Photo: Acura of Brookfield
Wisconsin-based Acura of Brookfield mentioned “Super Handling All-Wheel Drive” on their landing page for the all-new Integra on February 22nd. The dealership mysteriously deleted this line from their website one day later, which begs this question: slip of the tongue or just a mistake?
Acura isn’t willing to confirm or deny the SH-AWD system, just like Acura failed to mention what kind of two-pedal transmission will come standard. As a brief refresher, the six-speed manual gearbox is optionally available.
The five-door liftback based on the Honda Civic Si four-door sedan will be produced in the United States at the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio. Among other nameplates, the CR-V is also produced there. Speaking of the compact utility vehicle, the CR-V is underpinned by Honda’s compact global platform introduced by the previous-generation Civic in 2015 for MY16.
What I’m trying to say is that all-wheel drive is certainly possible, yet I wouldn’t pump myself up for it because the ILX that preceded the Integra isn’t a commercial success. The best year for the premium-oriented compact was 2013 with 20,430 units delivered in the United States. By comparison, the Civic sold a simply colossal 336,180 examples of the breed that year.
The Integra won’t be a commercial success either given that we all know it’s a Civic Si with fancy clothes and a spruced-up cabin. Given these circumstances, can Acura justify SH-AWD? As I said, it’s unlikely even though I would like to be proven wrong because all-wheel drive in a small car with a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder powerplant seems like a fun recipe.
Scheduled to go on sale next month from around $30,000 before options, the five-door liftback further sweetens the deal with an automatic rev-matching system borrowed from the outgoing Civic Type R. Twinned with the China-only Honda Integra produced by the Guangqi Honda joint venture, the Acura Integra is also gifted with 19s and Jewel Eye LED headlamps.
The five-door liftback based on the Honda Civic Si four-door sedan will be produced in the United States at the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio. Among other nameplates, the CR-V is also produced there. Speaking of the compact utility vehicle, the CR-V is underpinned by Honda’s compact global platform introduced by the previous-generation Civic in 2015 for MY16.
What I’m trying to say is that all-wheel drive is certainly possible, yet I wouldn’t pump myself up for it because the ILX that preceded the Integra isn’t a commercial success. The best year for the premium-oriented compact was 2013 with 20,430 units delivered in the United States. By comparison, the Civic sold a simply colossal 336,180 examples of the breed that year.
The Integra won’t be a commercial success either given that we all know it’s a Civic Si with fancy clothes and a spruced-up cabin. Given these circumstances, can Acura justify SH-AWD? As I said, it’s unlikely even though I would like to be proven wrong because all-wheel drive in a small car with a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder powerplant seems like a fun recipe.
Scheduled to go on sale next month from around $30,000 before options, the five-door liftback further sweetens the deal with an automatic rev-matching system borrowed from the outgoing Civic Type R. Twinned with the China-only Honda Integra produced by the Guangqi Honda joint venture, the Acura Integra is also gifted with 19s and Jewel Eye LED headlamps.
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