2023 Acura Integra

We’re glad Acura revived the Integra name, and even happier to now have one in our long-term fleet.

This 2023 Integra A-Spec won our most recent Best Sport Sedan Drivers’ Choice Award, and comes to us with the added Tech package featuring Sport Seats, Head-Up Display, and 16-speaker ELS Premium Audio.

And of course, A-Spec trim means 18-inch wheels, upgraded suspension, rear spoiler, and sport pedals.

Power comes from the Civic Si’s 1.5-liter turbo. It likes to rev and feels peppier than its 200-horsepower rating. Even with the 6-speed manual’s higher than typical top gear cruising RPM, we’re averaging a great 32.9 miles-per-gallon through our initial 2,000-miles.

Yeah, we know it’s ultimately just an upscale Civic, but truly, what’s wrong with that? And by all means do get the manual transmission over the CVT, as it delivers a much more rewarding experience.

If we’ve learned anything over the last 42-years here at MotorWeek, it’s that numbers on spec sheets don’t make great cars.

Vehicles like this 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec, which we’ve had the pleasure of driving for the last 2-months, may not boast big numbers of any kind, but the high revving 200-horsepower turbo-4 and the short-shifting 6-speed manual transmission help make this car much greater than the sum of its parts.

There is a little turbo lag from this tiny 1.5-liter, but that just seems to make it even more fun. It really is just a blast to drive; and don’t say we didn’t warn you; this car does make you want to drive fast.

That’s mostly due to this 6-speed manual transmission, which raises the question, why would anyone settle for an Integra A-Spec Tech with CVT? Rhetorical questions aside, I’m liking this car more and more. Now that I’ve got the high engagement point of the clutch figured out, I’m really starting to appreciate how dialed in the suspension is. At this rate, on the next update I might upgrade my “likes” to “loves.”

All this and great fuel economy too, with our current average sitting at 33.6 miles-per-gallon over 5,500-miles. Plus, the Integra’s hatchback practicality delivers storage space that rivals many small crossovers.

While it may not boast quite the refinement as most of the Acura lineup, everything inside looks and feels sporty too, and hey, that’s why they call it entry level.

Summer is speeding by quickly, but we’re getting our money’s worth of summertime driving fun in this 2023 Acura Integra.

We’ve racked up over 6,000-miles in just 3-months’ time, averaging a great 33.8 miles-per-gallon from the tiny but mighty 200-horsepower 1.5-liter turbo-4.

We were thrilled that Acura brought the Integra name back and have been even more excited to discover it delivers a driving experience worthy of the name; easily winning a MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award earlier this year.

“200 horsepower coming from the Integra’s 1.5-liter four-cylinder doesn’t sound like much, but trust us…it is. We’ve mentioned the turbo before and how there’s a bit of lag at low rpm. Yeah, you wouldn’t get that in a naturally aspirated engine, but you also wouldn’t get as much low-end torque, and torque is what brings a smile to your face.”

We mostly love the functionality and looks of its sporty interior, but do wish they would have poured just a tad more Acura into it, as in certain places, its Civic roots are a little too obvious.

We are 4-months into our extended drive time with this 2023 Acura Integra sport luxury sedan. But after a host of early road trips it mostly seems to have settled into commuter duty, adding only about 700-miles since we last checked in.

On that score, the 200-horsepower turbo-4 and 6-speed manual makes for one highly entertaining commute, and most logbook comments agree the Integra feels more fun than luxury. And that’s just fine by us.

Since our last update, we have driven the high-performance Integra Type S, and while we really like that car, it doesn’t feel like we’re giving up all that much in this Integra. Sure, it doesn’t have as much power as the Type S, but it still feels quick and the suspension is more than capable of keeping momentum in tight corners.

We probably haven’t talked enough about how aggressively sporty it appears outside; our tester’s Liquid Carbon paint job looks fantastic, without being too flashy.

Despite a heavy foot or two, economy is very consistent, with our average hovering at 33.9 miles-per-gallon. And while the summer sun may be setting in the rear view, we’ve still got many miles to cover in this Acura Integra.

The leaves are beginning to change here in the Mid-Atlantic and temperatures cooling down, but our fondness for this 2023 Acura Integra is still heating up, and some last-minute summer getaways helped tack another 5,000-miles on our tally since the last report.

We’ve reached the 5-month mark, having driven 12,000-miles, and this 200-horsepower turbo-4 really is a dream to operate even if the revs hang a little high on the freeway. Monitoring those revs is easy with the clear and precise digital gauge display, which ironically enough, is actually called Acura’s Precision Cockpit. And it’s worth noting the 6-speed manual transmission, not just for its novelty, but for the fact that it works so well.

“A lot of the charm and even credibility for the Integra being a sporty compact comes from the manual transmission option. Shifter throws are short and precise while the brake pedal and gas pedal are spaced perfectly for heel-toe downshift action… that is assuming you turn off the automatic rev matching feature. And, uh… don’t tell any purists… I’m starting to leave that function on.”

Some additional highway miles have helped the fuel economy average climb slightly to 34.5 miles-per-gallon; and so far, the only downtime for the Integra has been for regularly scheduled maintenance.

Everything inside is holding up quite well, including the Sport Seats with Microsuede Inserts that come with the Tech Package, which also gets you a nice head-up display and nicer 16-speaker ELS Studio Premium Audio which brings the noise with clarity. And there’s even plenty of room in the back seat for bringing some friends along.

We’ve been waging a full-on pavement assault with this 2023 Acura Integra, racking up 16,000-miles in just 7-months. Sure, we’ve driven the high-performance Type S version that just arrived, but when it comes to daily use we’re just fine with the original, or this re-launched version of the original.

It may be the gateway to the Acura brand, as their entry-level model, but it’s easily our favorite Acura right now, and nothing about it feels entry-level. And kudos to Acura for bringing hatchback practicality to the sedan-dominated premium sport compact segment.

Just like this Integra goes beyond the “entry level” designation, it feels bigger than a compact. Now I wouldn’t say there’s loads of space when riding around with two kids in carseats, but it’s certainly doable even for a taller-than-average family. And considering how much fun it is to drive, the juice is worth the squeeze.

Fuel economy has stayed very consistent with our 200-horsepower 1.5-liter turbo manual combo averaging 34.7 miles-per-gallon. We’ve talked at length about the great 6-speed, but we should mention that a CVT is also available for those that would prefer not to push in a clutch pedal all day.

Temps are dropping and the holidays looming, but the Acura Integra remains the gift that keeps on giving.

We’re well past the get to know you phase, as we’ve been driving this 2023 Acura Integra for 8-months now. And perhaps the thing we love most about this Integra is that, unlike the typical Acura, it feels less like a tech device and more like a genuine driving machine.

There are things we want to do and then there are things we have to do. This Integra proves those things aren’t always mutually exclusive. I consider this Integra a jack of all trades because while it’s not truly exceptional at any one thing, it’s still really good at a lot of things. And to me, that’s the mark of a great daily driver.

Based on the Honda Civic’s already capable chassis, the Integra’s sport-tuned suspension, upgraded brakes, and 200-horsepower 1.5-liter turbo-4 take it to a new level.

But it’s Acura’s available Adaptive Damper System and Integrated Dynamics that bring it all together; adjusting throttle response, steering feel, in-cabin sound, and even the gauges based on whether you’ve selected Comfort, Normal, or Sport Drive Mode. Or you can create your own Individual mode with your preferred settings.

Regardless of settings, our fuel mileage has stayed very consistent, now sitting at 34.7 miles-per-gallon over 16,500-miles; still well above the Combined rating of 30.

We’re heading into winter weather, but something tells us the Integra won’t slow down much.

Time for an update on our 2023 Acura Integra long-term. We’ve been driving it for 10-months now, racking up 19,500 enthusiastic miles along the way.  

Why do we love it so much? Well, it has a way of turning even the most mundane driving chore into a delightful adventure. The well-balanced chassis does indeed allow for spirited blasts down your favorite backroad; yet combined with the great front seats, is equally adept at delivering terrific comfort when sitting in traffic or eating up highway miles.  

While unique in the segment, the Integra’s 5-door shape not only boosts practicality, but provides a direct connection to the original Integra which helped launch the Acura brand back in 1986.  

The current Integra’s 1.5-liter turbo-4 delivers 87 more horsepower than that original, yet has also provided us with good fuel economy. Our current average sits at 34.3 miles-per-gallon of premium, down slightly from last report.

It’s the end of the road for what will likely go down as one of our all-time favorite long-term test vehicles, this 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec. We’re saddened by its departure, but we’re left with many great memories of road trips and commutes that were a little more exciting than they would have been without the Integra.

During its year-long stay with us, this Integra really impressed us. Not to say that we expected it to disappoint, we just didn’t think it was going to be as great as it is. The Integra A-Spec excels not just as a backroad bomber, but a highway cruiser too, and in all-weather to boot. So, we’re really going to miss driving this surprisingly practical, manual-shifting four-door sedan.

Adding to the fun was a rev-happy turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four-cylinder engine that not only delivered its 200 horsepower with ease, but gave us 34.5 mpg fuel economy while doing it, and even sounded pretty good for a four-cylinder.

All told, we racked up 21,934-miles in our 12-month test. We had zero mechanical issues, and the interior looked almost as good when it left as it did on the day it arrived.

Looking back through a year’s worth of logbook comments, the only negative to be found was some trouble keeping Apple CarPlay connected on long trips.

To many, the Integra may be just a more mature version of the Honda Civic Si, and we say, what’s wrong with that? We’d definitely recommend the A-Spec as its 18-inch wheels and black trim elements are well done.

Sport sedan performance, premium-car pampering, hatchback flexibility, economy-car fuel mileage. The Acura Integra does indeed deliver it all and it will be missed.