What is the difference between an Acura Integra and a Honda Civic? More finely, is there any difference between an Acura Integra and a Honda Civic — other than the price?
What It Is
The Integra is a sporty small sedan sold under the Acura label that is closely related to the less expensive Honda Civic. There are numerous differences that go beyond price — and styling.
For one, the Acura is sold only as a hatchback, while the Civic is available as a sedan or a hatchback.
For another, the Acura comes standard with the more powerful 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that is optional in the Honda (which comes standard with an economy-minded 2.0-liter four without a turbo).
The Integra's base price is $33,400, and for that you basically get an Acura-ized iteration of the Honda Civic Si, which lists for $31,495. Both come standard with the same 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but the Honda comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, while the Acura comes standard with a continuously variable transmission. You can get a six-speed manual with the Acura, but you'll have to step up to the $39,200 A-Spec with the Technology Package, which includes larger 18-inch wheels as well as a limited slip front differential, an adaptive suspension, upgraded synthetic suede upholstery and a 16-speaker premium audio system.
But the really big news — as Ed Sullivan used to say — is the Type-S, which centers on a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that touts 320 horsepower (five more than the similar Civic Type-S).
This version of the Integra comes only with the six-speed manual and also gets upgraded brakes and 19-inch wheels with more aggressive "summer" tires, an adaptive exhaust, wider track and aggressive-looking bodywork to match its capabilities.
Its base price is $53,900
What's New for 2026
The base trim gets a new 9-inch LCD touch screen and wireless connectivity. The Type-S gets the more aggressive-looking bodywork.
What's Good
— More luxurious/prestigious Integra is only slightly less expensive — to start — than a Civic Si.
— Manual transmission is available.
— Hatchback's cargo capacity makes this small car a practical car.
What's Not So Good
— You can get a Civic Si with a standard manual for $7,705 less than the least expensive manual-equipped Integra.
— Standard CVT (a transmission designed primarily for economy) is arguably out of place in an Acura.
— Pop-Tart LCD screen looks cheap.
Under the Hood
Unlike the Civic — which comes standard with a 2.0-liter (no turbo) four that makes 150 horsepower — the Integra comes standard with the Civic Si's 1.5-liter turbo four that makes 200 horsepower. However, this engine — in the Integra — is paired with a standard CVT automatic, while the Civic Si comes with a six-speed manual. This is an interesting incongruity given the Integra is supposed to be (like the Civic Si) a car for driving enthusiasts, and most driving enthusiasts dislike CVTs — and not just because they are automatics.
Their chief virtue is an efficiency gain versus an automatic (or manual) with fixed forward speeds.
The 0-60 mph times tell part of the tale.
A Civic Si with the 1.5-liter engine and the six-speed manual can make the run in just over six seconds while the Integra with the same engine and the standard CVT automatic takes closer to seven seconds to get there. The upside is the higher gas mileage: 29 mpg city, 37 mpg highway with the CVT versus 26 mpg city, 36 mpg highway with the optional six-speed manual. It's not a huge difference, obviously — but it does make the point about CVT automatics being primarily designed for economy rather than acceleration.
This isn't an issue with the Type-S, which comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four that makes 320 horsepower (and 310 foot-pounds of torque) and comes only with a six-speed manual.
All Integras are front-wheel drive, and both engines want premium unleaded. You can fill 'er up with regular and it won't hurt anything — other than power/performance. Sensors will detect the lower-octane fuel and dial back the turbo boost (and the power).
On the Road
The Integra to get is the one with a manual because it's the one that's most fun to drive — and the whole point of owning a car like the Integra is to have fun while you drive. An automatic — CVT or otherwise — detracts from that. There's less to do, for one — beyond stomping on the accelerator pedal — and that is inherently less fun than letting out the clutch while you stomp on the accelerator pedal, then push the clutch in (and let it out again) out as you shift through the gears. Also, you can hold each gear as long as you like; the CVT holds the range as long as it likes. With the manual, the Integra not only is quicker, it feels quicker. It feels more alive because you're more involved.
Even with the CVT, the Integra's reflexes are cat-quick; the steering is surgically precise, the grip well beyond the threshold of most driver's abilities. Translated, that means it is very easy to drive this car very fast — including in the corners. Just remember that there are limits to any car's grip, and if you exceed them — and your own abilities — physics will not forgive you.
The ride is firm but not so firm that you'll want another car for daily driving. Acura has always done a god job balancing that just-right tautness with just-right give. The seats help out here. They keep you in place, but it's a place that's nice to be, on account of the well-bolstered cushioning.
Yin — and yang.
The Type-S amps it all up considerably. The zero-to-60-mph time drops to five seconds, and the lateral road-holding ability increase to more than 1.02 g's on the skidpad. The standard — and only — six-speed has short-throw action and that intangible but all-important quality — feel — that makes a performance car more than its horsepower or 0-60 mph numbers can convey. You have to drive the car to get it.
Once you do, you will want to keep driving it.
At the Curb
The Integra comes only as a hatchback, as mentioned previously.
This is probably sensible because it makes this compact Acura much more practical than the Honda sedan it's related to. Though just 185.8 inches long, the Integra has 24.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity (almost twice as much as the Civic sedan), and the space is more useable because of the hatchback layout, which doesn't separate the cargo area from the passenger area. You can fold the rear seats forward and basically use almost all the interior space (excepting the driver's seat) to carry whatever you need to carry, and that definitely comes in handy.
Regular Integras don't look different enough from Civics, though.
That can be a problem — or a plus — depending on how you look at it. On the plus side, if you like the looks of the Civic and are wanting an Acura — to get the additional standard features and, of course, prestige — then you can, for not much more than the Civic (Si) costs. At least when stacking up the base Integra against the base Civic Si, since both cost nearly the same.
Also, the Civic Si is for the kids. Not in an insulting way. Just as it is not insulting to bar hop when you're in your 20s. The Integra is for when you've grown out of that scene — but still like to have fun.
On the other hand, if you want that six-speed manual — in the Acura — you'll have to spend thousands more than it would cost to get the same thing in a Civic Si that looks pretty much the same.
The wild card is the Type-S, which does look different and — more importantly - is different. It is also a bargain, relative to something like a BMW M3, which lists for $79,300. Yes, of course — the BMW is much more powerful, has a six-cylinder engine and is rear-wheel drive. Even so, it's still about $20,000 more expensive than the Integra, and you'd be higher-profile. The Type-S does look different — more menacing — than a regular Integra — but it is also not a known offender (as far as cops are concerned), while the M3 is the (SETI TAL)OJ of that type.
The interior's layout is crisp and functional, though the Integra's standard LCD touch screen is of the "Pop-Tart erupting from the top of the dashboard" variety. There are, however, still rotary knobs and pushbuttons for everyday-use functions such as adjusting the temperature, airflow and fan speed.
The A-Spec's standard adaptive suspension and the excellent 16-speaker premium audio system are almost as desirable as the six-speed manual (assuming you like to drive). It's unfortunate, though, that Acura decided to bundle all those things together, since the six-speed is kind of an essential in a car such as this — like cheese on a cheeseburger — while the adaptive suspension and excellent 16-speaker audio system are nice to have but not essential to have.
It'd be interesting to see how many more Integras would sell if they (like the Civic Si) came standard with the manual rather than a CVT.
The Rest
FWD performance cars — especially powerful ones, like the Type-S — are fairly hard to find, probably in part because of the near-hysteria that has been fomented about the necessity of all-wheel drive. OK, maybe if you live in Minnesota. If you don't, you might actually need AWD a few days out of the year; the rest of the year, you'll be lugging around the extra equipment (and paying more for it too). Certainly, AWD increases cornering grip — but the truth is, you need to be driving really fast for that to become a meaningful factor. Also, it can be argued that driving a FWD (or RWD) performance car faster is more fun, precisely because of that wheel-slip factor. It gets boring when you never break traction.
That's never a problem with the Integra.
The Bottom Line
The Integra as Civic Si (and Type-S) in mufti is not an unsound concept. Why make an issue of what you've got — especially if you're not a kid anymore?
Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
View the Acura Integra this week.
View Comments