2023 Acura Integra Prototype Reimagines a Sport Compact Classic

Expect the production model to look pretty much like this, and start “around $30,000.”

Welcome back, Integra. After teasing it earlier this year, Acura late Thursday revealed the 2023 Integra in thinly veiled “prototype” form. The five-door hatchback will replace the brand’s ancient ILX as the new entry point in the lineup.

Staying true to tradition, the Integra is once again a platform partner to the Civic, in this case the excellent 11th-generation model. The switch back to a five-door hatchback is a nod to the original generation; there will be no three-door model. The styling is pure current Acura design language, with squinty headlights and thin taillights, all of which are LED. A diamond-shaped grille is pretty standard fare, though this iteration is frameless, visually lightening the front end. The embossed “Integra” script under the driver-side headlights and passenger-side taillights are a nod to the last model sold on our shores, the third generation. A subtle lip spoiler caps that practical hatch, while 19-inch wheels hide Brembo brakes.

And that paint? Indy Yellow Pearl from the current NSX, meant as a nod to the final 2001 Integra Type R.

Under the hood, the reborn Integra uses the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder out of the latest Civic Si. Acura won’t talk numbers yet, but does call this a “high-output” engine, which suggests it could put out more than the Si’s 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. Acura also makes mention of an “available” six-speed manual, so we expect an automatic option for those who’d rather give their left leg a break. That’s one way to differentiate the Integra from the Civic Si.

We haven’t seen the inside of the Integra yet. We hope for a different infotainment setup than the frustrating one found in the rest of the modern lineup, however.

Acura will begin producing the Integra some time in 2022, at its Marysville plant in Ohio. When it arrives in dealerships, pricing should begin around $30,000, according to Acura.

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