2026 Honda Civic vs. Acura Integra: Is Luxury Worth It?

• The Honda Civic is a satisfying small car offering good power and miserly fuel use.
• Acura's Civic-based Integra adds some flash and luxury to the experience for a little more money.
• Which of these sporty compacts is right for you?

Honda Civic vs. Acura Integra: Powertrains compared

Engines and fuel economy

If you want the car with the best fuel economy among our contestants, go with the Civic Hybrid. That gas-electric Honda also leads the pack in terms of torque, with a 40-lb-ft advantage over the Civic Si and Integra. Power is evenly matched across the board, at a nice round 200 horses.

All that said, the Civic Si and Integra are the more rewarding drives, in part because they're the only ones offered with a manual transmission, which is standard on the Si and available only on the Acura's top trim. The automatic versions of both aren't perfect — they both let the engine drone a bit too much, resulting in some unwanted harmonics through the cabin — but both deliver power smoothly. Simply put, they're so easy to live with you'll barely ever think about them, and that's a good thing. 

Interior

The Civic and Integra's sameness comes into clear view once you jump in. That's not to say they look identical — each gets its own cabin styling, although a lot of controls are shared between the two. But the numbers in the table below show that they are nearly identical in terms of interior space. The only variation is the Acura's front and rear headroom — a roof that rakes more steeply and falls away more quickly than the Civic's cuts ever so slightly into front seat and backseat space.

You do take a small hit in fuel economy by opting for the hatch over the sedan, but it's still plenty frugal and the upside is that the Civic hatchback's cargo area holds a lot more than the four-door's trunk. The Civic hatch and Integra cargo volumes are close enough that it makes no real difference.

While the Civic's interior is nicely finished with a clean design and quality materials, the Acura goes a step beyond. The Hondas come with either cloth or leather upholstery, whereas the Integra offers faux leather or microsuede fabric. The Acura's interior design features a bit more brightwork, and you can get the interior in more interesting color combos, such as red over black and cream with blue. 

Interior dimensions compared

Technology and safety equipment

New for 2026, the Integra features a larger center touchscreen that now measures 9 inches, up from the previous 7 inches. All models also include a wireless phone charger and wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. At Honda, you get a similar setup — same screen size and smartphone mirroring — but you'll have to plug your phone in to charge it on all but the top hybrid model.

Although their driver assistance suites go by different names — Honda Sensing vs. AcuraWatch — the contents are almost all the same. Standard on both sides of the fence are forward collision warning, lane departure warning, collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic monitoring, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.

Models from both brands equipped with automatic transmissions add a few systems that won't work with a manual, namely Traffic Jam Assist and low-speed follow for the adaptive cruise control. Top trims of the Civic Hybrid and Integra add front and rear parking sensors.

Trims and pricing

Warranty coverage and included maintenance differ noticeably among these models. The Hondas come with a three-year/36,000-mile comprehensive warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Integra gives you four years/50,000 miles of comprehensive coverage and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. Acura also includes free maintenance for one year or 12,000 miles.

The least expensive option here is the Civic Sport Hybrid sedan, which comes in at $30,490, including a $1,150 destination charge. The same trim in hatchback form will run you an additional $1,200. Both the Civic hatch and sedan are also available in a fancier Sport Touring Hybrid trim — the sedan Touring Hybrid costs $33,490, and the hatch version is again $1,200 more. The sedan-only Civic Si has an asking price of $32,190.

The starting price for the Acura is $34,595, which includes a $1,195 destination charge. In addition to the base Integra, there are A-Spec and A-Spec with Technology package trims. If you want your Integra with a manual, however, you have to opt for the A-Spec with Technology package, which runs $39,195.

If you want a hybrid or a car with a manual transmission and a sticker price south of $40K, the choice is clear: Go for the Civic. But if you're cool with the Acura's CVT or just prefer the looks, a few thousand dollars will get you several additional features, a longer warranty, and some free maintenance. The Integra's only downside besides cost is slightly reduced rear headroom and no hybrid option — but those who are willing to wait will be happy to hear Acura hybrids are well on their way.