2023 Acura Integra Prototype Reimagines a Sport Compact Classic

Kyle Patrick
by Kyle Patrick
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.

2023 acura integra prototype reimagines a sport compact classic

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

SEE ALSO: 2021 Acura TLX Type S Review: A Journey of Rediscovery

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.

2023 acura integra prototype reimagines a sport compact classic

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.

SEE ALSO: 2013 Honda Civic Si vs 1998 Acura Integra Type R

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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Kyle Patrick
Kyle Patrick

Kyle began his automotive obsession before he even started school, courtesy of a remote control Porsche and various LEGO sets. He later studied advertising and graphic design at Humber College, which led him to writing about cars (both real and digital). He is now a proud member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), where he was the Journalist of the Year runner-up for 2021.

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