As Acura, Honda Motor Co.’s upscale brand, continues to deliver exactly what consumers want, the 4-door sedan is no secret to both brands. Originally the Integra, a 2-door sports coupe, was eliminated for vehicles with 3-letter naming conventions such as theRSX,  TSX, TLX and others in larger categories. With the Integra back in the fleet again, this time as a 4-door sedan with a more sportier, yet familiar naming convention, the addition of the Type S. Welcome to Grasso’s Garage the 2023 Acura Integra Type S, wrapped in familiar Apex Blue Pearl, this easily is a standout in the production based sports sedans. With a $50K price tag range, competition exists in both BMW with the 2-series and Audi with the S3.

Younger buyers top the charts for Integra consumers as 36% of buyers are under 35, while 70% of the total market was cornered in 2022 by the release of the Integra keeping Audi, MB and BMW at bay with only 19K in sales, while the Itegra did 19K in sales by itself; pretty impressive!

The 5th generation Integra offers a 320 horsepower, 2.0 liter VTEC turbocharged engine with 310 lb-ft of torque. Our 6-speed manual transmission tester made the Integra that much more fun, while in 2022 only 10% of Integras were manuals.

The Exterior design is bold and aggressive looking unlike Lexus and BMW, while the interior experience is tailored for its enthusiast type buyers. As Performance is clearly the top priority for Acura, the Integra delivers a new interpretation of sophistication for street performance. A moonroof is not available on the Type S confirming its high-performance structure and improved separation over other Integra models. Aerodynamics, advanced brake cooling and sports seats show importance on the Integra Type S, while a 10.2” digital instrument cluster was typical of Acura with a few interior aesthetic flares. An ELS 3D Studio premium audio keeps enthusiasts thrilled for increased sound control, while best in class legroom and cargo space are chart-topping.

Driving the Integra Type S is a dream. The exhaust sounds, overall looks and 6-speed manual were really enjoyable on back roads and mountainous terrain. With a curb weight of 3,219 pounds, the Type S is 300+ pounds less than the S3 and also is the cheapest in category with the S3 being almost $3,000 more. Do I have your attention? As a 3-letter naming convention owner in my past; yes, the TSX, TLX, RLX, RDX and MDX, the Integra Type S is worth a drive. Did I mention the TL? Yeah, I had one of them too.

Grasso’s Garage is here for you! Are you in the market for a new car? I would be happy to provide my honest input. All you have to do is email me: marc.grasso@bostonherald.com.

2023 Acura Integra Type S

MSRP: $50,800

MPG: 21 city / 28 highway / 24.8 as tested

As Tested: $52,595