2023 Honda Integra revealed in prototype form
Honda’s American luxury brand Acura has finally revealed the all-new Integra ahead of its 2022 introduction
The Integra has officially made a return, with Acura releasing the first images of the 2023 model in prototype form. The Acura Integra marks the return of the iconic nameplate after a 15-year hiatus and will go on sale in the Spring 2022, but details of any future availability of a Honda Integra outside of North America have yet to be released.
The reboot of an iconic sports coupe is always something of a double edged sword in the current car market. There were cheers of praise when Ford announced the return of the Puma, and Mitsubishi also got in on the act with a new Eclipse, yet in both occasions these iconic models were reimagined as compact SUVs, without much relevance to their former selves.
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Though initial rumours suggested the return of a compact two-door coupe, the new Integra will be available only in five door form. While we’ll have to wait until the launch of the production car for full details, Honda’s new Civic will most likely provide the new Integra’s underpinnings.
This also means the Integra could, like it’s predecessors, yield a Type R variant. Honda has already confirmed the development of a new Type R based on the next generation Civic, which will be homologated for the UK, however specifics of where it will be built, and when it will arrive in the UK have yet to be confirmed.
Detailed stats on power output and performance will be announced in due course, but Acura revealed that the new Integra will feature a 1.5-litre turbocharged VTEC-equipped four-cylinder – a six-speed manual transmission will also be available.
Rather than reimagining a ‘90s aesthetic, the new model has a more contemporary look built on Acura’s current design language, with its frameless Diamond Pentagon grille and unique ‘Chicane’ daytime running lights. There is at least one nod to a bit of retro though, with this prototype featuring an embossed Integra insignia underneath the headlight.
The new Integra will hit US roads in 2022 with a starting price of around $30,000, but the biggest question that remains is whether Honda will bring it to Europe and the UK. While the introduction of a small two-door coupe might seem out of sync with the current obsession with SUVs and crossovers, affordable performance cars like the GR Yaris and the current Civic Type R are proving that if the car is good, people will buy it – and given the current Type R’s brilliance, the thought of a modern Integra Type R is quite a fascinating prospect indeed.
