2023 Acura Integra | It's Not the 90s Anymore

We do a first drive review on the 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec. In the video, we detail the past and present to explain the new Integra. We show the interior and exterior and the technical and engineering behind them. Other cars to consider are the VW GTI, Mazda3 Turbo, Audi A3, and BMW 1 Series.

#cars #Acura #Integra

Index:
00:00 Intro
02:48 Questions and Answers, Why Reboot the Integra?
10:30 Interior Impressions
13:54 Driving Impressions
22:18 Final Thoughts

[cartilagehead]

I don’t really like this car as an Integra, but I actually do really like it as sort of a Grand Tourer version of a Civic Si. Like if you’re somebody with a family and maybe you want something a bit more plush and luxe than the Civic, but still relatively sporty and with a great manual gearbox (and maybe marginally larger and more reliable than a GTI) this could be a solid option. Honda/Acura definitely missed a trick by not giving it SH-AWD tho

[NurseNicholas]

Other car reviewers just don’t compare, the quality and effort is unmatched

[John-vhfk]

By far, savage geese is the best reviewer out there. The level of detail and being able to speak from the buyers mind is the best out there. Bringing Jack in really elevated this channel further. Mark is fantastic but hearing he and Jack go back and forth discussing their differing opinions is so enjoyable and gives consumers different vantage points.

[АнтонГеращенко-рь]

We were given a clean sheet of paper - and created a long four-door liftback. What a waste of such a good chance, knowing what an icon Integras became. This one is great (if we forget the badge), but will not be remembered by anyone; the old one will. It's not the 90s anymore: it's market all the way now.
Great talk and excellent video though, thanks.

[jaball]

For me the price will probably kill any chance of me buying a Type S when it comes out. The top trim is already 37k, so a Type S will probably be well north of 40 grand. At that price there's lots of competition I'd rather drive.

[e-train]

I’m 50+ y/o and learning manual on my new 2024 Integra A-Spec w/ Tech that I picked up at Arlington Toyota last week! I’m getting the hang of it. You might see me carving up RT 14 🤣🤣

[Soundsaboutright]

To be honest, I feel like they only used the Integra name to charge the buyers more and had nothing to do with the actual vehicle. It's a rebadged ILX with improvements. It should not cost as much as it does.

[jaythomasni]

Tremendous sound with lows, highs and mids clearly defined. The Road noise that is.

[TheBonsaiZone]

Wow, this is so much different from the Honda Civic hatch....I mean it's 2 percent stiffer, what more do you want!!!

[stevend]

It really, …REALLY……needed, I don’t know, …..another 30 HP to separate itself from the Si and really make it it’s own car. And not use a CVT.

[cartilagehead]

It’s 2% stiffer than the civic sedan you guys

[mediocreman]

Mixed feelings on this one:
1. It's exactly what it's supposed to be. Normal looking car with a little bit of fun and luxury built in. I've driven all of the Integra generations and none of them were fast. Only the Type R was.
2. It is 2022 and you can still get a manual transmission car. Great job on that Acura!
3. Why is the highest trim package required to get the manual? There are some great competitors for that price.
4. Did they seriously literally glue an Acura logo on the engine 'cover'? That is a huge indicator to how slapped together this car is since it's 90% Civic. Even though the Japanese shared some components between Honda and the Integra back in the day, it never felt like it. But that's clearly not the case here.
5. A soft clutch pedal is the reason modern manual transmission cars are not enjoyable to drive. When there is zero resistance to the clutch pedal, it feels like nothing mechanical is happening, which defeats the purpose of having a manual these days. Not saying it needs to be heavy, but too light sucks.
6. This should just be called the ILX. There is nothing that says that it's any better than an ILX. Which sucks, because that means the release of the Integra name again is 100% a marketing exercise, because of the current nostalgia for the '80s and '90s.

[subukai]

I was an owner of 1998 Acura Integra GS-R.. brand new and owned it for 6 years. I am not a modder and did not turbo, add exhausts etc. I did an an AEM intake which did make a difference in the seat feeling or maybe it was just the insane noise from the engine. I was not easy on the car but did not officially drag race on a track. I found the car a blast and reminisce the days I owned it. I think the heart of the Integra was the amazing and almost bullet proof engine. B18C. This engine was coveted by modders and non-modders. That engine got legendary status due to all the mod enthusiasts. Do I see that with this Integra? I do not think so. A manufacturer has to compromise when making a car that has to profit as well as try to cater to the enthusiast. I think the B18C days was unique for that time. I do need to test drive it though to get my a** confirmation. I rarely comment and I take it for granted the work you put in to these videos. Excellent video production.

[effa]

Great interview Mark. Respectful, but tough questions. Huge respect to you for including more and more of these behind the scenes segments.

[organizedgopher]

From an owner of a Civic Si and a 6-Speed Integra A-Spec w/Technology…

50+ Integra upgrades and differences from US Civic (2024)

I traded my Civic Si (2020) for a 2024 6-speed Integra. Below are the differences between the 2024 Integra 6-speed and the 2024 Civic Si that helped sway my decision. As you can see below, there are way more differences (57 at last count) than are spoken of in any YouTube videos. Hope this helps those of you trying figure out the differences. BTW, as a former Si driver, I have ZERO regrets. The Integra retains the fun-factor of my Si, but also gives me all the premium upgrades I was missing—such a great real-world daily driver. My Si was a great car, but I’m enjoying the Integra more.

Features not available on ANY ‘24 Civic:
1. Every body panel unique to Integra
2. 5.3” color windshield Heads Up Display
3. 16 Speaker ELS Studio 3D system with ceiling speakers
4. Microsuede front seats
5. Remote with brushed metallic trim
6. 12-way power driver seat with lumbar
7. Auto walk-up/welcome lighting feature
8. Lighted exterior door handles (all 4)
9. Lighted interior door handles (front)
10. Ambient LED footwell lights
11. Ambient LED door accent
12. 4 drive modes (including individual)
13. Aluminum bezel around shift boot
14. Adaptive suspension (3 settings)
15. 2-driver memory (seat & mirrors)
16. Auto slide driver seat upon exit
17. Beefier horn (Yes!!! Thank you) beep-beep vs meep-meep
18. Premium “tick tock” turn signal click
19. Unique “Jewel Eye” LED headlights
20. Longer warranties (both years & miles)
21. More rigid chassis
22. Standard A-Spec door sill badges
23. A-Spec badge on steering wheel
24. Frameless rear view mirror (auto-dim)
25. Leather ctr console trim (knee guard)
26. Unique shift knob (flat top vs rounded)
27. Diamond pattern vents (vs honeycomb)
28. Gloss (vs flat black) B and C pillar
29. Wider, longer body
30. Heated side mirrors w/ signals & reverse tilt feature
31. Full LED ext lighting (incl rear turn sig)
32. Full LED int lighting (incl hatch area)
33. WiFi hotspot
34. Functional bumper vents/air curtains
35. More sound dampening material
36. Acura cam cover
37. Form-fitted battery blanket
38. Advanced front side airbags
39. Advanced front knee airbags
40. Rear seat LED-lighted window switches

Features not available on the ‘24 Civic Si:
1. Parking sensors front & rear
2. Rain-sensing wipers
3. Power driver seat
4. Power passenger seat
5. Dual zone auto climate control
6. Liftback design w/ more cargo space
7. Full 10.2” digital instrument cluster
8. Leather door trim
9. Leather arm rests w/contrast stitching
10. Rear USB outlets
11. Fog lights
12. Blinker in side mirrors
13. Heated seats
14. Qi Wireless phone charging mat
15. Alexa built-in
16. Sunglasses holder
17. Different tuning (according to Acura)

UPDATE: Things I’ve learned after putting 3, 000+ miles on the Integra:

- The Integra is missing the occasional dash rattles that my Civic Si had. It may have better fitment, adhesives, or quality control. At any rate, I’m very impressed, because that was a concern of mine during the buying process.
- In sport mode and on the same roads, my Integra feels as peppy as my Si, but like the Si, the Integra isn’t built for all out performance.
- For the first 3, 000 miles I have averaged over 35 mpg on premium. I have mixed city and highway on my commute. I occasionally open it up for a pull, but drive conservatively most of the time. On the interstate I’ve averaged over 40 mpg. Thrash it a lot and you’ll likely STILL get high 20’s.
- I knew the ELS Studio 3D system was highly rated. But even so, I am floored every single day when I hear nuances in my favorite playlists and songs that I never noticed before because the previous systems just couldn’t do it. I had upgraded my Si with JL Audio mid-range and both Infinity and Kicker subs—the Si sounded way better than stock. However, this ELS system is not only in a different ballpark, it’s on a different planet. I read from a car reviewer that outside of Acura you can’t get this level of sound unless you fork out $60, 000 or more. That, I can’t confirm. However, I can easily say it’s the best I’ve ever heard—and I’ve been in many cars. The Bose I had in my GMC Yukon pales in comparison.
- So far, the only thing I miss from my Si since buying the Integra is the center console. The Integra’s armrest storage bin is a bit smaller.

5k miles now and still VERY happy. The Integra hit the sweet spot for me for affordable luxury and fun.

[imagebboy]

"We were given a powerful tool, a blank piece of paper" He says positively. But I think that is why everyone is upset.. They did almost nothing design wise (other than the embedded logo) to give it Integra style. That 'shovel digging' front line along the side is NOWHERE near the look of the original.

Has nothing to do with the business side. They could have kept ALL the tech, weight, frame, even the 4 doors! All they had to do was design an exterior that had more cues. THATS IT! That was the big failure, has nothing to do with dollars. I mean, Dodge did it well with the Challenger, and that's a cash cow for them!

[JohnNguyenVincent]

I love how Savagegeese can deliver the most detailed yet entertaining video to watch. This is without the BS sponsorship cuts and stupidness of other top youtuber videos.

Keep it up!

[paulhanusiak]

I really appreciate the technical detail you guys put into your videos, getting them up on a lift, going over mechanical aspects, interviews with the people who develop the vehicles etc. It's far more in-depth than most channels who 'only' give driving impressions. You guys do great work!

[naisbest]

“We scouted our competition…” then decided to do the opposite of sporty offerings by giving it less power than a GTI, added a CVT instead of a DSG, but hey it’s got an Integra badge!

[JasonWingQuan]

They were given a blank piece of paper and used it to trace the civic hatch. BOLD.