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Acura Integra is reborn, so here's a look at its past

The Acura Integra is officially making its return in 2022. No joke! We’re stoked, too. ItÂ’s a return to the nameplate for Acura — we havenÂ’t seen it grace any cars in the U.S. since 2001. Although the Acura RSX (that was sold here) built 2002-2006 was named the Integra everywhere else but America. Now that we know “Integra” is coming back after 20 years off, though, itÂ’s time to take a stroll through Acura Integra history. That history begins with the launch of Acura as a brand, because the Integra was one of the first two models that Acura came to America with — the Legend was the other. 1986-1989 — First generation The first Integra didnÂ’t see a long model run, as it lasted for just four model years. It was too early to incorporate HondaÂ’s soon-to-come VTEC engine technology, but that doesnÂ’t mean it didnÂ’t come packed with awesome features and tech. Acura actually offered two hatchback options — a three-door and a five-door — and a traditional four-door sedan. The only engine option was a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with a DOHC design that revved out to an impressive 7,000 rpm. It made 113 horsepower and just 99 pound-feet of torque for the first two model years, but a mid-cycle refresh saw output increase to 118 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque for the 1988-89 model years. Both a five-speed manual and four-speed automatic were available. It was a sportier car than the Civic at the time, and since Acura is the luxury arm of Honda, it featured a slightly nicer interior. ItÂ’s a rare sight to see first-generation Integras on the roads these days, as rust and time have slowly removed them from AmericaÂ’s highways. No matter, as this Integra kickstarted the sporting and fun-to-drive spirit that would be found in those to come. It was a lightweight, high-revving compact car that helped Acura get off the ground. 1990-1993 — Second Generation Just like the first generation, the second-gen Integra saw just four model years of production. Acura dropped the five-door hatchback offering, instead opting to limit the car to a three-door hatchback and four-door sedan. The styling saw some fairly big changes, as the pop-up headlights were dropped, and the hatchback looked more like a two-door coupe in its silhouette. Performance got a big boost, as Acura upgraded to a 1.8-liter four-cylinder that made 130 horsepower and 121 pound-feet of torque.

2025 Honda Civic Hybrid confirmed along with new small Acura crossover

Honda made several announcements Thursday regarding both its core band and its premium subsidiary, Acura, giving us a taste of what to expect from both brands in 2024. The biggest news is that Acura will add a new small crossover to the lineup, slotted alongside the Integra sedan. We can also expect updates to the Honda Civic — most notably among them the introduction of a 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid model for the new sedan and hatchback — and less significant updates here and there throughout both lineups.  We know little about this new baby Acura crossover apart from what it isn't, and that's a direct import of the CDX sold overseas. Scratch that notion from your mind entirely. Honda wouldn't comment further, but we suspect the small CUV's fundamental architecture will be shared with the Honda HR-V, though we wouldn't be surprised to see it benefit from a powertrain upgrade. This is not to be confused with the Acura ZDX, which is the all-electric crossover due to arrive just about any day now . The ZDX is larger and shares its underpinnings not with anything of Honda's, but rather GM's Ultium platform. Elsewhere at Acura, we can expect a thorough interior and exterior update of the MDX and "upgrades" to the RDX.  Over at Honda, the long-expected Civic Hybrid is now officially go. It will launch this year as both a sedan and hatchback alongside a broader update that will include new styling elements (teased above) and interior upgrades; expect more closer to launch. Honda said the Odyssey will receive updates for the model year too, but did not elaborate on what to expect from the effort. We expect more on that later in 2024.  Related video:

Inside Honda's ghost town for testing autonomous cars

On the edge of the San Francisco suburb of Concord, California sits a ghost town. Dilapidated buildings and cracked roads are framed by overgrowth and slightly askew street signs. The decommissioned five acre portion of the Concord Naval Weapons Station that once housed military personnel and their families is now home to squirrels, jack rabbits, wild turkeys and Honda's mysterious testing lab for autonomous vehicles. This former town within a Naval base – now dubbed "GoMentum Station" – is the perfect testing ground for Honda's self-driving cars. An almost turn-key solution to the problem of finding somewhere to experiment with autonomous vehicle inside an urban area. Thanks to the GoMentum Station, the automaker has access to 20 miles of various road types, intersections and infrastructure exactly like those found in the real world. Just, you know, without all the people getting in the way. While the faded lane markers and cracked asphalt might initially make it difficult for the car to figure out what's going on around it, that's exactly what you want when training a self-driving system. Many roads in the real world are also in dire need of upkeep. Just because autonomous vehicles are hitting the streets doesn't mean the funding needed to fix all the potholes and faded lane markers will magically appear. The real world doesn't work that way and the robot cars that will eventually make our commutes less of a headache will need to be aware of that. Plus, it's tougher to train a car to drive downtown than to barrel down the highway at 80 miles per hour. A company is going to want to get as much practice as possible. While semi-autonomous driving on the everyone-going-the-same-way-at-a-constant-speed freeway is already a reality, navigating in an urban environment is far more complex. If you've driven on the streets of Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago or Seattle you know that driving downtown takes far more concentration than cruising down the interstate. With all that in mind, Honda's tricked out Acura RLX did a good job during an (admittedly very controlled) hands-free demo. It didn't hit either of the pedestrians walking across its path. It stopped at stop signs and even maneuvered around a mannequin situated in the middle of the road. The reality is, watching a car drive around the block and safely avoid stuff is boring. Not to metion, Google has been doing this for a while in the real world.