The Acura Integra is one of the most well-known front-wheel-drive sports cars ever produced outside of Japan. The Integra was first introduced in 1986 under the Acura brand, and after three versions, it was phased out of the American market in 2001. The Acura Integra was the last model in the Acura series with a pronounceable name when discontinued in the United States in 2001. Acura has revealed that the Integra will return in 2022 after a 20-year hiatus and has previewed the external appearance with a new "Prototype."

The Acura Integra is a crucial car for the Japanese luxury automaker in the year 2022. The forthcoming Integra will solidify Acura's status in the sport-luxury segment, more than just restoring a famous moniker associated with agile handling and high-revving four-cylinder VTEC engines.

7 A Surprise Announcement

2022 acura integra type s unveiling
Via: emilybluntdesnuda

Following the NSX Type S launch during Monterey Car Week 2021, news of the 2022 Integra came as a surprise. A squadron of drones was responsible for revealing the secret to the rest of the world, lighting up the sky in a dazzling display. The drones took on the appearance of a first-generation Integra before morphing into the next model.

The Honda Integra Will Return In 2022. - Auto News - Carlist.my
Via: Carlist.my

The word Integra was then lighted in a typeface that was oh-so-nineties. Fortunately for everyone, photographers covering the NSX Type S announcement could get some photographs of the surprise drone display in action. While not as comprehensive as earlier teasers, the drones gave us a glimpse of the upcoming sporty compact's variation.

Related: Here's Our Favorite Feature Of The 2021 Acura TLX

6 Dropping Hints

2022 acura integra
via: Daniel Golson

While not as detailed as previous teases, the drones provided a peek of what a variant of the next sporty compact would look like. The next hint came in late September when Acura revealed the Integra prototypes rear-end design.

2022 Acura Integra-Rear
Via: Acura

The new car is a four-door sedan with a sweeping roofline and a hatchback rear trunk, as it turns out. The first-generation Integra was available in three, four, or five-door body styles. The five-door hatch is the only option, and we now know the Integra prototype will feature the same practical hatchback design. What about the two-door coupe, though?

5 Official Unveiling

Acura Integra Teaser Sketch
via Acura

Acura president Jon Ikeda revealed at the unveiling of the Integra Prototype that Honda's 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine would power the new Integra.

2022-honda-integra-launch-chinese market
via: carscoops

The engine in the Honda Civic Si produces 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. The carmaker previously stated that a six-speed manual transmission would be standard, satisfying the demands of many enthusiasts. The manual gearbox teaser picture and video show a remarkable resemblance to the Civic Si's shifter. As a result, we expect the next Integra to share underpinnings with the Civic, as it has done with the past four Integras.

Related: What we know about the New 2023 Acura Integra So Far

4 Standard Manual Gearbox … Awesome!

Integra_2022_manual_gearbox
Via: Top Gear

Unlike the TLX Type S, the all-new Acura Integra will come with a six-speed manual transmission as standard. New automobiles with manually selected gears are a dying breed if you know anything about cars or the auto business in general. Because sporty compact sedans are the domain of purists and enthusiasts, Acura has added a slick-shifting manual transmission to the Integra, which might be a version of the manual transmission seen in a 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback.

2022-new-acura-integra-reveals-6-floor-manual-transmission
Via: Auto Channel

Acura, of course, wants to be a part of the fun as well. When the third-generation Integra GS-R was released in 1993, it came with an optional automatic transmission in select areas. We expect the all-new Integra to get a similar treatment, with the Civic Hatchback LX and EX-L getting an improved CVT (continuously variable automatic). However, instead of a CVT with virtual gears, a true six or seven-speed automatic would be preferable.

Related: The Fastest New Sports Sedans Under $50,000

3 Turbocharged Engine

acura integra 2022 turbo
Via: motor Authority

Acura relied on old-school engineering ingenuity to eke out more power from very tiny engines long before turbocharging became the norm. Honda's B16A VTEC engine, first seen in the second-generation Integra GS-R, produces 160 horsepower from 1.6 liters of displacement, all without turbocharging or force-feeding the engine with boosted air. VTEC's high-lift profile kicks in at 5,500 rpm, urging the engine to burn more gasoline and air until it reaches a heady 8,200 rpm redline.

2022-type-r-integra-acura
Via: carsales

Acura has yet to divulge official powertrain details, but we believe the new Integra will be powered by the same 1.5-liter turbocharged VTEC engine found in the 2022 Civic Hatchback, may be modified to produce more horsepower than the 180 horsepower it now produces. We're guessing 200 or 220 horsepower from the turbocharged VTEC motor in the 2022 Integra, although a hotrod Type S version is still in the works.

2 No Coupe?

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Via: MotorBiscuit

The four-door hatchback design, which was last seen on the first-generation Integra, is also back. The roofline softly swoops fully backward, spurred up just at the end by a tiny deck-lid spoiler, with no trunk to obstruct its journey. With a broad stretch of sheet metal bisecting two swoopy taillights and accented by a big Acura emblem, the rear appearance is influenced by the second-and third-generation cars.

2022-Honda-Integra-For-China-Leaked-2
Via: Carscoops

However, unlike the previous three generations, there will be no three-door variant this time. The overall silhouette is boosted by the use of Indy Yellow Pearl paint, and the color-matched tailpipes are unlikely to get into production.

Related: 10 Practical Daily Driver Sports Cars That Will Kill It On The Track

1 Pricing

New-Acura-Integra-Prototype
Via: CarSifu

Ikeda revealed that the 2023 Integra would start at roughly $30,000 at the unveiling of the Integra Prototype. It costs roughly $3000 more than a Civic Si and around the same as a Volkswagen GTI Mk8.

2022-Acura-Integra-Type-S-front
Via: Honda Pros

If a Type S model is in the works, we expect it to be much more expensive than a normal Integra. Closer to the car's on-sale date, we'll learn more about Integra's powertrain, price, and standard and optional features, and we'll update this post with those data.