The Integra is back! The sporty compact luxury sedan that gave Acura a strong foothold in the US is back. The 2023 Acura Integra delivers the right blend of modern features and retro personality to be one of the most enjoyable small luxury cars. Strangely, this little might be polarizing enough to incite a riot, even within some organizations.

Who is fighting over the 2023 Acura Integra?

While the Integra is certainly a sporty compact luxury sedan worthy of strong opinions, finding two opposing opinions for a vehicle from the same company is unusual. This is exactly what happened when the team at Gear Patrol got hold of the new Integra to see what it offers.

Here are the two opposing opinions regarding this new sporty luxury sedan:

Tyler Duffy says the new Integra costs too much. In contrast, Will Sabel Courtney points out it’s hard to find a sporty luxury sedan as affordable as the Integra.

Duffy doesn’t approve of the Integra’s style, looking at it as a higher-priced Honda Civic Si that isn’t worth the cost and upgrades. On the other hand, Courtney points out that the Integra offers an attractive design and plenty of tech. This is what’s expected from a premium badge.

Which of these two Gear Patrol reviewers is correct?

What does the new Integra give us?

This new sporty compact luxury sedan brings the same engine as the Civic Si while adding dampers, an adaptive suspension, an improved body structure, and a hatchback build. This small Acura takes the best parts of the compact Honda while adding more flair and fun, especially when reaching up to the A-Spec model.

Is the 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec the right trim?

If there were such a thing as the wrong trim, it would be the base model of the Integra. Most consumers should step up to the A-Spec trim, which brings the fun and performance desired. The only reason not to pick the A-Spec trim is when you can’t drive a car with a manual transmission.

Here’s why:

The 2023 Acura Integra uses the same 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine found in the Civic Si. This engine produces 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque. The base trim of this sedan uses a CVT automatic transmission, but that A-Sped model brings a six-speed manual transmission to the mix.

The addition of the manual transmission and the features from the Technology package make the A-Spec model an excellent version of this sporty compact luxury sedan.

Which trim of the new Integra does MotorTrend recommend?

Showing statistics of the A-Spec trim doesn’t answer the question of which Gear Patrol review is right, but MotorTrend’s recommendation might. They recommend the A-Spec trim with the Technology package, stating this is where the Integra is truly set apart from the Honda Civic Si.

Although the 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec is the most expensive of the trims, it’s worth the price, especially considering what you might find from other luxury brands. It seems that MotorTrend agrees with Will Sabel Courtney.

Is the new Integra a good sporty compact luxury sedan to drive?

As long as you choose the 2023 Acura Integra at the A-Spec trim level, this is a great car to drive when you want a fun and active luxury sedan. The Integra is affordable in the luxury class, has an attractive hatchback build, and offers sporty dynamics. Its meant to pump up your adrenaline when you carve the corners.

If you want to learn more about this fun little Acura, check out the video below.