Compare the2023 Acura IntegraVS 2023 Lexus ES

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Integra are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The ES doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Integra and the ES have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available rear parking sensors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Acura Integra is safer than the ES:

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Integra its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The ES is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2023.

Acura pays for scheduled maintenance on the Integra for 1 year and 14,000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the ES (2/24,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 11 percent more Acura dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Integra’s warranty.

The Integra’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (192 vs. 184) than the ES 250 AWD’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Integra gets better mileage than the ES:

Both the Integra and the ES Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Integra’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Integra has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The ES doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Acura Integra higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Lexus ES (5 to 7). This means the Integra produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the ES every 15,000 miles.

The Integra offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The ES doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Integra’s brake rotors are larger than those on the ES:

The Integra stops much shorter than the ES:

The Integra’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the ES’ standard 55 series tires.

The Integra has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The ES doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Integra A-Spec Technology handles at .87 G’s, while the ES 300h pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Integra A-Spec Technology executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the ES 300h (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Acura Integra may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 650 pounds less than the Lexus ES.

The Integra is 10.1 inches shorter than the ES, making the Integra easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Integra a Large car, while the ES is rated a Mid-size.

The Integra has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the ES.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Integra’s hatch uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the cargo area. The ES’ useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The Integra’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The ES doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

The Integra’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the ES.

The Integra’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The ES’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Integra’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the ES’ headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Acura Integra and the Lexus ES, based on reliability, safety and performance.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Integra as the 2023 North American Car of the Year. The ES has never been chosen.