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Acura Integra will return in 2022 after a long hiatus

Putting a modern spin on much-loved classics is a growing trend in the automotive industry. Ford resurrected the Bronco, Lamborghini is bringing back the Countach, and Acura unexpectedly announced a new Integra for 2022. Acura has done a perfect job of keeping the next-generation Integra under wraps. There have been no leaks or rumors, and our spies haven't even spotted pre-production prototypes out and about. We consequently know very little about the car; the firm simply promised it will offer "the same fun-to-drive spirit and DNA of the original." Spring 2022. pic.twitter.com/4JsuLDj8b9 — Acura (@Acura) August 13, 2021 The crunchiest crumb of information that we have is a sketch that shows part of the front end. It's enough to tell with a high degree of certainty that the Integra won't wear a retro-inspired design; sorry, fans of pop-up headlights. Instead, it looks like it falls in line with recent additions to the Acura range thanks to sharp lights with LED accents and an angular grille. There's also a new interpretation of the Integra logo below the driver-side headlight. Beyond that, the Honda-owned carmaker simply confirmed the Integra will land as a compact premium car, which is exactly what the nameplate has denoted since its introduction for the 1986 model year. While this is pure speculation, it wouldn't be completely unthinkable for Acura to build the next Integra on an evolution of the platform that underpins the 11th-generation Civic unveiled earlier in 2021. Many of the earlier Integra models were based on or related to the Civic, and there was even a Civic sold as an Integra in a handful of overseas markets. More details about the 2022 Acura Integra will emerge in the coming months. Storied past Acura arrived on the automotive scene in 1986 with a range made up of two cars: the Integra (which was offered with two or four doors) and the bigger Legend. While both were aimed at the premium end of the market, the original Integra (shown above) put a far greater focus on performance than on luxury, and it never strayed far from this positioning. It was peppy, nimble, fun to drive, and reasonably affordable; pricing started at $9,859 in 1986 (roughly $24,600 in 2021). As time went on, many buyers realized that the little Acura was also stunningly durable. The second-generation Integra arrived for 1990 with an updated design and more powerful engines, and the four-door model received a more conventional three-box design.

2019 Acura ILX first drive | New looks, same lackluster performance

Acura knows what it takes to make a fun, compact car that enthusiasts desire. It did so for three decades with the Integra, which eventually morphed into the still fun RSX. Then the ILX came around for the 2013 model year, and the world collectively yawned. It's actually still yawning, and the 2019 redesign isn't doing a whole lot to change that. One might expect more wholesale changes from a car entering its seventh year on the market, but we're still staring down the barrel of the same 201 horsepower 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder and trick dual-clutch automatic transmission (which also features a torque converter for low-speed smoothness) from before. These pieces aren't necessarily the problem though. It's enjoyable to thrash the engine out to 7,000 rpm, and the dual-clutch snaps off surprisingly quick shifts when using the paddles in manual mode. It's a bit of a throwback to before all of Honda's performance engines switched to turbocharging for power. It pulls harder the more you wring it out, and begs to be paired with a slick-shifting six-speed manual like it was in the ninth-gen Civic Si. Sadly, everything else outside the powertrain (still) just misses the mark. The greatest part of Acura's old performance compacts was how they made you feel when you were driving them. There was an intimate connection between the driver and road at all times that is sorely lacking from the ILX. Turn in feel is soft and doesn't offer satisfying quick changes of direction. The old chassis feels its age in controlling body movements too. It all culminates in making the ILX feel like a larger car than it actually is. That's not to say the ILX handles poorly, though; it simply does so without any eagerness or feel — just like it has from the beginning. This is unfortunate because the ILX looks better than it ever has. Acura re-did the whole front nose from the A-pillar forward, and it attacked the rear fascia too. We got to check out and drive A-Spec trimmed cars, which add even more aggression to the styling but no performance upgrades. Sure there's three-too-many fake air vents, but the car finally grew some teeth compared to the ultra-bland looks from before. Props for not following the terrible industry trend of totally unreasonably-sized fake exhaust outlets too. The interior isn't as exciting.

Acura touts full-line Top Safety Pick+ achievement in new ad

When a vehicle scores a Top Safety Pick+ in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing or a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it's a darn big deal. But when an automaker's entire lineup earns the TSP+ honor and gets top marks from NHTSA it's a, um, well, it's never happened before. So congratulations, Acura. The premium Japanese brand is the first automaker to score top marks on the latest IIHS testing while also earning five-star NHTSA ratings across its entire range of vehicle. This, of course, is not the first time it's earned such a distinction – in 2009, and well before TSP+ existed, Acura was the first automaker to boast a lineup filled with TSP and five-star vehicles. With this new, five-vehicle lineup of TSP+ and five stars, Acura certainly has something worth crowing about. That's why it's preparing a new marketing campaign to crow about super-safe ILX sedans and MDX crossovers. Expect to see it on your TV starting on October 18. If you simply can't wait to see what Acura's up to, though, we've got a 60-second spot that features some very disturbing crash-test "dummies." Take a look at the top of the page, and then scroll down for the official press release on Acura's lineup.Related Video: Acura Underscores Industry-leading Safety Performance with Emotional New Marketing Campaign • Acura is the first and only automotive brand to earn 5-star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA and TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the IIHS across its model line • High impact and emotional national advertising campaign brings to life Acura's dedication to safety performance • The brand's first-of-its-kind campaign launches digitally on Oct. 15 and on national broadcast television on Oct. 18 TORRANCE, Calif. (Oct. 15, 2015) – Acura has taken a safety leadership position as the only automotive brand to earn a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score in the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) and a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) across its entire model line . Based on the brand's commitment to the latest safety design and implementation of advanced safety and driver-assistive technology, Acura earned top overall safety ratings from the U.S. government and the IIHS across its model line. Acura will showcase its leadership in a new high impact and emotional national advertising campaign highlighting the brand's dedication to safety performance.