Get on the road already
With its Type R underpinnings, it should come as no surprise that the Integra Type S is quite the little ripper on a back road. Any concerns about Acura overcooking the Type S into a mushy pile of leather and badges can be dismissed. While the handling isn’t as razor-sharp as is it in the Type R, the Type S is more engaging and exhilarating than anything else in the class. If anything, the softer damping of the Type S helps it soak up more bumps on a back road, giving you that much more confidence to push on.
Body control is excellent as well, and any extra weight the Type S carries over from the Civic Type R is hardly a concern. You’ll still get a fair bit of wheelspin from a standing start, but once underway, the limited-slip keeps the Integra pointed straight ahead and provides gobs of traction when powering out of corners. That traction is only multiplied by the sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber mounted on 9.5-by-19-inch wheels. Those wheels allow for a good view of the four-piston front calipers and 13.8-inch front rotors, and they’re lighter than the 18-inch wheels on the standard Integra. The Type S also allows for these wheels to be finished in a very fetching copper finish. If your mind goes straight to a set of similarly colored and classic Volk TE37s or Gram Lights, we like the cut of your jib.
Power from the turbo 2.0-liter is stout. Like other small displacement turbocharged engines, there’s not a lot of motivation under 2,500 rpm, but once the tach swings past 3,000 rpm, the way the Type S pulls toward its 7,000 rpm redline will definitely get your attention. In these heady times, 320 horsepower might not seem like a whole lot, but it’s more than what’s available from the Type S’s direct competition. The Audi S3 cranks out 306 hp while the BMW M235i Gran Coupe (not the 2 Series coupe but the Mini-based compact sedan) and Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA 35 both make 302 hp. And while those cars are all-wheel-drive, none of them offer a manual transmission like the Type S. Today’s automatic transmissions are really good, but the engagement you get from a manual transmission, especially an excellent one like the Type S is packing, cannot be underappreciated.
But when all the fun and games are over, or you’ve picked up a speeding ticket and just want to cruise home, the Type S is more than happy to oblige. Flick the drive mode selector into Comfort and the shocks relax the ride just the right amount. Even in the softest setting, there’s no float from the Type S at highway speeds and you get to enjoy just how well rounded this hi-po Integra really is. We’re fans of having a customizable driving mode and the Type S lets you set the ride, exhaust noise, steering and brake pedal feel individually to your liking. If you still want the pops and bangs of the Sport+ driving mode and a soft ride? You got it. And if you want to keep things quiet while you attack a good road, you can do that, too.