The 2023 Acura Integra is leaving us with more questions than answers ever since Acura debuted the near-production prototype of the concept last year. But while some will have to wait until the production version debuts, it appears that buyers will be in for some mixed news according to a new report which laid out the state of affairs in regards to the transmission offerings for the model.
CVT To Rule Most Of The Integra Range
There were a set of rumors that appeared to suggest that the Integra could get Honda’s 10-speed automatic despite some of its core Civic DNA. However, the report published by the Integra Talk Forum appears to debunk this and suggests that the bulk of Integra trims will come with a standard CVT. That would be an interesting turn of events since Acura’s prior teaser footage made a big deal about the return of the Integra and the manual transmission.
In addition to the CVT, it appears that the Integra will only come in three flavors, Base, A-Spec, and A-Spec With Tech. The A-Spec With Tech model is also the lone recipient of the manual transmission with this move perhaps being made to try and make this model stand out among enthusiasts especially younger buyers and older ones looking to relive the glory days of Integras gone by. When you look at the colors for the exterior and interior, there’s not much excitement going on in those areas either, with the outside getting the usual red, black, white and other standard hues. The lone exception is a fancier hue called Apex Blue Pearl but only certain trims will get access to that one.
When Will We See The Production Version?
Acura has still not revealed when it formally plans to reveal the production-bound version of the Integra concept, but look for that to possibly happen sometime this year. It’s known that Integra will have pricing somewhere in the $30,000 range and would compete with rivals like the Mazda 3 and even the Volkswagen GTI.
While this latest transmission news is a mixed bag at best, we will give props to Acura for not only offering an all-new compact entry in an era where utilities have rapidly become the dominant species but also a manual transmission too. It will be interesting to see what other surprises the Integra has in store and we’ll eagerly await more information as it becomes available.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.