Most people drive the Acura Integra like they stole it. Mostly, it's because they have. Or, more accurately, someone else did. Model years ‘94 to ‘01 regularly grace the zenith of the annual top ten most stolen automobiles. Moral outrage aside, the Integra's tendency to disappear is entirely understandable. It's a cheap, fast, infinitely modifiable and reliable automobile that appeals to teenage boys, college students, financially-strapped pistonheads, rice rocketeers and thrifty professionals looking for a set of hot wheels (so to speak).
The Integra may be a bit wedge-shaped for fans of today's suppositorial supercars, but it's both distinctive and attractive- a combination that eludes most of today's automakers. If only Subaru could learn from the Acura's quirky yet tasteful circular headlights. The [optional] rear spoiler is, of course, entirely useless. But it balances the car's appearance, adding just the right touch of Zen-tinged Japanese aggression. If you want practicality, the hatch is it. Make that IT.
Inside, the Integra is your garden variety Honda. With proper love and care, the Integra's interior stands the test of time– assuming you can stand the squeaks and rattles that develop. (Alternatively, you can replace the stock radio with Sony ICE with Bowel Mover Bass Booster.) The Integra hatch's rear seats are nominal, but the front chairs are high and mighty, providing excellent visibility (if none of that Italian astronaut thing) inside a widescreen greenhouse.
Generally, the Integra's ergonomics are ideal; there's a reason the NSX supercar's cabin offered a cantilevered riff on the same theme. Of course, no one buys the ‘teg for its looks or the cabin's fit and finish. They buy it for the engine. Twisting the key reminds you of the car's core appeal: a perfectly tuned four-banger.
O.K. we need to be clear about the meaning of "perfectly." There's not a lot of horsepower about. The second USDM Integra ('90) stabled just 130 horses. By '93, it rose to… 140, and stayed there. It must also be said that even the '97 Integra's 1.8-liter, DOHC powerplant has less torque than a Kobalt 38" reversible drill. We're torquing 124 ft.-lbs. @ 5000rpm.
But those early Acuras ain't got much mass neither. (Look ma! No airbags! No traction control!) The second gen Integra weighs-in at a featherlight 2560 lbs. (three-door manual) or 2703 lbs. (four-door manual), climbing to only 2672 lbs. in 1997. And the revs top-out at either 6500 rpms or a startling 8000 rpms (GS-R).
A non-VTEC second gen ‘teg will sprint from rest to sixty miles per hour in 7.9 seconds. The GSR trims a half second from that time. On paper, meh. In real life, an unmodded Integra is the dictionary definition of zippy ("nippy" being PC poison these days). In fact, the engine's Oliver Twist's dream caregiver. "Please sir, may I have some more?" MORE? ABSO-DAMN-LUTELY!
The Integra's five-speed manual gearbox is equally laudable, dishing out deliciously short, satisfying, flick-your-fingers shifts. And you can keep at it forever. I met an Integra owned by a clueless gear-grinding n00b with 100k miles on the clock (the car, not the owner) still equipped with the original clutch (ditto). Replace the Integra's timing belt every 90k miles and Bob-san's your uncle.
Despite the Integra's mechanical integrity and longevity, there's a reason you rarely see someone over the age of 30 driving one. I'm not saying the Integra's a hard-riding car, but there are more pliable diamonds. The aforementioned squeaks and rattles are an entirely logical reflection of the punishment delivered by the Integra's independent double-wishbone suspension, with coil springs and stabilizer bar (front and rear).
There are plenty of suspension "upgrades" available, but they tend to make the ride quality worse, not better. And that's because sharpening the Integra's suspension transforms the Integra from a handgun into a laser-guided missile. Not to put too fine a point on it, aside from the post-Integra Mazda Miata/MX-5, Ye Olde Acura is truly one of the best-handling cars money can buy. If you don't know how much fun a front wheel-drive vehicle can be, and can't afford a Golf GTI, the line forms here.
Speaking of tight budgets, thanks [again] to its light weight, a manual non-flogged, non-modded Integra (RS/LS/GS) gets 25/31 mpg. The GS-R racks-up a [theoretical] 24/29 EPA mpg.
For pistonheads on a budget who like track days and don't mind saying "there goes another filling" on a semi-regular basis, the Acura Integra is a perfect used car. It's a steal (literally), it'll run forever, and when you do get some cash, there are hundreds of performance mods for sale, from turbos (good luck with that) to fake Type-R badges. Or is that the other way around?
And when you're ready to take your chiropractor off of speed dial, well, you COULD become just another insurance statistic. That said, Integra owners would never dream of such perfidy. Seriously. Never.
69 Comments on “Third Generation Acura Integra Review...”
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I owned a 94 GS-R, and you pretty much nailed it. It was a thoroughly satisfying machine to drive – sharp handling, and engine that loved to play, and a truly wonderful 5-speed transmissions.
The only thing it was lacking was refinement. It was almost painfully noisy on the highway, turning almost 4K RPM at 80 MPH, as I recall.
Only problem is, finding one that hasn’t a) been heavily and tastelessly modified by someone whose mechanical experience doesn’t extend beyond playing a game console or b) thrashed absolutely to death. Durable it may be, but being redlined mercilessly takes it’s toll.
You didn’t mention the best part about Integras — all the good parts bolt right up to the much cheaper and lighter Civic.
Honda said, “Let us build a light weight econobox with a double wishbone suspension. And we shall call it the Civic.” And it was good. And then Honda said, “Let us build a parts car for the Civic, so that people don’t have to put up with wheezy single cams, rear drum brakes, and low-buck interiors. And we shall call it the Integra. And we shall build hundreds of thousands of them, and they shall overflow the junkyards of America, bursting forth with DOHC engines, 10.3″ brake rotors, and proper side bolsters.” And it was good.
It certainly was good. I never owned an Integra, however, but the driving similarities between it and the Civic are pretty much the same, save for the more sporting Integra’s suspension tuning. The Acura is a very entertaining car to drive, fuel efficient and due to its hatchback design (2 doors not withstanding) a very practical car as well. And believe me, it was hard not redlining the engine on every shift just to hear revs climb and the VTEC switch over.
In terms of modifying, I’d just throw on some better rubber and leave it at that.
Great review. And I like that Megan identifies who the car is best for. Typically, reviewers get too focused on determining which car is best, rather than realizing its a matter of context.
Great review by the way and I loved reading it.
RGS920 :
However, I was a little confused by the pictures. This is a review as far as I can tell about the Integra base model and GSR trim but the pictures are of a Type R.
I’m not sure what the confusion is. The review covered the Gen 3 Integra, not a specific model or trim level. The pictures are intended to represent the various trims and body styles they offered and came from the Acura media site. They are labeled as Acura labeled them.
Great review.
These cars (any generation) are great fun, economical and will run forever. In 2003 and after 150k miles I gave up my ‘89 because I was getting too old for it (and not the other way around).
By the way:
The first USDM Integra (‘90) stabled just 130 horses.
Wasn’t the first USDM Integra a 1987 model?
That’s fine. I’ll remove the last two paragraphs of my comment because they will detract from constructive discussion.
@ italianstallion,
Yes, you caught a typo! It should say 2nd gen… see corrected text.
Good review, this is one of the few FWD, sport compacts that I would actually be interested in taking for a spin.
I would have preferred to see the entire review focus on the Type-R, but otherwise it was good stuff
The Type-R was the only one ever sold in Europe (as a Honda) and pitched against the 3-series coupe. Suffice it to say it didn’t make an impact on the sales lists…
Still, nice to find out a Sedan existed of this model with a small engine. Unfortunately, due to it’s boringness, I will have forgotten this fact in 5 minutes…
I still remember my test drive of the ITR back in summer 2000. Wonderful F1 snarl; stable at 120mph. But with 4 people in the car, the torque deficit was palpable. Ended up buying a pudgy-handling GTI 1.8T… kinda regretted that… but then the turbo would kick in and all remorse would go out the downpipe (of course, the BOV/diverter-valve and I would sigh in sympathy).
A year out of college and a coworker of mine bought one of these. What a freakin’ blast. Made my ‘94 Altima feel like it had lead shoes on. Great shifter and steering, but everything in the car was super glossy…. The dash, the leather, doors, everything. I wasn’t sure if it was due to a lot of Armourall or if the car was just made that way.
The first car I actually bought myself (living in nyc I never really needed a car and always had a gf with one for some reason).
I had the ls se and it should be mentioned… avoid the auto version of this car… the manual is so much better. The autobox sucks sucks sucks on any integra. The only good thing about it is it's set up so you can shift it yourself, and whatever gear you set it at it won't go over, it will drop a gear if you slow down, but if you put it in 2 it will stay in 2 even as it hits the rev limiter.
Now I own a 300zx and it has given me an even greater appreciation for the integra. While rear wheel drive is great for powering through corners, nothing I've ever driven corners like that teg. Not even a bmw 3 series feels as pinpoint accurate as the steering on the tegs.
On the highway the integra will get dusted by the higher horsepower cars out there, but in the city jinking through tight spaces, only a motorcycle will best it. If you get one of these cars remember, the handbrake is your friend. Once mastered you can take unbelievable high speed turns with just a touch of handbrake to give you a bit of oversteer. Especially fun in the wet.
People who rag on fwds need to drive this car to see how good one can be. Oh and in the snow, forget it, it eats 4×4s for dinner unless you're in over your knees. I drove this car to VT in blizzards numerous times doing 80mph in blinding snow, no worries. Passing overturned 4×4s on the left and right.
I also like the successor, the RSX, or the opponent, the last-generation Celica. The whole idea of a sporty 2-door fastback is incredibly appealing.
Too bad both got canned. One got replaced with nothing, and the other one with Scion tC, an atrocious Camry-In-Drag-Mobile.
As I recall, the Integra’s first year in the US was 1985. I bought an ‘86, and I think it had just 110 hp (which seemed just right to me).
Hmmm. No mention of what Car and Driver referred to in its 1993 review about the gap between the hood and front fascia appearing “big enough to throw a cat through”
Excellent review. Please do one on the 1993-1994 Ford Probe GT. The 93-94 had the hardcore sport suspension while Ford (Flat Rock, MI AutoAlliance Mazda) softened it up quite a bit for 95-97. An excellent sporty car for the money, especially with the manual.
prndlol:
There was no physical gap – The hood shut tight. What C/D was referring to was probably 1/2″ of visible rubber insulation between the hood and fascia, which gave the appearance of a gap, although nothing (air, cats, or anything else) could actually pass through it.
This was likely to keep any minor bumps from damaging/jamming up the hood.
Ahh, my 2nd car. Loved it to death (and death was what it got). I really put the reliability concept to the test…didn’t replace the timing belt at 90k (broke on the highway, killing 8 valves), then it burned oil and I didn’t keep up well enough (roommate even said “Hey, I think it’s burning oil”) causing it to shove rod #3 through the exhaust side of the block. Then a hailstorm in D/FW (where the rod tore in half) totalled it.
Valuable lessons learned for a young, poor, inexperienced pistonhead. I would get a chance to drive a Type R not long after my friend got an RSX-S, and sadly, ended up liking the RSX better. Growing up sucks.
Excellent review. Only one I was ever driven in was a late model (99-01?) GSR tastefully lowered and exhausted….beautiful interior (though my tastes have changed since then, so it might be a lousy interior now). But Honda knows seats in these cars….the Integra GSR, the RSX Type-S and now and the 06+ Civic SI have some of the best leather/cloth seats known to man.
I would like to say though that the 06+ Civic SI is the reincarnation of this car with ~10 years of refinements/improvements done to it. I can not stress enough how much this review resonated to me, except that my 06 SI has addressed 80-90% of the complaints.
To wit:
The 06 SI uses a 6-speed transmission with perfect flickability and perfectly matched gear ratios…but the 6th gear ratio is out of the TSX, allowing much better highway cruising rpms. It now has a standard LSD, which is a godsend for this car when driven properly
The engine is now a 2.0 liter with balance shafts making it even smoother….it produces ~200 HP, and has 139 lb/ft of torque, 90% of which is there from 3000+ rpms. Due to the I-VTEC system, which is more advanced, the car has more power over a wider powerband and retains the same or better gas mileage despite being over 2800 pounds. It’s ride is definitely firm and occasionlly harsh, but really quite nice.
The engine sound is tuned to be quiet from 3000-4000 rpms on both the intake and exhaust, which is your cruising RPM range.
The interior is more functional, more ergonomic, and offers some additional standard equipment (though no leather yet). After 42k, my faux-alcantara seats are holding up quite well. I do 10k+ oil changes using synthetic 0w30 and an oil analysis reports 1/2 the average rate of wear for this engine.
To me the only true downside is the throttle system. Honda went to drive-by-wire in 2006 and launched the car essentially in a beta-test mode….it’s unnecessarily jerky at part-throttle in low gears and has terrible tip-in and lift-off characteristics.
I’m at 42k miles averaging 28 mpg in aggressive mixed driving and I hope to test whether the car will need nothing but fluid changes to 100k.
I can’t say if Honda has continued to produce them like they did, but so far this car continues and, in my mind, improves upon the integra tradition.
Joe
I always liked these cars. I remember watching the GS-R’s and the Type R’s at the local SCCA Solo 2 events – those things could get around the courses in no time flat. It’s a shame that Honda/Acura did away with it. They need something like this again.
This is one of my favorite cars. Ever. At least in GSR trim or higher. Base cars were not nearly as much fun.
They were straight up just a blast to drive, with just enough room and practicality to never make you mind it as a daily driver.
As a devoted RSX-S owner… I love this car. Great review.
We still have our ‘94 Integra sedan which we bought new way back in, yep, ‘94. First it was my wife’s, then my son’s, now it’s mine. It’s got some body rust but otherwise runs fine. It’s the single best value of any car I ever bought.
My first new car was a ‘97 ‘Teg, beautiful build quality (almost nothing went wrong in 7 years) and fit & finish (the gap between the hood allowed the washers to sit there so they didn’t get clogged with wax and left the hood uncluttered). The rattles at 7 years were nothing compared to what developed in it’s Subaru replacement after only one. The ability to throw it into a corner will full confidence hasn’t been matched by any other car I’ve driven.
Wasn’t without it’s faults though; interior was cramped, leather was as hard as board and the unlit window switches left you fumbling in the dark at toll booths.
NickR nailed it – its nearly impossible to find an unmolested Integra these days – shame, they’re so good at the autocross.
This review really made me want one of these. More than the Ultimate Driving Machine. Why? weight and reliability. And I LOVE the circular headlights. My only problem with integers was the lack of head room.
I owned a ‘97 black GS-R. It handled well, had really great seats and the engine took whatever punishment you could throw at it. Oh, it usually returned 29-30 mpg! Great car!
I had a later version of these cars, the RSX-S for slightly less than a year. Strictly a love-hate affair. I was 38; she was 21.
The driving was great; she knew all the right buttons. I loved the light weight, great stick-shift, wonderful handling, Spartan nature of the interior, VTEC, and surprisingly utilitarian hatch. The car was fun in the sack…I mean a twisty, two-lane country road.
But living together on a daily basis – her immaturity really grated on me after a while. I hated the road noise, the stiff ride during routine commuting, the weak stereo, the lack of four doors, the lack of torque, and fact that I had to wring her out to 6800 rpm (with the accompanying cop attracting noise) to get maximum power. Plus, the RSX-S seemed to have a roving eye toward a younger guy with saggy clothes and a sideways baseball hat who would bling her out and take her to the (race) club.
Bottom Line: She was a nice car, and we had some good times, but I found myself longing for something with a little more depth, maturity and refinement; something that would be just as comfortable with a copy of the NY Times (on the passenger seat) and a cup of coffee (in the cupholder) as it would be tearing up the backroads after a fill-up of high-octane cocktails.
Our breakup was amicable; sometimes I see her around and think of what was, but then my eye turns back to my G35 and I realize we were made for each other.
Someday though, I’m going to have an old RSX or Integra as my third car beater, and I’ll take her out to the country and fling her through some turns just for old times’ sake.
The first car I bought was a polar white 1990 Integra GS coupe. Bought it from the neighbor in Houston in 1999, with 36k on the clock and in need of a little TLC. Paid $4600 for it. Put another thousand for a new AC compressor, belts, fluid change, brakes, and some other minor items.
Car was packaged perfectly, especially considering it was from 1990. Power windows/locks/sunroof, factory CD player, cruise control, driving lights, lumbar adjustment, double-wishbone suspension, 4-wheel disc brakes, 130hp 1.8l with 5-speed moved the car along just nicely, no VTEC needed to drive around town or on the highway. But would have been nice on the back rroads.
Made several trips from Houston throughout Texas and the southeastern US. Never skipped a beat.
Only modifications were some Hella 3-inch driving lamps mounted in the front grill…looked pretty cool too. And some BFG Comp T/A all-seasons, with a full-size spare.
Moved to SLC, Utah in 2002, had the car pretty well loaded but other items were on the moving van. Car ran nicely throughout 27 hrs of straight driving…back never got too sore and legs never got tired.
Still returning 32 mpg on the highway and never had an issue climbing the Rockies or driving through the Wasatch and Uintahs either.
Top of the radiator cracked, $400 to replace…did love the sound of dual fans running at their highest speed. Thought I was in a Cessna!
Took several trips to Washington/BC, southern Cal, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho through my college days… with the seats folded, you had exactly 6 ft for sleeping room (1 please).
At 102k miles, the clutch had to be replaced and the T-belt. Well worth the money…did much of the other maintenance on my own. $800 for everything. A/C had to be recharged as well.
Major snow storms hit Utah one year but the car did well on all-seasons, thanks to it’s nimbleness and ease of control. Always keeped chains, only used once in 7 years.
But, even at that time on it’s original suspension, joints, bushings, shocks…etc. The car still handled well and went down the road smoothly. The rear bushings would creak a bit in the winter, the passenger side window would whistle a little, and the engine would idle a little rough when the A/C was on. But other than that, it was just an amazing car! The line of sight was superb with the hood in sight, gauges perfectly laid out, HVAC in reach.
I did love that car, but with a new job in Boise and two degrees, it was time to move on. I bought a Mazda 3 GT wagon…since I had a good discount through my company with FoMoCo. The new Honda offerings were a bore (except the EP3 Civic Si hatchback but those were hard to find). The new Civic or RSX is in no way like the 2nd and 3rd gen Integra, they lack the “feel” and relative ease of use.
The best thing about the Integra was it’s level of equipment, it’s relative refinement and handling that was on-par with new compact cars of 1999, and it’s low-cost of ownership. Finally, I put over 100k miles on it in 7 years and the total cost, minus fuel and fluids, was less than $7k. Can’t beat that nowadays.
I sometimes wonder if I should have kept it, but the Mazda 3 has been great so far and it has almost 40k miles after 2 years. And, except for the Integra, my family has had Fords (and a few Mercedes sedans)…maybe it’s loyalty.
Integra= the best FWD car that Honda produced. Maybe it’s nostalgia saying so. You can go bigger, better, more powerful, etc… but the simpliness and practicality of the Integra is what made it so great. Attention to detail. Like an older BMW, you can tell the engineers had the upper-hand in the development and design of the vehicle.
Having only ever driven my sister’s automatic version of this car I will say this: I found the car to be very boring. I also always found the interior to be very boring as well- just a big depressing gray mass. Other than that, though, excellent car- handsome exterior, practical, good mileage, good visibility, great reliability. This one deserves the praise it receives.
I would also like to comment that I’m really starting to enjoy these older car reviews; how do the new cars stack up compared to the old ones? In this case, I’d say this one is still giving new cars a run for their money, at least in terms of quality.
I bought my 92′ integra with 180k plus miles, traded it (for a motorcycle) with a 190k plus miles with no problems (ever). I liked it a bit. Although I wish mine had more steering feel in certain areas. Its was great in back roads though.
JD arms -
You said, “fact that I had to wring her out to 6800 rpm (with the accompanying cop attracting noise) to get maximum power.”
The RSX-S had an 7900 or 8100 rpm redline (7900 for 02-04, 8100 for 05-06). Maximum power came on at 7800 rpms and maximum torque at 5800 rpms.
Everything else you said sounded spot on, but I don’t know too many RSX Type-S owners who would forget that it rang out to 8000 rpms….
Joe
Joe O –
In order to generate torque, the engine on my ‘03 RSX-S had to be over 6000 rpms. Max horsepower was over 7000 and it didn’t redline until even higher.
I was 37 when I bought it used. It was stock. It was fun, but that engine was just shrill at those rpms, and I just felt like I was forcefully aging the car ahead of it’s time even though I knew the engineers designed it that way.
The engine needed to be over 4000 at all times, and that was loud…fun, but loud.
Great car though.
Joe O :
April 28th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
JD arms -
You said, “fact that I had to wring her out to 6800 rpm (with the accompanying cop attracting noise) to get maximum power.”
The RSX-S had an 7900 or 8100 rpm redline (7900 for 02-04, 8100 for 05-06). Maximum power came on at 7800 rpms and maximum torque at 5800 rpms.
Everything else you said sounded spot on, but I don’t know too many RSX Type-S owners who would forget that it rang out to 8000 rpms….
Joe
I think he means that 6800rpm is where the fun begins!
I guess I am one of the few folks here that are not too concerned with “peak” HP. Look, if I by a car with an 7500rpm redline and it makes maxium HP at 7400rpm, maxium HP is all but theoretical to me because I am NOT going to take my car up to 7400rpm on a regular basis. Since I aint racing, 7400rpm and 7600rpm are the samething to me, it is no different than 7500rpm v. 7501rpm. Yet 7501rpm is in the danger zone and 7500 is not (I know, I know, fuel cut-off and all).
I have driven enough modern mutli-valve engines to understand the issue is how much power is being produced at 3000 to 5000rpms. An S2000 is a very good example. At 5000rpms the S2000 is easily making over 150hp, which is quite a lot in a under 3000lbs car given it a feel like a super-miata. On the otherhand an S2000, IMO NEVER feels like a 240hp car and would have been far more FUN if Honda had tuned it out to a more realistic 200hp. with a much better torque band and lower power peak.
Whatdoiknow -
I think that was Honda’s rationale behind making the S2000 a 2.2 liter instead of a 2.0 liter and moving the redline downwind….
Like I said, I own a k20z3 engine (06 Civic SI). Between some short gearing, a solid powerband, and under 3000 pounds this is without a doubt one of the peppiest N/A engine under 2.4 liters.
The second cam switchover occurs at 5800 rpms; that’s where it goes from making ~140 HP (at 6000 rpms) to ~200 HP (at 7800 rpms). But below 5800, it’s essentially a stronger regular Honda Civic. Quite peppy. 0-60 in 8 seconds peppy.
By the way, I cruise around in the 3000-5000 rpm range all the time, sure. But I regularly go up to 8000 rpms when I need maximum acceleration. If I owned a BMW 328i (50% more displacement), I would most likely do the same thing….to 7000 rpms….for that maximum acceleration. When needed. They have about the same acceleration times.
Lastly…again, the statement “In order to generate torque the engine had be over over X rpms”….well, the engine produces essentially the same amount of torque at 3000 rpms as it does at 5000 rpms as it does at 7800 rpms. Right around 135-140 lb/ft. It just produces more and more HP the faster you spin it :)
I’m not a high rpm fanboi. I dream of a bmw twin turbo engine. I own a Subaru Legacy GT. But I do want to clear up misconceptions :)
Joe
I had a GSR model. Personally I think the engine really sucks. It sounds terrible and it has zero torque. Yeah, it went to 8100 RPM, but if it doesn’t pull, I could care less. Granted I did regularly get 33+ MPG. Also, the “leather” seats available on the GSR were junk. I’m convinced that it was actually vinyl. The seats were also so hard that I was convinced that I was sitting on stone slabs at times.
I think the Prelude was a better car. It rides better, handles/steers better, the engine sounds better and has more torque, and it has more comfort and refinement. The teg does have better fuel economy, a better shifter, more headroom, a hatchback, and the wheel tilts higher.
Joe O –
Another great thing about my RSX, resale value.
I owned it for 10 months and sold it for a little more than I bought it.
We should identify this silly car for what it was: a rebadged Civic for $7k more dough. What a larf. The engine is utterly and dangerously torque-less. Anyone over 5′8″ is kissing his knees. The rear seats are useless. And it’s so short and low to the ground, any frontal impact with an SUV guarantees an instant and clean beheading.
And insurance? Monstrous. Insane. Don’t even ask. It’s the biggest theft target on four wheels. The headlight assembly can be swiped in 2 minutes using your nephew’s plastic Playschool tools. Insurance companies would rather total the car instead of repairing, just to put the thing in a crusher and save them more hassles.
The Integra was a car for status-conscious Buffys and Brads at snotty northeastern colleges. Good to be seen in, invisible to campus police, useful for beer runs, a neither masculine nor feminine contrivance. And, like a liberal arts diploma from Tufts or Harvard, ultimately overpriced and impractical when one hits the real world…..
It did feel to me like a tarted up Civic in more ways than one. The Prelude felt like it was built from the ground up as a cross between a sport compact and a BMW 3 coupe. The rest of your points I consider gross exaggeration. The torque isn’t that bad, although only slightly better than a Civic. I’m 6 foot, and had plenty of room; there are many cars in this class and in the compact and sub compact class that are much worse. Again, it’s basically like a Civic coupe, which extends to the back seat. I used it a few times in a pinch, and no, it isn’t comfortable nor did it have much room, but the people using it were in no position to complain. This kind of car isn’t meant for regularly transporting more than two people, and the vast majority of the time, mine was only used for myself. The front end isn’t really that low, either, and I believe it had pretty good crash ratings.
Insurance was not bad at all, but I only bought liability. I had no need for collision or comprehensive.
I will say that if anyone buys one of these, get rid of the stock Michelin tires ASAP, as they are truly terrible, especially in wet weather conditions.
I owned a 92 Civic and 94 Prelude. Although I can’t speak for the Integra specifically, Honda really was ahead of the pack in those days (at least at those price points.)
Later on Honda started to water the cars down a bit with less advanced suspension, higher profile stock tire that belonged on a Ford/Gm. One look under the engine and you could see the difference. Back in those early 90’s days (when you could see the engine) the top of the engine was powder coated aluminum. A few years later all the powder coating was gone – just an aluminum cover.
Those were the days when a company that made average priced products, blew the competition away with quality. Now they are all closer together than before as excess engineering is scuttled for profits.
The Integra was one of my first introductions to sporty, well handling cars. My friend’s car was a blast, and yes, there was plenty of Civic in it, but really that was not such a bad thing. Other that the common A/C compressor failure, this thing held together really well. Maybe all that upper RPM operation was a bit hard on the A/C. I chose a ‘95 Probe GT over an Integra…I preferred the stiffer ride and got a better deal than Acura wanted to give. Back then, Honda/Acura dealers thought their s**t didn’t stink and had horrible sales habits. This class of high revving FWD cars were a blast to drive. A 7000 RPM redline was pretty cool. Lightweight vehicles are a reward in an of themselves. Perhaps lightweight will now make a comeback.
I’ve driven a ‘94 Integra RS auto, and that was slow, loud, soft, and wobbly.
I currently drive an ‘02 RSX-S daily. Intake, Hondata ECU flash. The interior is more cramped than the 3rd gen Integra, and there’s no stock center armrest.
I swapped the seats (which were very stiff) with those from an 05, which have softer padding. With the softer seats and stock suspension, it was actually a great highway cruiser: it was loud, but the bumps were completely absorbed. However, the soft stock suspension also made the car understeer heavily in tight corners (i.e. Decker Cny Rd), so I had the 05-06 OEM A-Spec suspension installed which significantly reduced understeer and increased steering effort and feel. The ride is also much harder and road noise louder too.
It’s something of a halfway car — a lot of owners apparently either go to a sportier car (S2000, 350Z, STI/Evo) or a more comfortable one. Still, it suits me well at this point in my life — fun to drive, 30 mpg highway, utterly non-descript in a land crawling with the highway patrol. Add a supercharger, and I’ll be keeping it for a while.
I wish they still built this car but I can take an Acura RSX.
Acura what else can you ask for?
Please enjoy the world of High Performance of Acura Integra.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ACURA+INTEGRA&search_type=
My first car was a 1989 Prelude Si, black with tan interior, and 15″ three piece BBS knock-off rims. What a fabulous car! I did some simple upgrades; full exhaust (headers, HP cat, pipes muffler), pulley, adjust timing sprocket, injectors, oil cooler, HP struts, HP Clutch, Brake rotors, pads, SS brakelines, 205/50 15″ VR P600 tires. Living in NYC needless to say I spent a small fortune on this car, but words cant not describe the love affair I had with this automobile. I purchased this car used with over 80,000 miles on it in 1996 for $5000 and must have spent well over $5000 on it in the next two years on upgrades, an alarm/lo-jack, and a sound system. As far as i was concerned I had the perfect everyday poorman’s Porsche. I would say when all the upgrades were in place and for the periods when the car was actually in perfect tune I was making a good 145 to maybe 150hp, (never dynoed it). The only thing I regret is never getting an LSD, but the Quaifes were to damn expensive.
In many ways my life was centered around this car back than, it carried me and girlfriend, now wife all over the eastern USA and Canada. When not traveling, I spent just about every saturday morning in the spring and summer painstakingly care for this car. And TLC she did require! For a car that listed for no more that maybe $18,000 in 1989 this Prelude was one complicated and safisticated automobile. One look under the hood revailed a engine bay in which a pair of extended needle nose pilers was needed to access the most basic components. The suspension was a work of art, at all 4 ends of the car!
With the upgrades this was a pretty fast car. While it was not going to dust any Mustangs in a stright line once you opend up the throttle, this baby did start to fly and oh what a sweet sound she made. With just the 15″ rim and VR rubber it was impossible to break this car loose adding the struts made her a little too stiff. I saw no need to change springs or roll bars at any point.
The one weak spot on this car I do remember were the stock brakes,in a nutshell they simple sucked. Anything, a heavy load, running the AC on a hot day, heavy stop and go traffic, or a good panic stop would cause the brakes to overheat to the point of danger. Once after a really good run the brake were actually slipping trying to hold the car at a light on a hill! Vented rotors, HP pads, and some SS brakelines did help but I never did get around to doing the planned full brake upgrade (had a baby!).
They say some cars just have a natural ability to make the driver feel like a Hero and I must say that 89 Prelude was definately one of those cars. It simple yet timeless design gave the car serious demeanor like a BMW. While still being a economical FWD design Honda did manage to include some real performance engineering giving the car excellent natural balance. Although, driven hard this thing would drink a lot of gas, my car at least. A trip around the speedo to about 120mph would drain about half a tank!
In the end, age, abuse, the elements, NYC’s harsh roads, and naturally that dreaded Honda RUST did this car in. Or better yet, the reality of not owning a gaarage is why she is gone. Oh the memories!
My first new car right out of college was a 1989 Integra. It was a great little car at that time.
Two years later in 1991 I replaced it with a 1991 Prelude Si (140 hp vs 116 for the Integra).
As Whatdoiknow1 states above, that generation Prelude was an absolutely fanstastic automobile. IMHO the Prelude at that time was truly something special for the money. I wish I could find one in great condition that was stock and not modded to hell. I’d pick one up as a commuter in a heart beat. It was a poor man’s Porsche 944!
Good memories for sure.
Meghan You did your research well.
You are right on the money on this review.
People from different age bracket still adore this old Acura. I still see them on the road in New England. Rusted,pimp out or just plain Integra, they’re still out there and still being use.
Another legendary car that I also adore is Honda CRX.
Mr Farago I heard there is a new version of the CRX coming out soon. Is this true?