When the Integra Type S debuted just two years ago, it was met with enthusiasm. It’s the Civic Type R in Sunday slippers, a less hardcore, more road-focused Honda hot hatchback. The prospect was enticing, though I would argue the current-gen Type R is far from a hardcore, raw experience. Then, Acura released pricing and let journalists have a go. Suddenly, this new Acura became a $54,000 proposition, even more expensive than the already expensive $47,000 Type R, and it came with fewer performance features.
For your extra money, you get heated seats that are practically lifted from the Integra A-Spec, a heads-up display, an ELS Studio 3D stereo, and a slight power bump over the Type R. The seats were apparently reprofiled specifically for the Integra Type S, but they can only be described as a downgrade compared to the Type R’s incredible seats. Why couldn’t they just put heating elements in the Type R’s seats with some leather?
Then, you lost the Type R’s functional gauge cluster readouts for coolant, intake air, oil pressure, and boost, and the extremely cool shift lights. Rubbing that last granule of salt in the Type S paper cut is losing LogR, which stores detailed telemetry during track sessions. I can’t help but feel it’s an overall downgrade for even more money.
The market spoke. Type Rs continue to be marked up and difficult to find at MSRP, while Integra Type S’ trade below MSRP. Thus, I decided to re-explore the Integra Type S for our newest YouTube video to see if, at real-world cost parity, the Integra could truly compete with its stablemate. To find out, simply sit back and watch.