Recently when Honda introduced the all-new Civic, it wasnʻt long before an all-new Integra followed, and we liked it very much. And when Honda introduced itʻs new Civic Type R we knew that an Integra Type S couldnʻt be far behind. And now itʻs here. And surprisingly itʻs a very different vehicle than the Civic. Put on your driving gloves – weʻre going for a test drive!
Sexy and Svelte
The exterior is a big win for us. When the Civic got a re-do for 2022 we loved the cleaner more upscale looks, and our 2023 Integra A-Spec was also a treat for the eyes. But for the Type S, Acura takes it to a whole new level.
Acura says that every body panel forward of the A pillar are unique to the Type S, but we still see a strong family resemblance. Itʻs certainly more muscular, being nearly 3-inches wider, but you still have the familiar pentagon grille, with a new vented aluminum hood, and much larger lower openings to feed cool air to a much more powerful engine. Acura has kept the aggressive-looking multi-beam projector headlamps and signature LED lighting. All in all, a perfect blend of upscale and sport.
The profile takes the Integraʻs already sleek lines and sends it to gym, coming back with loads of muscle, thanks to flared front and rear fenders, an added lower panel below the dramatic door cut in, all topped off by massive blacked-out 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 265/30 performance tires.
The rear is equally eye-catching, starting with a slim blacked-out decklid spoiler that is much more pleasing to our eyes than the high-boy affair on the Civic Type R. Sleek wraparound LED taillights have a definite Euro feel, while a Type S-unique lower fascia with a gloss adds some toughness. The best part of the rear has to be the center-mounted triple tailpipes….ooooooh!
Finishing off the look of our tester was the Platinum White paint that had a beautiful mettalic in it. IOHO, high performance Hondas (and Acuras) should be white. It just looks awesome. If you should choose otherwise, you have six other colors, including Tiger Eye Pearl which is a Type S exclusive.
Fine and Familiar
While the Civic and the Integra look quite different on the outside, the interiors are much more similar. But since the Civic got a major overhaul and upscale in 2022, thereʻs no complaints here.
Open the door and youʻre greeted by a sporty red and black motif, with heated front sport seats featuring perforated ultrasude inserts and a power driverʻs lumbar support. While holding you nicely, these seats are less aggressive than the Civic Sport seats. Weʻll take the added comfort – especially on longer drives or the daily commute.
Plop into those seats and youʻre immersed in the straight-forward interior that we found in our Integra A-Spec, with high quality materials and everything laid out in a smart, easy-to-use manner. Thereʻs a fat three-spoke perforated leather steering wheel with red stitching, and a Type S exclusive dark-anodized shift lever that reminds us of the dear departed Honda S2000 sports car, surrouned by an ultrasuede shift boot, also wtih leather stitching.
The analog looking guages are actually part of the 10.2-inch Acura Precision Cockpit digital display, but itʻs old school in the very best of ways with an 8,000 rpm tachometer and 200 mph(!) speedometer. Helping with the Type S fast driving mission is a standard head-up display.
Looking equally a bit old school is the 9-inch touchscreen tablet display on the center of the dash, and thankfully Acura still provides a volume knob.
Info-tainment is all up to date stuff, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and wireless phone charging. And even though Acura gives you a beautiful sounding engine to fill the cabin, you also get an excellent 16-speaker, 530-watt premium audio system.
Anyone familiar with the new Civic will recognize the metal grate that runs the width of the dash and also hides the vents – a classy look, while simple controls for the dual-zone climate control are within easy reach. Everything reinforces the feeling of Acura quality.
While the Type S may offer sports car-stomping performance, itʻs a family friendly vehicle, with class leading rear seat legroom, and when it comes time to carrying items, youʻve got a generous hatchback for loading, and easy folding rear seats to carry larger gear. One car that can do it all? Youʻre looking at it.
The Type S Difference
Up till now, most of these goodies could be had on the Integra A-Spec, or for that matter the Civic Si. But like the Civic Type R, itʻs in the performance that these vehicles become wildly different than their lesser (and much less expensive brethren).
It might be easy to assume that the Integra Type S is a luxed-up version of the Civic Type R, but it isnʻt. Yes there are a lot of shared mechanical bits, but extensive tuning by Acura makes this a very different beast.
Under the hood is a turbocharged 2.0-liter VTEC engine that pumps out an impressive 320 horsepower (5 more than the Civic!) and 310 lb.-ft of torque. Acura points out that the engine has also been massaged to offer more mid-range torque than the Civic Type R, so instead of a coming-on-to-the-cam frenetic frenzy, you have more of a linear pull.
And pull it does! Breathing through a unique high flow exhaust, the S purrs contentedly in Normal mode, adds some deeper throatier sound in Sport, and if you engage Sport+ mode you even get the pops and bangs that announces your presence to anyone you storm by. Your sense of decorum (and angry neighbors) will be your guide.
No matter how loud you go, the Type S pulls strongly to the redline, with a sweet rich sound filling the cabin. Keeping torque steer to a minimum is a helical limited slip, so you never feel like all that power and the steering are at odds. The gearbox is a treat, too. Typical Honda/Acura it is light, accurate (Acura-te?) with nice short throws that make it a joy when pushing hard, and yet a dawdle in stop and go. 0-60 comes in just over 5 seconds, plenty quick.
The clutch is equally feelsome, yet light. Like the Civic Type R, the Integra Type S is offered exclusively in manual transmission – but it is easily livable, even in congested traffic. Another plus of the Type S is the downshift rev matching that makes grabbing a lower gear super smooth and easy. Weʻre glad Acura decided not to offer the Type S with a CVT transmission (Hondaʻs only choice on the platform) – Subaru did so on the WRX, and it is a poor second choice to the engagement and fun of a stick.
Another area where Acura spent some time re-engineering from the Civic is in the chassis department, including the programming of the adaptive dampers and power steering. The result is added refinement and comfort, yet it takes nothing away from exhilarating handling.
The steering feels great – typically Honda/Acura light, but precise, and the ride quality is plush in Comfort but tightens up nicely in Sport and Sport Plus. Really push on it, and the grip is immense, and with that fat torque curve and the limited slip it really rockets it out of corners. Braking is up to the task with massive brakes featuring Brembo 4-piston calipers. This is a car that is easy to drive very, very quickly!
Weʻd guess the Civic Type R would be better for dedicated track work, but in the real world, the balance of suppleness, traction and power is perfect for the enthusiast who needs something that wonʻt beat them up day to day.
So Which Type are you?
Ok, weʻll cut to the chase – all this goodness does not compe cheap. While an Integra starts at $31,000, the Type S is a speciality vehicle for discerning enthusiasts. Our tester started at $50,800. Add $600 for that beautiful Platinum White paint, and $1,195 for Destination and we rang the bell at $52,995. At first blush that seems like a lot. But when you look at the competition, a different story come to light.
First contender would have to be itʻs Honda Civic Type R sibling, coming in at $46,345. Weʻd point out that the Acura is better equipped with the little things that make it more livable. Also, in the current marketplace the Type Rʻs are going waaaay over sticker, and makes them close to the Acura price. We say drive both and see what appeals to you.
Acura is going after the high-priced Europeans with the Type S, and the Audi S3 is a natural competitor. Loaded up the Audi comes in at $58,290. The S3 has less power, but does have Quattro AWD which is nice, and the interior does look more upscale. That said no manual transmission is offered, so you have to decide your priorities. We think the BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe is also strong competitor and closer to the Acura at $52,445. Again like the Audi, it has less power, automatic only (although it is a fine one) and standard AWD.
With gorgeous looks, storming performance, and unmatched day-to-day livability, the 2024 Acura Integra Type S is the ultimate hot hatchback.
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.