The Acura Integra is a rarity today. No other luxury brand offers a sporty compact hatchback, let alone one with a manual transmission. Yet, Acura offers two manual options: the A-Spec, tested here, and the hot-rod Type S. As a result, the Integra appeals to singles and young couples who enjoy fun, zippy, practical, and well-built machinery.
Photo: Jim Resnick
All 2026 Integras now include the larger (formerly optional) 9-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, and wireless phone charging. New A-Spec models continue with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and now come standard with ambient interior lighting, a new aero body kit, and black 18-inch wheels.
The 2026 Integra field begins with the base model and climbs the price and equipment ladder with the A-Spec and Type S versions, though all are four-door hatchbacks. Prices start in the mid-$30,000s and top out in the mid-$50,000s for the Type S, including the destination charge.
For this 2026 Integra review, Acura provided a test vehicle equipped with the A-Spec trim, the only option being the premium Urban Gray Metallic paint. The test vehicle’s manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $40,995, including the $1,195 destination charge to ship the car from the Marysville, Ohio, assembly plant to a local dealership. The price does not reflect any current rebates, incentives, or price adjustments since Acura manufactured the test vehicle.
Photo: Jim Resnick
Acura gently refines the Integra A-Spec's exterior, giving it a slightly more purposeful look compared with the base Integra. Gloss-black exterior trim with aerodynamic accents adorns the front, sides, and rear, while wider 18-inch wheels and tires give the hatchback a sportier stance. All the changes from the base Integra favor subtlety over shock.
Several new colors come on board for 2026: Solar Silver Metallic, the Urban Gray Pearl on the test vehicle, and Double Apex Blue Pearl, with a color-matched grille, available only on A-Spec and Type S models. Performance Red Pearl Integras also now get a color-matched grille. A-Spec models with orchid-colored interiors also get new blue microsuede seat inserts.
Inside, the Tech package's sport seats offer good comfort and beefy bolstering for zigzagging over twisty roads. A wide range of adjustments provides plenty of leg and headroom, though I could have used more seat-bottom incline for better thigh support. Ambient interior lighting also spices things up in the A-Spec. A wireless smartphone charging mat sits in front of the shifter.
The overall feel inside the A-Spec should be familiar to Honda owners, as the Integra is based on the Civic. Although the shapes of the door panels, dashboard contours, and shift knobs differ slightly, features such as climate controls, secondary switchgear, air vent patterns, and the steering wheel are very similar. The materials look and feel good, if not on par with some in the luxury sector.
All 2026 Integras feature a carbon-fiber-like pattern on the aluminized dashboard trim, adding some texture. The interior plastics, fabrics, and metals look and feel good, but not outstanding.
It is a different story in the back, though. The Integra's rear seat fell short on headroom, with my head imprinting the headliner when sitting normally. Rear legroom, while adequate, caused a related issue. Getting out of the back seat, starting, of course, by swinging one's leg out the door, required pointing my feet hyper-straight because the rear foot box is quite short.
The Integra also lacks rear torso-level vents, a demerit for a luxury brand. Regular (and invisible) floor-level vents do blow air out under the front seats, though. Acura also provides two USB-C ports in the back.
The 2026 Integra hatchback has a long cargo area with 24.3 cubic feet of space. While there are certainly bigger trunks in the world, I fit an enormous amount of gear back there without folding the rear seats, whereas a Volkswagen GTI hatchback would require folding the rear seats or placing some of that gear on the back seat.
Since no luxury compact hatchbacks are direct competitors to the Integra, you must venture a bit off-piste to find other non-luxury hatchbacks for comparison. The Mazda3 Turbo and VW's GTI are good examples of enthusiast-oriented hatchbacks with a measure of refinement, but even those offer only 20.1 and 19.9 cubic feet of cargo space, respectively.
Photo: Jim Resnick
Acura is standardizing the 9-inch touchscreen with Alexa Built-in across the Integra lineup for 2026. This system uses a faster processor, which quickens response time to user input. The infotainment system includes:
All 2026 Integras lack native navigation, so Apple CarPlay and my vintage iPhone 12 Mini guided me. Despite the phone's age, the Integra paired well with it, delivering a seamless experience for phone calls, navigation, apps, and music. The AcuraLink Communications System (part of the Tech package) connects the vehicle to the cloud. The test vehicle did not have an active connected services subscription, so I did not test it.
The Tech package includes an ELS Studio audio system with 16 speakers and 530 watts, but for me, it was a disappointment. High-midrange and low-treble reproduction at medium and high volumes was a mess. I reduced the mids and highs to try to clarify, and it helped slightly, but this system would disappoint Grammy-winning engineer Elliot Scheiner, for whom Acura devised the sub-brand.
Photo: Jim Resnick
The A-Spec Integra shares the base model's turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which produces 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. Either a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) or a six-speed manual, paired with a limited-slip differential, drives the front wheels. The tester's Tech package added adaptive shocks with Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Individual driving modes, firming up damping and sharpening throttle response.
The A-Spec benefits from a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, 18-inch wheels, and 235/40R18 tires. In contrast, the base Integra has 17-inch wheels, and the top Type S trim uses an even stiffer suspension and 19-inch wheels.
I found myself seeking "handling" routes to test the Integra more often than in some exotic sports cars. The Integra's trim size makes it a better partner for dancing through twisty roads than a flashy exotic car. Where a Lamborghini is big, and you cannot use all its power on real roads, the Integra's small size, along with outstanding steering feel, makes it a better fit for tight, winding lanes.
Fundamental to the car's behavior and every driving characteristic, the Integra feels very stiff. This body stiffness (not suspension stiffness) helps the Integra achieve great handling agility and stable braking, while the limited-slip differential quells torque steer under hard acceleration. The A-Spec's handling on twisty roads is top-notch.
Despite the happy-puppy handling, the Integra's everyday ride comfort does not suffer much. The highway ride quality would suit a larger, less sporty car, and there is not much tire noise, even on rough, abrasive surfaces. With four driving modes, you can soften the suspension.
So, we now arrive at the transmission. In a world of characterless automatics and CVTs that often drone incessantly under hard acceleration, the tester's six-speed manual is an utter joy. A precise, smooth, blissfully mechanical gearbox, it shows there is still appreciation for the traditional. Call me a Luddite, but good manuals rock.
The 200-hp turbo engine delivers strong power and torque, but throttle response can be sluggish at times. Engaging the Sport driving mode helps, but not entirely. The bigger shame is that the engine sounds a bit dull. There is not even a hint of the Acura VTEC engine music from the 1990s and 2000s. The new Integra's turbo engine does the work, but lacks that old magic.
Happily, the Integra's rev-matching software simulates a virtual old pro racer on board during downshifts. While the reality of rev-matching is not so new, it is still a technical marvel for people who grew up learning to match revs the old-fashioned way, via heel-and-toe downshifting in old race cars with carburetors.
All of which is why the Integra's clutch action is such a letdown. The flyweight pedal pressure required to engage and disengage the clutch does not help the lack of feel when you search for the friction point at which the clutch starts to bite. Driving the Integra would be even more fun and rewarding with a more positive clutch.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the Integra A-Spec six-speed manual will return 30 mpg combined. I recorded 29.4 mpg on my own combined route, which included mixed highway, suburban, and urban driving. That is within a reasonable range of the official figure, and honestly, if I had spent less time deep in the rev range listening for mechanical music, it might be higher.
Photo: Jim Resnick
The comprehensive AcuraWatch suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) comes standard on all 2026 Integras, with minor exceptions. Acura removes low-speed following assist and traffic jam assist on cars with manual transmissions, likely because stopping a vehicle with a driver-operated clutch while in gear would stall the engine.
The following ADAS are standard on every 2026 Integra:
The AcuraWatch systems performed well overall, with two minor exceptions and one alarming instance. Lane departure and lane keeping were finicky about latching onto lane lines and staying engaged, as if the system could not see those lines unless they were newly painted or there was a stark contrast against the blacktop.
In addition, the throttle application of the adaptive cruise control felt more abrupt than that of many other systems I have tested recently. However, the most alarming part of my test occurred when the Integra identified a stationary vehicle ahead of me that was not in my lane or on the same road.
Approaching an intersection, the Integra's ADAS detected a stationary truck waiting at a red light on a cross street in my path and applied the brakes hard. However, the truck was not in my lane, nor even on my road, and was also behind its own stop line (or "limit" line) at its corner of the intersection.
I reflexively tapped the brakes to disengage any background systems that might be running, thinking I might have had cruise control engaged (I did not), then quickly nailed the throttle to avoid getting rear-ended. This occurred only once, so I assume it was an aberration, but it nonetheless caused alarm. Even without this scenario, the Integra's ADAS lacked the fluidity of other systems I have tested.
On the plus side, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2026 Acura Integra its highest five-star overall safety rating.
According to the JD Power 2025 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Acura Integra ranks highest in the Small Premium Car segment. The BMW 2 Series is the next highest-ranked model.
Other 2026 Integra competitors include the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA.
According to verified owners, the Integra earns an award as the highest-ranked model in its segment in the 2025 Initial Quality Study.
With a powerful, efficient (although not musical) engine, a crisp-shifting manual gearbox, athletic suspension, and a hatchback's everyday usability, the 2026 Integra A-Spec is a delightful driving partner and a grocery-getter. Three criticisms, including a numb clutch feel, the engine noise, and some odd ADAS behavior, cannot negate the core goodness of the Integra A-Spec.
Jim Resnick is an author specializing in automotive, mobility, technology, and related topics. He has lectured at universities about the auto industry's relationship with government legislation, drawing on his experience as Technical Editor and Editor-in-Chief. Besides jdpower.com, his work has appeared in over 30 media outlets, including Wired, The New York Times, Car and Driver, Kelley Blue Book, and the BBC.
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