Is the Acura Integra the same as Civic?
The Acura Integra and Honda Civic are not the same car. The Integra is Acura’s premium, performance-focused model that shares a platform and some components with the Civic, but it wears a distinct brand, styling, and tuning. Here’s how they relate and how they differ as of 2024–2025.
What they share
Both vehicles ride on platforms derived from Honda’s engineering family and use similar powertrains in some markets. This shared engineering helps with manufacturing efficiency and parts compatibility.
- Platform and architecture: Both are built on a version of Honda’s compact-car platform, enabling common components and packaging.
- Engine options: In many markets, the Integra and Civic use a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 with similar tuning options, though output varies by trim and region.
- Drive layout: Front-wheel drive is standard for both, with performance variants offering enhanced handling characteristics.
- Transmission choices: Depending on trim and market, buyers can select from manual and automatic options in both lineups, though availability differs by region.
- Technology and safety: The two share several driver-assistance and infotainment technologies, though available packages and levels of refinement differ by brand.
Despite the shared engineering basis, the Integra is distinct in branding, feature emphasis, and market positioning, which influences everything from trim naming to standard equipment.
Branding, features, and market positioning
The biggest differences lie in branding and how buyers experience the car. Acura positions the Integra as a premium, sport-oriented model with higher-quality materials and distinct styling, while Honda markets the Civic as a mainstream compact with broad appeal and value.
Before listing, note that these contrasts shape what customers get for their money and how each car is marketed:
- Brand and premium positioning: Acura Integra versus Honda Civic; differing brand narratives and dealership experiences.
- Pricing and value: Integra typically carries a higher starting price due to premium features and a sportier setup, while the Civic emphasizes affordability and broad optioning.
- Interior and materials: Integra tends to use more upscale materials and styling cues, with premium trims and finishes that emphasize interior refinement.
- Technology packages: While both offer modern tech, the Integra’s tech suite is packaged to emphasize luxury and sport, with different availability than the Civic.
- Styling and presence: Exterior and interior design cues are tuned to convey Acura’s luxury identity versus Civic’s practical, everyday appeal.
In short, the Integra is not a badge-engineered Civic; it is a separate model line that shares engineering DNA with the Civic but targets a different buyer with a premium, sport-oriented experience.
Powertrains and performance
Engine options and performance expectations illustrate the distinction between the two brands, especially when comparing base models, sport trims, and the high-performance variant.
Before listing, here is a snapshot of typical configurations in the U.S. market in recent years:
- Base Integra: 1.5-liter turbocharged engine around 200 horsepower in many trims, with a choice of manual or automatic transmissions depending on the variant and market.
- Integra Type S: A higher-performance variant powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 producing about 320 horsepower, paired with a 6-speed manual and performance-focused hardware (diff, brakes, suspension).
- Civic reference: The Civic also uses the 1.5-liter turbo in many trims (roughly 180–200+ horsepower depending on setup) and offers multiple transmissions, but it remains a separate model with its own tuning, geometry, and feature set.
The Integra’s sport-focused variants, especially the Type S, deliver more performance-oriented hardware and tuning than the Civic, reinforcing that these are distinct model lines rather than identical cars with different badges.
Bottom line
The Acura Integra is not the same as the Honda Civic, even though they share a platform and some components. The Integra occupies Acura’s premium, performance-focused corner of the market and offers branding, interior refinement, and tuning distinct from the Civic’s mainstream, value-oriented positioning. The high-performance Integra Type S further differentiates the lineup with a potent 320-horsepower engine and track-ready hardware.
Summary
In practice, the Integra and Civic are related siblings rather than twins. They share engineering roots and certain components, but they diverge in brand identity, interior feel, features, and performance emphasis. For buyers, the choice hinges on whether a premium, sport-oriented experience (Integra) or a value-focused, highly capable compact (Civic) better fits their priorities.
