Our Acura Integra Type S Is So Fun, We Can Overlook Its Interior Shortcomings

This hot hatch is awesome, even with its cabin vibrations and uncomfortable seats

written by Steven Ewing
edited by Kirk Bell
7/12/2026
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What's new: We've had a 2026 Acura Integra Type S in our One-Year Road Test fleet for a few months.
Why it matters: Everyone loves driving it, but we've noticed a few interior issues.
Edmunds says: These small cabin complaints aren't enough to tarnish our impression of Acura's hot hatch. This car is so much fun, all the time.

Since joining our One-Year Road Test fleet this spring, our Acura Integra Type S hasn't been allowed to sit still. It's constantly in use, and with good reason. The Integra's blend of accessible performance, hatchback utility and premium-ish trimmings (more on that "ish" in a moment) makes this car an excellent daily driver. I've personally put about 2,000 miles on the Integra. It never gets old.

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About that "-ish" ...

The main reason to buy an Integra Type S over its corporate sibling, the Honda Civic Type R, is that the Acura offers a bit more in the way of luxury and refinement. At least, that's what I'm told. Unfortunately, the more time I spend with the Integra, the more its roots start to show. It's loud on the highway — even more so than our old Civic Hybrid. It's not just the sporty tire setup either; the amount of wind and road noise that makes its way into the cabin at highway speeds is intense.

On top of that, for a car that costs $58,021 as tested, there are way too many little creaks and rattles. Some of them are the result of poor NVH tuning — that's "noise, vibration and harshness," a common automotive term. The turbocharged engine is coarse and buzzy, and at certain speeds, the vibrations can rattle the door panels and pillars. Our car has about 4,000 miles on it as of this writing, and I can already identify four separate rattles in the doors and dash.

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A final gripe: seat comfort. Look, my butt is far from bony, but I can't even spend an hour in the driver's seat without having to shuffle around and adjust my position. At times it feels like I'm sitting directly on the floor rather than on a seat cushion. I've had passengers with, uh, ample posterior padding register similar complaints.

Don't worry, it's not all bad

So much of the Integra's interior is quite good. The seats could use some cushioning, but the upholstery looks and feels fantastic. The ELS stereo is great. The 9-inch touchscreen might seem rudimentary in a day and age in which automakers are cramming massive displays into cars, but I find it refreshingly simple and easy to use — plus, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard.

As a driver's car, the Integra's interior also earns high marks. There's a commanding view down the hood, and the pillars between the windshield and side windows are thin, making for great outward visibility. The steering wheel is a great size — small in diameter with a thick rim — and trimmed in nice leather. That nubby little shifter is also a gem, though its metal knob gets branding-iron hot if the car's been sitting in the sun.

Redemption through driving

None of my complaints about the Type S' cabin are enough to make me not want to drive this car as often as possible. It's so much fun, all of the time, and super easy to drive around town. I personally dig the automatic rev-matching tech that blips the throttle when you downshift, making it easier and smoother to change gears in traffic. The steering is perfectly weighted and direct. The chassis? Superb. Our logbook is already filling up with similar commentary.

"This is a Civic Type R for grown-ups, and as a grown-up, I like it more," writes managing editor Keith Buglewicz. "There's plenty of power, enough that the front wheels squirm a bit for traction as you accelerate in lower gears. It makes good noises, and it's just exciting and fun to drive."

"Hot hatches are better than they've ever been," writes senior vehicle test editor Reese Counts. "I had the Integra for two nights and didn't do anything outside of my usual commute and errands. I still had a blast with this thing. It's easy and fun, even at 35 mph."

"The Integra Type S is rewarding to drive because it has something for everyone," writes vehicle test editor Gabriel Vega Cortés. "Whether you're a skilled driver or still working your way to becoming one, it's a great learning tool with plenty of room to grow into it. Out on our local canyon roads, you'd need a serious sports car to pull away from it thanks to its pretty remarkable grip levels. You can lean on it, too, with the front end clearly communicating when you're about to exceed its limits. It's a car you can drive quickly because you can trust it, making it quick, confidence-inspiring and an all-around joy to drive, a feat few other cars on sale can match."

2026 Acura Integra Type S rear three-quarter

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by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

edited by Kirk Bell

Cars have been an important part of his life since Kirk learned to identify them by their headlights as a toddler. He grew up helping pit crew for his dad’s highly unsuccessful drag racing escapades, and he turned his knowledge of the car culture into a career when he became an editor at Scale Auto Enthusiast magazine starting in college. Kirk has been writing about full-scale cars for more than 20 years and was named to the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury in 2014. He was most recently senior editor at Motor Authority, where he specialized in luxury and performance cars. Kirk also authored and edited several car books, including the award-winning Hot Rod & Custom Chronicle and NASCAR Chronicle when was managing editor at Consumer Guide Automotive. Kirk enjoys nothing more than a track day, but he’s also a Wisconsin sport fan and he enjoys spirited drives in his 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S.

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