Acura Integra Type S (US) review: Honda’s giant-slaying hot hatch goes luxe

Hang on, Type S? Don’t you mean Type R?

Nope, though your head’s in the right place. The Integra Type S is Acura’s take on the red-hot Honda Civic Type R, and as such, it’s got a longer list of creature comforts – with a higher price tag to match.

But this isn’t just a leather-lined carbon copy of Honda’s heroic hot hatch. Quite the contrary, the Integra Type S has a vibe all its own. It’s a little kinder, a little softer, but every bit as compelling. It’s a sporty compact you could more easily live with on the daily, and no foolin’, that’s a good thing.

Kinder and softer? I thought this was a hot hatch…

Look, it’s not like Acura ruined a perfectly good Civic Type R by turning it into some kind of luxury waftabout. The Integra Type S is a hoot and a half to drive – it’s just a little less brutal, that’s all.

Take the chassis, for example. The Integra has adaptive dampers just like the Civic, but they're tuned to be a little more compliant. Acura says the Integra's Sport mode is akin to the Civic's Comfort setting; similarly, Sport+ in the Type S mimics Sport in the Type R.

Because the deltas between these settings aren’t massive leaps one way or the other, none of this hampers the Integra’s ability to claw its way through tight hairpins or upset its stability while bombing down backroads. The Integra Type S is set up to be sprightly from the get-go. Its unique tuning just means that, when you toggle the drive mode over to Comfort because you’ve got an hour of highway driving ahead of you, the Integra isn’t as bouncy as the Civic. Hella stiff sports cars are only tolerable for so long.

Okay, I can get behind that. Promise it’s still a riot?

Pinky swear. The Integra’s limited-slip differential works a treat for balancing power across this front-wheel-drive platform, though it’s not so micro-managing as to kill little bits of playful torque steer when you dig into the throttle while exiting a corner. Great steering tuning is a Honda hallmark – and Acura by association – and the quick rack keeps the Integra tossable and light on its feet.

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires wrap 19-inch wheels (which you can and should get in bronze), and the level of grip they provide is more than adequate for canyon carving or anything shy of track duty. You’ll quickly learn that the Integra can slam through corners faster than you might’ve initially expected, and the large 13.8-inch front Brembo brakes can cope with repeated hard stomps of stopping force. The more aggro your behavior while driving the Integra, the more it wants to play ball. It might not be as hardcore as the Civic Type R, but after a couple hours behind the wheel, trust me, you won’t care.

And the engine’s good, yeah?

Oh my, yes. The Integra Type S uses the same 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 as the Civic Type R, though the Acura actually makes a teensy bit more power: 320hp, compared to the Honda’s 315. Torque output for both cars is 310lb ft across the board, and it all hits you like a sack of bricks when the tach needle crests 2,600 rpm.

Drive Types R and S back to back and you’ll really notice the different powertrain tuning. The Civic is more stab-and-grab in terms of on-demand power delivery, where the Integra has a much more linear application of torque, especially mid-throttle. This means you don’t need to default downshift while braking ahead of a turn, and you can just roll onto the accelerator when you need to pass a slowpoke in sixth gear on the freeway.

Wait, does this mean the Type S does the Type R’s auto rev-matching thing?

Yep, and I’m here for it. Purists tend to bemoan this kind of tech, saying it takes away from the old fashioned technique of heel-and-toe downshifting. But listen, having to heel-and-toe in rush hour traffic just to achieve smooth gear-changes super-duper sucks, and besides, if you want to take the DIY approach on a fun weekend drive, you can turn the rev-match system off. Like, easily.

Stepping off my soapbox, I think we can all agree that the Integra’s gearbox is fantastic, with short throws through the gate and solid engagement from the clutch. Acura’s stubby little shifter has its circumference wrapped in leather, but the metal top is still exposed and ready to brand a shift pattern into your palm on a hot summer day.

Sounds clutch (pun intended). But speaking of sound, that 2.0-liter…

You’re right, the turbo engine isn’t exactly an audible delight, but those three big pipes out back produce a sonorous exhaust note. Plus, an active exhaust valve opens in Sport+ mode so you get all the giggly snap-crackle-pop noises that make hot hatches so endearing.

At the same time, the Integra is relatively quiet inside – more hushed than a Civic Type R, at any rate. Whereas Honda took out some sound deadening material to save weight in the Type R, Acura left this alone for the Type S, and the difference is a reduction in wind and tire noise at higher speeds. The weight penalty isn’t all that significant, either. At 3,219 pounds, the Integra Type S is only 31 pounds heavier than a Civic Type R. Not bad.

Okay, but there have to be drawbacks, right?

Sure, a couple, but they’re mostly small, nitpicky things. Honestly, my biggest gripe is that the Integra doesn’t have a rear hatch wiper, which is annoying on rainy mornings. Acura says the car is aerodynamic enough to clear water off the glass when you’re driving, but I’ve never found that to be the case. Also, the Civic has a rear wiper. Come on.

I also think Acura (and Honda) is a little behind the times on the multimedia front. The 9in center screen is nice, but the infotainment software is rudimentary and the menu structure is finicky. At least Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connect wirelessly, and every Integra Type S comes standard with Acura’s bangin’ 16-speaker ELS stereo, as well as a full suite of driver-assistance tech. It even has adaptive cruise control – yep, with a manual.

How’s the rest of the interior?

It’s nice, and certainly more plush than the Civic Type R. The leather front sport seats are power-operated and come with three-stage heating, and they’re supportive enough to keep your butt firmly in place when you’re out on a fast drive. The seating position is great, too, with a nice view down the hood, even in the chair’s lowest position.

You can fit actual adult humans in the back, though taller passengers will be a little cramped because of that swoopy roofline. There’s also a respectable 24.3 cubic feet of space in the hatch with the rear seats up (Acura doesn’t have a seats-down spec), though the tall-ish bumper height makes it a little clumsy to load heavy objects. Get a friend to help.

Alright, decision time: Integra Type S or Civic Type R?

Both cars are great, and I really think it comes down to what you prioritize. The Civic is a much more focused performer, slightly sharper on road and certainly more adept to track use. However, it’s rougher around the edges and that big wing out back shouts its intentions, even if the Type R’s styling is more subdued than it was in the past.

The Acura, on the other hand, is the sort of hot hatch you could reasonably drive to your important adult business job every day and still be taken seriously. It’s more comfortable than the Civic and has a lot more amenities inside, but doesn’t skimp on thrills. Of course, at $51,995 to start, including a $1,195 destination fee, the Acura is $7,105 more expensive than a Civic, and that’s not chump change.

Dude, I said “decision time.” Quit waffling.

Okay, fine. Make mine the Integra. I think it’s the better looking of the two hatches and – sigh – I’m in my late 30s, I want to be coddled in the tender embrace of heated seats while I’m speeding up mountain roads. The Integra’s strongest selling point is that it doesn’t give up much of the Type R’s awesome performance while still satiating my need for fancy frills in a daily driver. The Civic Type R is a banger, but the Integra Type S is the better all-rounder, for sure.