Should You Buy a 2025 Acura Integra?

• The 2025 Acura Integra starts at $42,470 including freight and delivery charges.

• Sporty character, good fuel economy, strong reputation for reliability and resale value.

• Low on colors and customization options, stiff suspension on Type S, AWD would be nice.

We’re in the market for a new car. We want something a little more special than a mainstream sedan or hatchback, but that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to purchase and maintain. The answer may just be the 2025 Acura Integra.

It’s posher than the Honda Civic with which it shares platform and mechanical components, but it’s not a lavish luxury vehicle like something we’d find in a BMW or Mercedes-Benz dealership. It offers good performance, but likely won’t trigger an adrenaline rush—unless we spring for the Integra Type S. It’s also priced accordingly.

In Canada, the 2025 Acura Integra is available in A-Spec, Elite A-Spec and aforementioned Type S trim levels. The first two are equipped with a turbocharged 1.5L inline-four engine that develops 200 horsepower as well as 192 pound-feet of torque that peaks from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm. A continuously variable automatic transmission is standard, while a six-speed manual is optional on the Elite A-Spec. There used to be a base Integra variant, but it was only offered in Canada for the introductory model year of the current-gen car. Every Integra includes a front-wheel drivetrain.

Meanwhile, the Integra Type S relies on a turbo 2.0L four that punches out 320 horsepower as well as 310 pound-feet of torque between 2,600 and 4,000 rpm, matched exclusively to a six-speed manual. The Type S is obviously the high-performance variant of the lineup, which benefits from Brembo front brake calipers, bigger stabilizer bars, a sport suspension, P265/30ZR19 tires wrapped around19-inch wheels and a Sport+ drive mode, among other things.

Premium unleaded is required for both engines, an even 93-octane juice is recommended for the Type S. Fuel economy ratings are as follows:

During out test of the Elite A-Spec automatic, we managed an average of 7.5 L/100 km, a tick above the official combined rating, so not bad.

Standard features on the 2025 Acura Integra include 18-inch wheels, LED exterior lighting, heated outside mirrors, leatherette seat upholstery, an eight-way power driver’s seat, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a power sunroof (except on the Type S), dual-zone climate control, a 10.2-inch digital driver instrument cluster, an eight-speaker stereo, a seven-inch infotainment system touchscreen and wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Advanced safety features such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic monitoring and automatic high beams are standard as well.

The Elite A-Spec adds a configurable drive mode called Individual, adaptive dampers, parking sensors, head-up display, rain-sensing windshield wipers, leatherette and microsuede seat upholstery, a 12-way power driver’s seat, a four-way power front passenger seat, two-position driver position memory, heated second-row seats, Active Noise Cancellation and Active Sound Control, an ELS Studio 3D sound system with 16 speakers, a nine-inch touchscreen, SiriusXM satellite radio compatibility, wireless phone charging and wireless CarPlay/Auto.

Pricing starts at $42,470 including freight and delivery charges, while the Elite A-Spec is listed from $47,980 and the Type S rings in at $59,695. Acura Canada also mentions $999 in dealer fees on its website. Competition includes the Audi A3, the BMW 2 Series, the Cadillac CT4, the Mercedes-Benz CLA and the MINI Cooper. Buyers could also cross-shop the Integra with range-topping variants of the Honda Civic and the Mazda3, the Hyundai Elantra N, the Subaru WRX as well as the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Golf R.

Why You Should Buy a 2025 Acura Integra

• We appreciate Honda quality and resale value, but feel like we deserve something more than a ubiquitous Civic found on every street corner? The Integra might just be the ticket with more flair, more luxury and much more exclusivity.
• For those who still prefer rowing their own gears, the Integra’s manual transmission is one of the best in the business. It feels solid and well-engineered with short throws and a tight shift gate. Shoppers uninterested in a clutch pedal will like the continuously variable transmission’s operation, which includes a manual mode and wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

• The Acura is the most fuel-efficient of the segment, nose-to-nose with the MINI Cooper.
• As a five-door hatchback, the Integra does offer a certain degree of versatility compared to its coupe (2 Series) and sedan (A3, CT4, CLA) rivals, with a trunk volume rated at 688 litres.
• The Integra serves up good ride and handling characteristics, and every variant is fun to drive. Of course, the Type S is all that more exhilarating with its extra power, grip and racy personality.

Why You Shouldn’t Buy a 2025 Acura Integra

• We get platform sharing, and pretty much every automaker does it to save on development costs. We also get component sharing for the same reason. Does the Integra distinguish itself enough inside and out from the Civic to justify its loftier price and Acura badge? We think it does, but some people in our entourage may simply consider it as a tarted-up Honda. Integra owners may have to constantly explain their purchase decision.
• Yes, 200 horsepower is more than enough to make the daily commute enjoyable. However, the BMW 2 Series serves up at least 255 horsepower, the Mercedes-Benz CLA opens the bidding at 221 horsepower and the Cadillac CT4 dishes out at least 237 horsepower. They also offer a higher torque peak. The Acura isn’t the straight-line acceleration champ.

• Despite being an upscale product, the Canadian-market Integra doesn’t offer much in the way of interior colors and textures, with Ebony standard across the board, Red available only in the Elite A-Spec with the automatic transmission and Type S, and Orchid offered only in the Type S. There are only four paint colors available for the A-Spec and Elite A-Spec, all grayscale hues, and three of them cost an extra $900. The Type S is also offered in Apex Blue Pearl. The U.S. market also gets red paint and expanded availability of the Orchid interior color theme. In comparison, the BMW 2 Series offers 10 paint colors, eight interior color schemes and a choice of six accenting options.
• Its main rivals all offer all-wheel drive, either standard or optional. The Integra is front-wheel driven only. That may be a purchase criterion for Canadian car shoppers who would like AWD to confront the winter season.
• We like the Integra’s combination of performance, handling and practicality. However, for a similar price, the Golf GTI offers a little more of all those things.

Final Word

Like the first three generations of the Acura Integra sold from 1986 to 2001, and the 2002-2006 Acura RSX, the current-gen Integra blends the rational qualities of mass-market segment cars with a more upscale level of performance, handling and design, at all a still-affordable price. It may not have the prestige aura of a BMW or Mercedes-Benz product, but it costs less to purchase and ownership costs are way lower as well.

It also benefits from a strong reputation for reliability and holds its value well—meaning the Integra is a good choice whether we prefer a lease or long-term ownership. We don’t mind that it looks a little too much like a Civic just like the previous generations did, but we wish it offered more factory customization options.

2025 Acura Integra Elite A-Spec

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