For the 2023 model year, Acura brought back a legendary nameplate that caused millions of Americans to fall in love with the brand decades ago. The 2023 Acura Integra is the first car to wear the Integra name since 2001.
Like the Integra you remember, it’s an entry-level luxury car built on the bones of the stalwart Honda Civic.
That gives it a different character than many other compact luxury cars. Many rivals are essentially the cheapest cars luxury automakers can build on the sophisticated rear-wheel-drive platforms they use for more expensive luxury cars. The Integra is, instead, the most sophisticated car Acura (the luxury division of Honda) can build using the architecture Honda designed for affordable family cars.
It’s athletic, with crisp handling, but has a lot in common with the family cars you’re used to.
Acura takes a simple approach to trims — the Integra is available in a well-equipped base trim and an A-Spec model with additional performance chops.
A single option group — the Technology Package — can dress it up. That’s it. Those are the choices. A 6-speed manual transmission is available with the A-Spec model for those looking for the true enthusiast experience.
But most buyers pass on the A-Spec and the Technology Package to take home the base model.
Let’s see what it has to offer.
2023 Acura Integra: $30,800
- 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine making 200 horsepower
- Front-wheel drive
- 17-inch silver painted alloy wheels
- Continuously variable transmission
- Leatherette-trimmed seats
- Front 8-way power driver’s seat
- Heated front seats
- Keyless access
- Smart entry with walk-away auto-lock
- Push-button ignition
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Ambient LED cabin lighting
- Automatic dimming frameless rearview mirror
- 8-speaker premium audio system
- USB-A 2.5 amp front seat port
- 7-inch touchscreen display
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- Apple CarPlay integration (wired)
- Android Auto integration (wired)
- Collision mitigation braking system with pedestrian detection
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane-keeping assist system
- Road-departure mitigation system
- Blind-spot information system
- Rear cross-traffic monitor
- Rear seat reminder
- Acura maintenance program for 2 years or 24,000 miles
A long feature list helps explain what the Integra is. Yes, it sits on Civic bones. But this is unquestionably a luxury car.
Buyers often choose the basic Integra because it offers the full luxury car experience at an affordable entry price. Though the A-Spec model adds additional performance features like a limited-slip differential, they’re things you’d feel on an open road. If you’re going to use your Integra as a commuter car and family sedan, you don’t need to pay extra for those.
The standard Integra offers a lot of luxury at an affordable price. Let’s explore some of our favorite features.
Acura Precision Cockpit
Luxury car touchscreens draw the eye in photos, but as a driver, you’ll spend most of your time looking at the driver’s instrument panel instead. Many luxury automakers build a simple one for their entry-level model and offer their most sophisticated driver screens on more expensive cars or in options packages.
Acura doesn’t. Its most sophisticated display is the Acura Precision Cockpit 10.25-inch driver display, and you get it with every Integra. It shows a digital speedometer on the right side and a configurable element on the left. Drivers can choose to see a tachometer, trip display, audio information, and more. It even changes color with drive mode.
Safety features like lane-keeping assist display in the cluster, so your eyes don’t have to wander far from the road.
CVT with Paddle Shifters
Continuously variable transmissions (CVT) have come a long way. No longer the province of budget cars, they’re now common even on luxury rides like the Integra.
But the Integra name is associated with affordable performance. If you loved one years ago, chances are good that it had a stick.
Many of us don’t want the leg cramps associated with driving a stick in heavy traffic but still want greater control over the car than we get with a CVT. Acura has found a great solution with its CVT equipped with paddle shifters. You can drive it in a chill mood without worrying about gears or take control with a tap of your fingers.
5-Door Liftback Style
The Integra distinguishes itself from other compact luxury cars with sleek sportback looks.
It’s an excellent usable space — a wide opening and 60/40 split-folding seatbacks make the cargo space more versatile than the old-fashioned trunks you’ll find in most compact luxury cars.
But that’s not why you want it. You want it because it lends the Integra a fantastic sports car-like wedge profile.
Luxury Feel, Bargain Price
The 2023 Acura Integra starts at $30,800. That’s over $4,000 less than an Audi A3 and nearly $6,000 less than a BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. The Integra name was always associated with not just luxury and performance, but also affordability. Acura brought back the spirit when it brought back the name.
Built-In Nostalgia
Which brings us to the real reason anyone buys an Integra. This car has something many rivals don’t — a meaning. Acura built its brand on the original Integra, a sporty 5-door that made luxury features and performance accessible at a reasonable price tag.
The Integra models of the 1990s were so beloved because they had the chops to sit in with BMWs and Audis but cost less. They made performance driving accessible to more shoppers.
The 2023 Acura Integra has brought that spirit back. It’s more refined and comfortable than those 1990s Integra cars were — the 2023 model is even a pleasant place to be stuck in a traffic jam. But it can still cash performance checks when the road opens up and gets curvy.
Most compact luxury cars are quite pleasant. So is the 2023 Acura Integra. But it also has a cachet many don’t, thanks to its background as a brawler.
More Acura Integra
Want to learn more about the Integra and how it compares to the competition? Read our full Acura Integra review or find Acura Integra models for sale near you.
