Acura Integra History
Acura's compact sports sedan and coupe — a four-generation icon discontinued in 2001 and triumphantly revived as a liftback for 2023.
Photo: “1988 Acura Integra L 3-dr in Flint Black, front right” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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The Integra launched alongside the Legend as one of Acura's two debut models in 1986, initially offered as a 3-door and 5-door hatchback powered by a 1.6-liter DOHC four-cylinder. It carved out a devoted enthusiast following through its four generations, with the third-generation GS-R (1994–2001) and Integra Type R (1997–2001) earning a reputation as some of the finest front-wheel-drive performance cars ever made.
After the fourth generation was discontinued following 2001 — replaced by the RSX coupe and TSX sedan — Acura left the compact performance segment for over two decades. The Integra returned in dramatic fashion for the 2023 model year as a five-door liftback built on the eleventh-generation Civic platform, winning the 2023 North American Car of the Year award. A high-performance Integra Type S joined the lineup for 2024, producing 320 horsepower from a 2.0-liter turbocharged VTEC engine.
Generations
First generation · DA (1986–1989)
Photo: “1988 Acura Integra L 3-dr in Flint Black, front right” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
3-door and 5-door hatchback; 1.6L DOHC four-cylinder; ~228,000 sold.
1988 Photo: “1988 Acura Integra L 3-dr in Flint Black, front right” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Second generation · DA (1990–1993)
Photo: “1990 Acura Integra GS 3-door in red, front left” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Restyled hatchback and new notchback sedan; 1.7–1.8L engines.
1990 Photo: “1990 Acura Integra GS 3-door in red, front left” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
1992 Photo: “1992 Acura Integra LS in Saxony Blue Metallic, front right, 08-16-2025” by Cutlass / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0
Third generation · DC (1994–2001)
Photo: “1999 Acura Integra SE in Milano Red, front left, 07-06-2026” by Cutlass / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0
GS-R and legendary Type R variants; widely regarded as peak FWD performance.
1996 Photo: “1996 Acura Integra” by Tonyonehunned / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
1998 Photo: “1998 Acura Integra RS in Flamenco Black Pearl, Front Right, 07-15-2022” by Elise240SX / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
1999 Photo: “1999 Acura Integra SE in Milano Red, front left, 07-06-2026” by Cutlass / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0
2000 Photo: “2000 Acura Integra LS” by DestinationFearFan / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
2001 Photo: “2001 Acura Integra Type-R in Phoenix Yellow, Front Right (St. Ignace 2023)” by Elise240SX / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Fifth generation (revival) · DE (2023–present)
Photo: “2023 Acura Integra (base) in Lunar Silver Metallic, front left” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Five-door liftback on Civic platform; 2023 NACTOY winner; Type S adds 320 hp for 2024.
2023 Photo: “2023 Acura Integra (base) in Lunar Silver Metallic, front left” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
2024 Photo: “Acura Integra Type-S (2024) (54090265154)” by Charles from Port Chester, New York / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Body styles
- Hatchback
- Sedan
- Coupe
- Liftback
Notable special editions & performance variants
Integra Type R
High-revving 195-hp B18C5, close-ratio gearbox, and stripped-out chassis — widely considered one of the greatest FWD cars ever made.
Integra Type S
320-hp 2.0L turbocharged VTEC engine in the fifth-generation liftback; the most powerful Integra ever offered.
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