It’s a good day for manual fans.
You may think of the good-old 5 or 6-speed as a relic of the past — and I wouldn’t necessarily blame you. Automatics are pretty damn good these days, by and large, and electric cars will almost certainly kill off those models with a three-pedal option in the mix anyway. For those who want the enjoyment and the connection of a manual transmission, and I’m definitely one of those people, there’s good news, at least in the short-term. The 2023 Acura Integra will get a 6-speed manual!
Again, Integra fans out there may go “duh”, as every previous model also let owners row their own gears. In fact, the video below emphasizes that connection, not to mention some outstanding noise to go along with it. Still, though, all other modern Acuras are automatic only (there’s not even a dual-clutch, with the NSX’s departure). Fortunately, we no longer have to wonder, and Honda has been on enthusiasts’ side in offering the Civic Si and Type R — as well as the standard hatchback — with a 6-speed.
Like before, the 2023 Acura Integra should share a fair bit of its identity with the new Civic, at least under the skin. Acura confirmed this model will sport a five-door hatchback design. Like the hotter Civics, Acura should launch the Integra with sportier suspension and beefed up brakes.
What else is coming?
Two questions linger for this car though: What engine will it have and will Acura add in its Super Handling All-Wheel Drive to the options list? On that first one, we may well see the 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter turbo-four engines from the Civic Si and Type R, respectively. Perhaps Acura will save the larger, more powerful unit for a “Type S” variant. As for all-wheel drive, that’s a bit of a mystery when we’re talking about a 6-speed manual as well. Perhaps the automaker will stick to front-wheel drive if you get the manual, and offer all-wheel drive with the 10-speed automatic transmission.
Of course, I don’t have a crystal ball, but my hunch is that specific move will offer the best returns for Acura. Essentially, give enthusiasts a Type R with a fancier body and interior. Give everyone else who doesn’t want a manual transmission something they’d expect from an Acura — some turbo power, an automatic and all-wheel drive. You may even get a practicality bump from buying a 2023 Acura Integra over the TLX, too.
We’ll have more concrete information sometime later next year, when Acura stops teasing us. Again, a hunch is telling me the company will likely price the Integra somewhere above the TLX — much the same as you’d have to pay the premium to get the Civic Hatchback over the sedan. If that’s accurate, expect the Integra to kick off somewhere in the high-$30,000 to low-$40,000 range.
