2023 Acura Integra debuts in prototype form – US launch next year; from RM125k; 1.5L VTEC Turbo, 6MT

In August this year, Acura got many enthusiasts excited when it announced the iconic Integra nameplate will make a return to its line-up. Today, the company is giving us our first look at the model in prototype form along with a few preliminary details.

The Integra Prototype previews a production version that will come later on, but even in this form, it looks well enough to be deemed production-ready. Of course, like the Civic Prototype before this, we should expect some minor tweaks here and there when Acura unveils the final product.

Based on the current, 11th-generation Honda Civic, the new Integra was designed in Japan and takes on a fastback shape with four doors and a sloping roofline. At the front, we find Acura’s frameless Diamond Pentagon grille that was first seen on the Type S Concept, flanked by sleek Jewel Eye LED headlamps with the company’s “Chicane” LED daytime running light signature.

Further down, there’s a hexagonal-shaped lower intake that trails into the fog lamps and vertical vents located at the corners of the front bumper. The bonnet also gets prominent crease lines, similar to what you’ll see on other Acura models like the ILX, TLX, RDX and MDX.

Along the sides, a distinctive character line is seen progressively rising from the front wheel arches to the rear quarter windows, which Acura says is a modern interpretation of the Integra line. The slender taillights at the rear also get the “Chicane” lighting signature, joined by a boot lid spoiler, dual exhausts and a diffuser-like element.

The Integra Prototype is fitted with 19-inch split-five spoke wheels in a matte finish, with Brembo brakes that bear Indy Yellow-painted calipers behind them. This hue is borrowed from the NSX and is also used for the rest of the car’s body, with Honda saying the paint pays homage to the Phoenix Yellow finish that was offered on the 2000-2001 Integra Type R.

For contrast, the high-gloss Berlina Black accents are applied to the Integra’s roof, spoiler, side mirror caps, rear apron and front grille. A lower-sill graphic displays the Integra name across the side of the vehicle. Oh, there’s also the embossed Integra name under the driver’s side headlamp and passenger’s side taillight – a nod to past Integra models.

No interior shots for now, but Acura did confirm that the fifth-generation Integra will be the first in the model’s history to get a turbocharged engine. More specifically, it is a high-output 1.5 litre unit with VTEC, which will be paired with a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential.

If this setup sounds familiar, it’s pretty much the same thing you get with the latest Civic Si. The VTEC Turbo unit in Honda’s sports sedan serves up 200 hp and 260 Nm of torque, but Acura is not disclosing the Integra’s output figures for now.

Production of the Integra will begin next year at the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio, with car set to arrive at Acura dealers next year. The company says it wants to “continue to deliver on the original’s unique aspirational yet attainable market position,” so the Integra will be priced around USD30,000 (RM125,040). That’s more than the ILX that starts at USD26,500 (RM110,452) as well as the Civic Si that retails from USD27,300 (RM113,786).

Keep in mind that Acura’s version of the Integra is significantly different from another Integra bearing the Honda badge that was revealed for China in September – it’s confusing, we know. It isn’t known if the Acura Integra will be a North America-exclusive model or if it will be sold in other markets as well. Nonetheless, what do you think of the new Integra? Is it everything you hoped for?

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