2023 Acura Integra prototype is an enthusiasts icon reborn – CNET

Here’s a sentence we’re stoked to write: The Acura Integra is back. And while the Integra that debuted Thursday is technically still a prototype, it gives us a great idea of what to expect from the production hot hatch that’ll go on sale next year.

The new Integra shares a lot of its underpinnings with the new Honda Civic Si, but the hatchback body style is unique to Acura. (That’s why Honda doesn’t do a five-door Civic Si.) We’d previously seen teaser images of the Integra’s headlight and roofline, so the final design isn’t a total surprise, but we still dig the way it looks. The prototype rides on 19-inch wheels and has slim LED lighting at all four corners, along with Acura’s signature pentagon grille and spear-like side surfacing. One of the coolest details are the embossed Integra scripts at the base of the head- and taillights. The Integra’s hatch and greenhouse also look a little cleaner than the Civic’s, thanks to the removal of the weird kink on the D-pillar. Hopefully the production car will keep the same bright Indy Yellow Pearl color and side graphics as this prototype, too.

The shared Civic Si architecture means the Integra’s powertrain is no surprise either. It’ll have a 1.5-liter turbocharged I4 engine that should make over 200 horsepower. (In the Civic Si, this engine produces 200 hp and 192 pound-feet of torque.) Acura previously confirmed the availability of a six-speed manual gearbox, which has the exact same shifter as the Civic Si, but the Integra will be offered with an automatic transmission, as well. Go for the manual and you’ll get the same automatic rev-matching feature that Honda first deployed in the Civic Type R hatch. The Integra will also get a mechanical limited-slip differential, which rules, and the prototype features Brembo brakes that hopefully will be offered on the production car.

Speaking of Type R, some of the Integra’s suspension bits should be borrowed from Honda’s hottest hatch. The rest of the chassis will likely be pretty much identical to the Si, with fixed dampers and a stiffer setup than you’ll get in the standard Civic. Acura is reportedly working on a sportier and more powerful Integra Type S, which might be a rebadged version of the next-generation Civic Type R. That would be absolutely awesome.

The prototype doesn’t have a visible interior, but it should be more spacious than the Civic sedan or hatchback. Expect sportier seats, some nicer materials and a large central touchscreen paired with a digital gauge cluster.

As for how much it’ll cost, Acura is aiming for a starting price around $30,000 and an on-sale date in the spring. We’ll find out for sure when the 2023 Integra goes into production next year at Honda’s plant in Marysville, Ohio.