Acura, a division of
Honda, has three distinct car lines to offer: the luxurious Legend, the compact Integra and the sensational NSX. As different as these three cars are, there are some common threads that tie them all together.
Regardless of the intended buyer or price, each Acura delivers something extra in the way of performance and handling. Each shows the benefit of thoughtful, innovative engineering and careful design. And each is built to a quality standard that has more to do with pride than price.
The Integra is a prime example of this. Now in its third generation, this small Acura has matured into a car that will serve a variety of purposes, from luxurious mini-limo to spirited playmobile. It offers, at least in its upscale form, almost every amenity a buyer could wish for as standard equipment. It also comes as close as any front-drive Japanese car ever comes to possessing the blend of flair, fun and functionality that is the hallmark of the greatest European sport coupes. All this for a lower price, too.
But price might be a sticky issue when you're getting down to considering the Integra. Although its $15,000-plus bottom line might not look too awful to someone comparing it - with some justification - to the BMW 3-Series coupes, that's still a lot of money for a car that also shares market space with contenders such as the Ford Probe, Mitsubishi Eclipse/ Eagle Talon and other equally popular driving machines.
Regardless of the impact of the dollar on your final decision, you're going to have a lot of fun testing the Integra - and its competitors, for that matter. To be sure, we had quite a time with our GS-R coupe, which weighed in at just a hair under $21,000.
With the exception of the NSX,
Acura does not - and probably never will - have a styling superstar in its stable. But the Integra is both clean and functional from any angle, with flowing lines that rise slightly as they progress from nose to tail. This soft wedge look is fashionable, inoffensive and even quite attractive when enhanced by the add-on rear wing that came with our GS-R tester.
The four projector-beam headlights have aroused some mild controversy. Some look at them as having the characteristics of beady eyes, while others see them as a nice change from the flush-mounted aero-lamps commonly found on the noses of performance coupes. In any case they do an excellent job of lighting the road ahead. (One small footnote here: In snow-and-ice climates, some Integra owners have found that slushy stuff thrown up from the road collects in their cars' headlamp openings.)
The Integra's high rear deck is another source of disagreement, with advocates praising its aerodynamic efficiency and detractors citing its contribution to the car's slightly pudgy appearance. Again, there is a practical consideration: The hatchback coupe actually has a larger trunk than its sedan counterpart.
Model identification is kept to a minimum on the exteriors of the various sedans and coupes. A badge on the rump denotes the specific version (in ascending price order: RS, LS, GS-R), and the GS-R carries the aforementioned rear wing and handsome 15-in. alloy wheels (14-inchers are standard on other models).
Other distinctions, of course, can be found in mechanical specifications.
