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Acura will let you reserve a 2023 Integra starting next month

For anybody who is trying to get their hands on the 2023 Acura Integra right when it comes out, this one’s for you. Instead of a normal launch, Acura is launching the Integra with a reservation list.  YouÂ’ll be able to reserve and pre-order an Integra online starting March 10. Of course, the reservation process still fully involves dealerships, as Acura states, “reservations handled by participating dealers” at the bottom of its press release. Acura hasnÂ’t revealed production details or even shown us photos of the IntegraÂ’s interior yet, but since itÂ’s going to ask folks to reserve a car to buy, we suspect those details and photos will be coming soon. If you want a sneak peek, we got some photos of the partially-covered interior of the Integra Prototype. Pricing is just as vague as before, too, as Acura simply states that it “will start around $30,000.” The actual website where Acura directs you says “supply will be limited” of the Integra. In todayÂ’s market, that very well may be true. However, the base Integra has never been, nor do we expect it to be, a limited-availability model. ItÂ’s an entry-level, sporty hatchback that will eventually be widely available, even if a certain level of hype makes them thin on the ground upon initially launching. Basically, donÂ’t be fooled by the messaging. If you do want to reserve one, Acura has a sign-up on its website that will put you on a list to be notified the second the reservation site goes live. ThereÂ’s no suggestion that any deposit will be required to reserve a spot for now, but weÂ’ll be looking out for details on that closer to the launch of reservations on March 10. Related video:

2023 Acura Integra pre-orders are overwhelmingly manuals

Acura says that customers placing reservations for the 2023 Integra are overwhelmingly choosing the manual transmission over the standard CVT, with a take rate currently hovering above 70%. While this certainly bodes well for the early model mix, it remains to be seen just how well the 6MT Integra will sell over the course of its projected lifespan.  Fun Fact: 2023 Integra reservations are trending over 70% 6MT! For historical context, the MT was around 50% of sales (‘86-‘01). pic.twitter.com/G1tSVJuxQ3 — Andrew Quillin (@andrewquillin) March 17, 2022 If we've observed anything about enthusiast cars and manual take rates over the years, it's that early numbers are not usually indicative of the long-term trend. Even Acura's own parent company experienced this recently when it saw manual share of the current Accord plummet after spiking when it debuted. The more enthusiast-focused Integra should be able to hold on to its stick-shift buyers for longer, but we're skeptical that its long-term share will approach the 50% it enjoyed in previous generations.  That said, manual buyers are out there. Just look no further than Subaru, which absolutely shames every other mainstream automaker. Yes, Subaru — the company that decided to saddle the top-trim WRX with a CVT, of all things — regularly sees manual take rates of 75% (or more) for the BRZ and 90% for its WRX line. Rest in peace, STI.  Related Video 1999 Honda Civic Si | Retro Review

2014 Acura RLX

Earlier in the year, I reviewed a powder-blue Volkswagen Beetle Convertible, and I witnessed a group of high-school-aged girls ogling the car as it sat in my driveway. In my head, I found it to be a funny-yet-fitting scene that I didn't think of again until a 2014 Acura RLX showed up in my driveway. This time around, an elderly neighborhood couple stopped to give the big Acura sedan a closer look. The RLX is trying to shed past stereotypes of its predecessor, the Acura RL, just like the Beetle. Hoping to avoid becoming the de facto "grandpa car," Acura has completely reworked - and renamed - its flagship sedan.
As the bookend to the new entry-level ILX, the addition of the 2014 RLX might give Acura its strongest sedan lineup ever as the automaker looks to break the cycle of being a middle-of-the-road luxury brand. Stepping up to the big-boy table isn't going to be easy, though, as the competition keeps getting tougher. Forget cars like the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5 Series, the Acura RLX is going to have its hands full with the likes of the Cadillac XTS, Lexus GS and Hyundai Genesis, not to mention a strong consortium of lower-priced, mid-luxury sedans like the Hyundai Azera, Toyota Avalon and Chevy Impala. The one thing all of these cars have in common is a reputation for being an old man cruiser.
I spent a week with the new RLX to see if it could shake the stigma of its outdated predecessor or if it would just leave me searching for the nearest early bird specials.