Acura's hottest Integra gets the same engine and chassis as our favorite hot-hatch. It should be good.
Acura
We’re living in a new golden age for sport compacts, and the new 2024 Acura Integra Type S is yet more proof. As expected, it’s Acura’s twin of the new Honda Civic Type R, albeit with five more horsepower from its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The Type R is already our favorite hot-hatch on the market today, so the Integra Type S should be very, very good.
Last year, we had a brief chance to sample an Integra Type S prototype, and learned that the car is somewhat more focused on road than track. Not that we expect it to be anything less than brilliant on track. The Integra Type S gets unique settings for its adaptive damping system to give it its own character, though from a hardware perspective, the chassis is basically identical to the Type R’s. That means you get Honda’s novel dual-axis MacPherson strut front suspension—which very effectively mitigates torque steer by reducing the steering axis offset—and a multi-link setup out back. Compared with the standard Integra, front track width is up by 3.5 inches while the rear increases by 1.9 inches.
Acura
Acura
The 19×9.5-inch wheels have an Integra-specific design, but they, along with the 265/30R19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, are the same size as the Type R’s. To accommodate the huge increase in track width, the Integra Type S gets big fender flares, which also help increase the tuner-car vibe. Up front, there are 13.8-inch two-piece rotors and Brembo-branded four-piston fixed calipers, while the rear has 12-inch rotors and single-piston sliding calipers.
Acura was able to squeeze 320 horsepower out of Honda’s much-loved K20C1 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, compared with 315 hp in the Type R. The brand is currently mum on the specific engine changes that contributed to the power increase, but did say the Type S has a unique exhaust system. The Civic Type R is sold globally, whereas the Integra Type S will be a primarily North American product, and here, our emissions standards aren’t as strong as, say, Europe’s, so perhaps the new exhaust is the big difference-maker. Boost pressure is the same at 23.3 psi, as is the torque figure of 310 lb-ft between 2600 and 4500 rpm, and the power peak of 6500 rpm. The Type S also gets the same, excellent six-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential as the Type R. There’s no automatic option.
Acura
In addition to the fender flares, the exterior of the Integra Type S is distinguished by a more open front fascia and vented hood, both of which increase engine cooling compared with the base Integra. The Tiger Eye Pearl paintwork available on other Acura Type S models makes an appearance here, as does an option for bronze wheels. While the rear bumper is unique, it doesn’t appear that any of the actual sheetmetal on the Type S is unique. The fender flares looked tacked on, in contrast with the Civc Type R’s unique panels.
Acura
Inside, it looks much the same as an Integra A-Spec, but with some extra performance touches. The seats don’t look quite as heavily bolstered as the Type R’s, and while the pictures released by Acura feature an UltraSuede steering wheel and titanium shift knob, both of those are accessories, not standard fit. The Type S also gets Acura’s excellent ELS audio system, as with the Integra A-Spec.
Even though the Integra Type S is the more luxurious counterpart to the Civic Type R, it’s not much heavier, weighing in at 3219 pounds to the Honda’s 3188. Dimensionally, it’s near identical to the Type R, though at 186 inches in length, it’s 5.1 inches longer than the Civic.
Acura
Acura isn’t giving us any more specifics today, and pricing won’t be announced until closer to the June on-sale date. Given that the Type R starts at $44,390 (before the almost inevitable dealer markup), we imagine that the Type S will come in somewhere around the $50,000 range. That’s about the same as rivals like the Audi S3, BMW M235i xDrive, and Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 when similarly equipped. There’s also the $45,835 Golf R, which is the only other German hot-hatch of similar performance that offers a manual transmission, though we’d argue that the Integra Type S’s fiercest rival is the Civic Type R itself.
The Integra Type S seems to be the more luxurious alternative to the Civic Type R, though we don’t expect it’ll be too different to drive. Which is to say it should be excellent.
Chris Perkins Senior Editor Chris Perkins is the Web Editor for Road & Track magazine.
Keyword: The 2024 Acura Integra Type S Is a More Luxurious Civic Type R