The 2024 Acura Integra Type S will come out soon. Acura has been working on regaining its “precision-crafted” image from the 1980s and 1990s with the release of each new model, beginning with the 2017 NSX and continuing with the Type S variants of the current TLX and MDX. And now we have the boldly styled and reasonably priced Integra, which makes up for its modest 200 horsepower with the same quick-witted, nimble demeanor as the original.
Although the small Acura five-door is delightful despite its underwhelming power rating, many critics still can’t get over it. Nevertheless, we’re considering it for one of our 2022 Star Awards. Still, we’re not the only ones who wish the Integra had more muscle and pep in its step when it comes to performance. But have no fear, for the Integra is the next model to deliver on the automaker’s pledge to Type S everything. I only had the chance to drive a prototype around Honda’s Tochigi test track for two laps, but in that time it was abundantly evident that this is the vehicle for which Acura enthusiasts have been yearning.
Engine & Performance
Acura is withholding complete powertrain and product specifications until the car’s official launch next year. The 2024 Acura Integra Type S will come standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine producing “more than 300 hp” with a six-speed manual transmission. If this sounds familiar, it’s because the 2023 Honda Civic Type R has comparable specifications: 315 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, to be exact. It seems likely that the Integra Type S will match this output, just as the Integra regular matches the Civic Si.
The figures cannot convey how wonderful the Integra Type S sound is. Exhaling through a humorously large trio of center-mounted exhaust pipes, the Acura prototype idled like a classic British sports car, with a resonant boom that augured well for its performance. This suspicion was confirmed when the journalist ahead of me launched the Integra with a full-throttle rip through the first few gears – the Type S snarls like a chop saw as the rpm rise. It also sounded fantastic as it sped by on the straightaway of the Tochigi circuit, with more small-displacement fury than any Acura product since the Integra Type R.
Finally, it was my turn to take the wheel. Despite the increased power under the hood, the Type S prototype’s clutch is light and easy to read, and its six-speed manual transmission is as flawless as the ordinary Integra’s. The engine revs more quickly than the 1.5-liter turbo in the entry model, releasing its full 300-plus horsepower in a smooth, novice-friendly manner – turbo lag is minimal. In addition, there is increased low-end torque and a standard limited-slip differential, both of which were noticeable as I departed the pit lane and applied the gas.
According to Motor1’s mechanic, The Integra Type S he drove was limited to 125 miles per hour – likely to protect the prototype from a speed-happy journalist – but the production model will likely go faster than the base Integra’s 135 mph.
Exterior and Interior Design of 2024 Integra Type S
In addition to driving impressions, Acura is keeping the vehicle’s specifications under wraps until the vehicle’s debut, likely at the New York International Auto Show in the spring of 2023. Other than the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and six-speed manual transmission, we know little about the Integra Type S. The vehicle is believed to include adaptive dampers with more aggressive, track-oriented settings than the standard Integra. There was no torque steer throughout my time with the vehicle, so it is probable that the Integra Type S will inherit the dual-axis front suspension and firmer rear suspension from the Civic Type R.
Despite the camouflaged logos on the prototype’s camouflage, the prototype’s wheel arches were clearly flared to conceal a wider front and rear track. I hope the flares are faired into the fenders on the production model since they appear a touch slapped on on the prototype, but regardless, the hot Integra’s posture is certainly Type S-appropriate. The prototype I drove did not have many aerodynamic enhancements. There is a slightly wider lip spoiler on the trunk lid, as well as a redesigned front bumper and a diffuser at the rear, but the Integra is not quite as aggressive-looking as its Civic Type R relative.
This finesse should help the Type S compete with the Audi S3 and Mercedes-AMG CLA 35. Its required six-speed manual transmission may be a touch less technologically sophisticated than its German competitors’ automatic transmissions, but that will appeal to those who still want to do it themselves but would like a more mature product than the explosive CTR.
Pricing and Release Date
The 2024 Integra Type S will come in the summer of 2024, according to Acura, which has not provided a particular release date. Remember that the current Integra with a six-speed manual transmission, which also requires the A-Spec and Technology packages, costs $8,100 more than the Civic Si. Hopefully, the Type S will not be priced similarly to the $43,990 starting price of the Civic Type R. A price far more than $45,000 would bring the Integra perilously near to the $46,995 Audi S3 and $48,950 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35. (both of which come standard with all-wheel drive).
If Acura can keep the price in check, the Integra Type S will earn the respect of all car aficionados, including those who condemned the new Integra for being too slow or too close to the Civic Si. As for me, I adore the current Integra, and the 2024 Type S edition makes me even more enthusiastic about the small hatchback family and Acura as a general.