output:
As far as we know, the 2023 Acura Integra is set to enter dealerships next year. Confirmed by the Acura President Jon Ikeda, the starting MSRP begins at $30,000 and by comparison, this is slightly above a Honda Civic SI, Mazda Miata, Hyundai Veloster, and a few other humbling options.
On the other spectrum, spending a few extra bucks could get you a Honda Civic Type R, Mercedes A-Class, Mazda Miata RF Edition, and so on.
If the Acura seems to meet in the middle for you, then let’s dive into some of the specs. When it comes to performance, it was mentioned by Jon Ikeda that the Integra utilizes a 1.5L Inline 4-Cylinder turbo engine that delivers 200hp and 192lb-ft of torque.
Do these numbers look familiar? That’s because these are the same specs as the 2022 Honda Civic SI. VTEC power baby! Who knows, maybe these numbers will be refined to fit the needs of the Integra. Especially with a Type-S model rumored to be alongside the base models.
The rear also features wider arches to contain the 19″ wheels, with Brembo brakes visible at each corner to provide more stopping power. It also comes with calipers that match the car color, which gives it a nice pop sitting behind the matte-finish wheels.
Why the flack?
So why are fans hesitant or critical about the new Integra? Well to put it simply, it didn’t exactly meet everyone’s expectations. A majority of the Acura Integra fans remember the iconic nameplate as a two-door coupe, even as numerous predecessors were 4-5 door vehicles.
While we can complain about this all day, the two-door coupe was the missing factor in the Acura line up. With the successful marketing of Honda Civic coupes and the Type-R, it came as a question as to why Acura decided to make another 4-door plus sedan to their line up.
To many, it identifies as another ILX on the list as it barely meets any remarkable distinction that it is an Integra.
Pros of the Integra:
There are however, some positives to look forward to. Ikeda boasts that the Integra will still carry the same spirited driving as its previous generations and this is evident from several observations.
As many teasers have revealed, the Integra will carry a standard six-speed manual transmission, something many drivers miss.
This was a big demand from a variety of car enthusiasts everywhere, some even claiming that this saved the Integra. Ikeda had also revealed that their intentions with this vehicle is to race with it.
With previous models being focused on luxury and comfort, this entails their commitment to high performance driving and efforts to push the Integra and Acura name forward.
What do you think of the new Acura Integra? Feel free to drop a comment and share your thoughts.
