Honda Acura Integra Type R Review

Overall Rating

Incredible performance and handling
Build quality and reliability
Motorsport focused
Air conditioning
Comparatively affordable insurance
Style and street cred

Average ergonomics and comfort
Suspension setup and engine noise not for everyone
Lacking a 6th gear

I bought the 2000 Honda/Acura Integra Type R as my second car, having owned an Integra LS previously.

ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE
The lightweight Type R has a 1.8L naturally aspirated engine (B18C) with the legendary Honda/Acura VTEC engaging at about 5000rpm. This is what turns an already strong engine into a screaming monster of a thing above 5000rpm. That might sound like a lot to rev a car, but with a cut out at about 9500rpm, the Type R is born to be revved!

The Type R has short gears, so be prepared for lots of gear changes in high traffic situations. I have only owned the car a few weeks, so it is not annoying me yet, but I can see many people tiring of this aspect of the gearbox. The gears are so short that it will tolerate turning in a roundabout quite well in third gear, yet, I've found that it seems more comfortable running 60km/h in fourth rather than fifth.

Even though it is not built for drag racing, what with small displacement and no forced induction, a Type R is capable of 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in the mid-6s and 0-400m (1/4mile) in the late 14s, in stock form. This is incredible for a 1.8L engine. As a point of comparison, naturally aspirated hot hatches like the Renaultsport Clio (0-100km/h in the high 6s) and the Peugeot 206 (0-100km/h in the low 7s) compete with the Type R but achieve their times with 2.0L engines. The MINI Cooper S does 0-100km/h in the mid to high 6s with a smaller 1.6L engine, but with a supercharger.

With its power derived from high revs and excellent Honda/Acura quality, buying an Integra Type R used is fairly safe, provided the previous owners have used the right products and serviced it as recommended. It is not so much of an issue worrying that a used high performance car has been totally thrashed when it is built to perform at these levels anyway.

HANDLING
Even though the Type R is a front wheel drive, the differential greatly reduces the amount of understeer. Around corners, it is almost perfectly balanced. The stiff chassis apparently has a lot of cross braces (or whatever you call them), and with front and rear sway bars and sports seats, you will barely feel the corners. I go about 40km/h around a particular corner in my LS, feeling the inertia push me aside, but around the same corner in the Type R, I am capable of 50km/h, barely feeling the inertia.

I have found steering a little heavy, but very responsive. Changing gears is a touch notchy but otherwise relatively smooth. I have not pushed its braking, but so far, I haven't had any issues with the feel of the brakes. My mom's Camry has a very spongy brake. The throttle is not too sensitive, yet you don't have to push hard to get the car to respond.

From other people's experiences, Peugeots and Renaultsports handle a little better than the good old Type R, but I believe the build quality of Hondas and Acuras exceeds French car makers, really.

INTERIOR, ACCESSORIES AND ERGONOMICS
In align with the racing image of the car, the dashboard is simple and unfussed, with only the essentials provided. There are little logos here and there, reminders that you're sitting inside a Type R, and the dash is trimmed with carbon fibre look inserts. It's a bit cheesy, but then again, if it were just black, I would complain that it's too boring. Factory standard includes Recaro racing seats, a leather MOMO steering wheel and titanium gear knob. Unfortunately, mine missed out on some cool racing pedals. Drilled brushed aluminium or something similar would've been nice.

There are electric windows and mirrors, passenger and driver airbags, a basic sound system and a factory sunroof was an optional extra. The first Integra Type Rs didn't come with air conditioning and had reduced sound deadening to keep the car light, but the special edition in 2000 and early 2001 had aircon as standard. When I bought mine, the previous owner had upgraded the sound system, so it is more than adequate for me, but I hear that the standard system is fairly average. I've found the controls on the door for the power windows too close to the driver so that you have to dig your elbow into your side to reach them. The controls for the power windows are also on the door but closer to the dashboard, so they are just fine to access.

Shoulder check vision is impaired by thickish pillars and the spoiler, but forward and side vision is fine.

The deep Recaro bucket seats in my car are black, trimmed in suede and fabric, and quite comfortable. The biggest issue with sitting in the cockpit is that it seems to be designed for average people. People wider in the hip will find the seats a little tight. Even I, at about 60kg (135lbs), found it snug. People who are short may have problems too. I'm about 160cm (5'3") and find my elbow occasionally hitting the door panel ledge when I steer. Another 10 or so cm and I would be okay. Being short, I need the seat closer to the dash to reach the pedals and the steering wheel nearly on my lap. This, combined with the high hip cushions of the deep Recaros and long doors, means getting out of the car is less than easy. Getting in is alright, although I find that the hip and lumbar cushions of the Recaros can wear quickly from the slight more effort.

Ride quality is hard and sometimes bumpy due to the race suspension set up. With reduced sound deadening and a high revving engine, the cabin noise can be loud, particularly with revs sitting about 3500rpm at 100km/h highway cruising. A sixth gear would've been nice for highway driving. For those looking for a car quite comfortable and lush, this will be a big turn off. Those who are looking for a racing experience, these "discomforts" only add to the appeal.

EXTERIOR
The Integra Type R comes in black, white, red and yellow. The paint, as with every manufacturer, is susceptible to chips. Personally, I think it looks best in black and yellow, and the stock gun metal rims suit all colors well. Again with the racing image, it is lightweight 15" in gun metal grey function over heavy 18" eye dazzling chrome bling bling.

It comes with attractive front and rear lips, side skirts, and a medium high spoiler which unfortunately impairs rear vision. It's not road scraping low, but it sits low enough for most. The wheel clearance is even all around, and again with function over style, the car handles best at this ride height over lowering the springs, according to Honda/Acura, apparently.

The Japanese version has very nice rectangular headlights while the rest of the world got the four headlight version. To each their own, I suppose, but personally, I like the JDM version a bit more.

PRACTICALITY AND RUNNING COSTS
The Type R owes part of its impressive performance to its high compression ratio of about 11.1, which means it drinks more expensive premium fuel, but people who own Type Rs are generally motoring enthusiasts who like to pamper their cars and don't mind splashing out on the good stuff anyway. When you're not pushing the car too much, it is quite fuel efficient; after-all, it is only 1.8L! But when you get addicted to the scream of VTEC, you're into guzzling territory.

It runs best on Honda oil and must be serviced at recommended intervals to ensure optimal performance, reliability and longevity. This is, after all, a modern classic you'll want to keep for a long time, especially with the news that Honda/Acura is no longer making Integras! Insurance premiums (at least in Australia) are reasonable for over 25s with no accident history, particularly when you compare with the outrageous premium for turbo charged cars.

There is adequate room in the back seat for two adults, and although I haven't sat in the back seat for any length of time, I suspect it is not nearly as comfortable as the front seats over long journeys. Getting in and out of the back seat can be challenging, as with most two door coupes. A family car this is not! The bootspace is average and the parcel shelf is a little flimsy.

OVERALL
I recommend the Integra Type R for those who are keen on performance, handling excellent engineering, fun, style and street cred, in the expense of some comforts and practicality. An absolute classic.