2024 Acura Integra Type S Revealed

• Will offer six-speed manual and more than 300 horsepower

• Likely a more refined take on the Honda Civic Type R

• Should inject some life into existing mediocre Integra lineup

Acura has confirmed that a Type S version of the resurrected Integra will join the lineup next summer. Powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at more than 300 horsepower, the 2024 Acura Integra Type S will also come with a six-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential.

A Type S upgrade isn’t a total surprise for the Integra. The designation is reserved for Acura’s most potent performers, including the TLX midsize(ish) sedan, the six-figure NSX flagship coupe, and the Integra’s most recent predecessor, the 2002-2006 RSX. Even SUVs are eligible, as the seven-passenger MDX also gets the Type S treatment.

A Civic mixtape and mashup

Details are scant, but we’d expect the 2024 Integra Type S to borrow heavily from the Honda Civic Si and Civic Type R. Acura says the engine will make “over 300 horsepower,” suggesting it’s the same turbo-four as in the Type R, where it makes 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The standard six-speed manual and helical-style limited-slip differential will also likely carry over from the CTR, although you can get a manual-equipped Integra today with the top A-Spec with Technology package (lesser trims come with a continuously variable transmission). Like the CTR, the six-speed should offer rev-matched downshifts that can be turned off in the car’s settings.

The Type S will likely offer the same grippy Michelin summer tires offered on the Type R, which, along with the Honda's standard adaptive suspension, should sharpen the Integra’s handling profile.

We’d expect most of the top A-Spec conveniences to also carry over: 9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ELS premium surround-sound system and a wireless charging pad. Sport seats are also likely, maybe with a nicer grade of faux suede than the Civic Type R issue. And heat. There are no heated seats in the Honda.

The usual bundle of Acura safety features should also end up on the Integra flagship. These would include forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, adaptive cruise (yes, even with the manual), lane keeping assistance, front and rear parking sensors, and low-speed automatic braking, among others.

Why wouldn’t I just get a Civic Type R?

An excellent question and one we’re curious to figure out ourselves. We’ve been less than overjoyed about the regular Integra and its similarities to the more affordable Honda Civic Si. How much better will the Type S be relative to its high-performing Honda counterpart? The Civic Type R starts at around $44,000. Pricing the new Integra model much higher risks encroaching on models like the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series, a territory where Acura’s never been able to gain much ground.

But the Integra Type S’s more subdued design will likely appeal to drivers for whom the Civic Type R is just a little too flamboyant. Given the brand's luxury positioning, we also expect the Integra’s ride to be more compliant — same performance as the hardcore Honda without the bruised kidneys. We could also see the Acura offering more sophisticated in-car tech, possibly with more advanced voice controls, expanded software features and concierge-style connected services.

Hello, goodbye: NSX bows out

News of Integra Type S production comes on the heels of a quiet announcement that the last NSX model has rolled out of Honda’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio. Number 350 of 350, the NSX Type S painted in Gotham Gray matte finish marks the end of the line for Acura’s second-generation flagship, which debuted for the 2017 model year. Stunning design and brilliant performance couldn’t quite overcome the lofty six-figure price, and the hybrid-only NSX never quite enjoyed the shine of its first-gen predecessor, which ran from 1991 to 2005.

Edmunds says

Acura has struggled to recapture the Integra mojo since it discontinued the RSX in 2006. The new Integra Type S sounds like a promising step in the right direction.