Acura Integra Type S Revealed: A Performance Sport Sedan for the Mature

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey

If the Honda Civic Type R strikes your fancy mechanically but its looks are a bit too juvenile for your aesthetic, enter the Acura Integra Type S.


The Integra Type S is mechanically similar to the Honda, but it avoids styling details like a large wing. It does, though, have a hood scoop and unique front fascia -- and of course, the Integra's styling is divisive on its own.

Similar doesn't mean same, and the Integra Type S rings five more horsepower out of its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to make 320. Torque is the same at 310 lb-ft.

That power gets to the ground via a six-speed manual transmission that has rev-matching, and the car has a limited-slip differential.

Out back, the high-flow exhaust exits the car via three pipes located in a unique rear fascia. "Integra" is stamped on both fascias.

What goes fast must eventually stop and Acura has equipped the Integra Type S with four-piston Brembo brakes -- the front rotors get cooled via functional air ducts.

Acura has widened this car by 2.8 inches compared to a standard Integra, and it has 19-inch wheels and summer rubber. Both the front and rear tracks are widened compared to the standard car -- 3.5 inches up front, and 1.9 inches in the rear. The front stabilizer bar is thickened by 2 mm, and torque steer is reduced via a dual-axis front suspension and the suspension comes standard with adaptive damping.

The Type S has several drive modes, including Sport and Sport+, with that last one offering up what Acura calls "pops and bangs" from the exhaust.

Inside, the car gets suede seat inserts and firmer bolstering, and a suede shift boot. There are also special logos marking the car as a Type S -- your three passengers will not mistake the Type S for anything else. Yes, three -- the car has only four seating positions.

Comfort features will include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, premium audio, digital gauges, and a head-up display.

Not that most of you care about safety on a performance car, but it does come standard with the AcuraWatch suite of advanced driver-assist systems.

Oh, and if you miss the wing -- Acura will happily sell you a carbon-fiber lip spoiler as an accessory.

The Acura Integra Type S goes on sale in June.

[Images: Acura]

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Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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  • 3-On-The-Tree I like my 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 better. Plus it gets 30 mpg on the highway.
  • El scotto Inside EVs? Like that's not biased not a bit. /s The US government just put a 100% tariff on Chines EV's. Do BYD's or other Chinese EVs even come close to meeting US crash regulations? My money would on an empty Amazon box instead. The car market has imploded. The big three were too greedy and thought everyone wanted top-spec trucks and suvs. Too bad not everyone could afford them. The EV market has imploded in magnitudes greater than the ice market. This is exactly the wrong time to enter the US EV market.In the end, the Chinese will help a lot of lawyers buy boats. The Chinese have no respect and do not recognize intellectual property. The Chinese copy of the Land Rover that was reported that manufacturers should be very afraid of? Naw, if the Chinese try to import that lawyers will be pushing wheelbarrows full of money.Then again, any country that is great at making athletic shoes in not, repeat not known for the quality of their vehicles.Or in five years we could all be ordering our new rides off Temu.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Oem’s should fire whoever made the decision to drop V8’s in favor of Turbo V4 and V6’s. Got it was for emissions but I’m sure they could make V8’s more emission compliant. My F150 Ecoboost gets the same mileage as my 2021 Tundra 5.7. In addition to renewing my faith in extended warranty’s as it was a maintenance nightmare.
  • ToolGuy Nice car. I would buy it but I wouldn't be able to put fuel in it, plus I am not a criminal.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Old news if it is even true. But from m my time as Firefighter/EMT fighting vehicle fires when it catches fire it is very toxic.
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