What is the Acura Integra called in Japan?
In Japan, the Acura Integra is called the Honda Integra.
The branding of the same model varies by market: Acura is used for North American premium-market branding, while Japan relies on Honda’s badge. This article explains how the Integra name translates across markets, its historical context, and the current status of the name in Japan.
Branding differences by market
Understanding how a single model wears different badges helps explain why the question has a simple answer, yet a longer backstory.
Key points to follow show how branding and labeling differ between Japan and North America:
- Branding: Honda Integra in Japan versus Acura Integra in North America. The same car lineage carries different corporate badges depending on region.
- Badging and logos: Japanese-market examples wear Honda emblems, while North American examples used the Acura shield and wordmarks.
- Market strategy: Acura is a separate brand created to position Honda’s more premium models in North America; Japan relies on Honda’s standard lineup.
- Generational lineage: The Integra name appeared in multiple generations in Japan, while the Acura Integra in the US followed its own marketing arc, eventually giving way to the RSX in North America before a newer Integra re-emerged in some markets.
In short, the Acura Integra name is a North American branding strategy, while in Japan the same car is simply the Honda Integra.
Historical context
The Integra nameplate has long tied Honda’s compact sport hatchbacks to a broader history of performance variants, including Type R models. In Japan, the Integra existed under Honda’s lineup for years; in the United States, the same model was marketed under the Acura badge, helping establish Acura’s sporty, premium image. When the Acura brand introduced the Integra to North American buyers, it created a distinct consumer perception separate from the Honda badge used in Japan.
Implications for collectors and enthusiasts
Enthusiasts often track the Integra’s lineage by badge and market, noting that Japan’s Honda Integra and North America’s Acura Integra represent parallel chapters of the same model family, with different branding, tuning options, and dealership ecosystems.
Current status and availability
As of the latest model year information, Acura operates primarily outside Japan; Honda-branded Integra models continue to be the naming convention in Japan. The exact availability of a modern Integra-branded car in Japan depends on regional product lines and may vary by year and market strategy.
For readers seeking a direct answer: in Japan, look for the Honda Integra rather than Acura Integra. The badge is the key differentiator between markets, not the underlying chassis alone.
Summary
The Acura Integra is referred to as the Honda Integra in Japan. The difference stems from branding choices: Acura is used in North America for a premium lineup, while Japan relies on the Honda badge. Across generations, the Integra lineage shows how a single model can wear different identities in different markets, yet remain the same core vehicle in engineering terms.
Is the RSX an Integra in Japan?
The RSX was sold as a Honda Integra in Japan and Australia, markets where the Acura brand did not exist.
What is the Integra called in Japan?
The Honda Integra DC5 (Japanese: ホンダ インテグラ DC5) is a Japanese performance sports car, which was also known as the Acura RSX in North America. Base model: The base model of the Acura RSX has a 155 horsepower K20A3 engine.
Do they have Acura in Japan?
No, the Acura brand is not sold in Japan; it is Honda's luxury division primarily for the North American market. While Acura vehicles are developed by Honda, which is a Japanese company, the Acura brand itself does not have a presence in its home country. Cars sold in Japan are branded as Hondas, and in the past, some models were essentially rebadged and tweaked versions of Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Honda models.
- Acura is a North American brand: Acura was launched in 1986 and is primarily marketed in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Panama.
- No Acura brand in Japan: The luxury and performance division does not operate as Acura in Japan.
- Models sold as Hondas: Vehicles that are badged as Acuras in North America are sold as Hondas in Japan. For example, the Acura TL was sold in Japan as a Honda Inspire or Saber.
- Production details: While Acura is a Japanese-owned company, most of its vehicles are manufactured in North America, though some high-performance models like the NSX have been produced in Japan.
What is another name for the Acura Integra?
The Acura RSX was sold as the Honda Integra in markets outside the US and Canada. So your first paragraph is right. The second one, they are most likely referring to the DC2 Acura Integra for comparisons. I would say back in the day when the RSX first came out, no one was referring to it as a DC5 or an Integra DC5.
