Compare the2023 Acura IntegraVS 2023 Honda Civic Type R

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Acura Integra have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Honda Civic Type R doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 Civic Type R doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Acura Integra has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Integra offers an optional Low-Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Integra’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Integra A-Spec offers optional AcuraLink, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Integra and the Civic Type R have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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 and available rear parking sensors.

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 Civic Type R has not been tested, yet.

The Integra comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Civic Type R’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the Integra 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Honda covers the Civic Type R. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Civic Type R ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

On the EPA test cycle the Integra gets better mileage than the Civic Type R:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Integra’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop 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 Honda Civic Type R (3). This means the Integra produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Civic Type R every 15,000 miles.

The Integra offers an optional automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer an automatic transmission.

The Integra has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a CVT.

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 Civic Type R doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Integra’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Civic Type R’s (38.1 feet vs. 39.9 feet).

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Integra A-Spec Technology is quieter than the Civic Type R (71 vs. 73 dB).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than Honda. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 36% lower rating, Honda is ranked 25th.

The Integra A-Spec CVT with Technology Package has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When two different drivers share the Integra A-Spec with Technology Package, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Integra’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Integra A-Spec with Technology Package has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and warning readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Civic Type R’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Integra A-Spec’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

When the Integra A-Spec with Technology Package is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Civic Type R’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Acura Integra, 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 Civic was last chosen in 2022.