The Acura Integra Type-R is one of the most legendary sports coupes of all time and has been on the hall of fame list of the best Japanese cars to ever hit the American market. Launched back in 1995, the superb B18C engine under the hood that could rev to 9,000 RPM coupled with top-notch engineering and suspension setup made it a perfect choice for those who want a fun-to-drive offering for not a lot of money.
However, in the present day, the Acura Integra Type-R's pricing is going off the hooks with the pristine examples sold for over $100,000 on Bring a Trailer. The exceptional mod potential and the striking design language are still some of the strong suites of this ride. The relevance also comes from its simplistic mechanicals and unmatched reliability. Before going ahead with the purchase of a used Acura Integra Type-R, here are 10 things you need to know.
10 Used Acura Integra Type-R Pricing Is Off The Hook
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The Acura Integra Type-R was never a poster car with an insane price tag back when it officially came to the United States market. With a base price tag of $23,500, it was very affordable for the time and was only a few thousand dollars more expensive than the base Integra of the time.
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However, after more than two decades, the used Acura Integra Type-R pricing is off the hook with concourse examples sold for a whopping $112,112 in Bring a Trailer this year. Even if you aren't looking for a spotless example with very minimal miles under the clock, you would still need to shell out upward of $40,000 for a good example with no accident history.
9 The Acura Integra Type-R Has The Capable VTEC Engine That Everyone Loves
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The Acura Integra Type-R comes with the legendary B18C 1.8-liter naturally aspirated inline-4 engine producing 195 hp and 130 lb-ft of torque. Even though the performance numbers aren't very exciting by 2022 standards, one of the things that makes it great is its top-notch power-to-weight ratio.
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With a very low curb weight of just 2,639 lbs, the Acura Integra Type-R could do the 0-60 MPH run in around 7 seconds and had a quarter-mile time of 15.7 seconds. The lightweight body coupled with the high-revving engine made it a hoot to drive as well. The power goes down through the front wheels, and it only came with a 5-speed manual transmission.
8 The Integra Type-R Is Spacious
Coming with a full-black interior and special sports seats with suede trim and contrast red stitching, the comfort on offer from the Acura Integra Type-R was up there with the best of the rivals. The headroom and legroom are excellent even by 2022 standards and the cabin does get a decent list of comfort features.
The chunky four-spoke steering wheel and wide armrest make it a comfortable place for the driver. The headroom, legroom, and shoulder room are quite good. Being a car from the late 90s, there weren't any major blindspots as well. The cargo capacity is exceptional too. However, the rear seat cannot accommodate tall Americans, and it is only suitable for kids.
7 The Acura Type-R Is Pretty Frugal
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Coming with a naturally aspirated inline-4 engine and a low curb weight, the Acura Integra Type-R is much more frugal than what many would expect. This sports coupe returned 22 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway. This equates to combined gas mileage of 23 MPG.
The 5-speed manual and FWD drivetrain also helped the Acura Integra Type-R in giving out decent fuel efficiency numbers. With 13.2 gallons of fuel tank capacity, the Integra Type-R could do about 369 miles on the highways.
6 The Integra Type-R Has Very Few Reliability Issues
The bulletproof reliability of the mechanicals and the excellent quality control from Acura make the Acura Integra Type-R still a perfect choice after more than two decades of being in production. The B18C is known for its reliability, and it could easily last more than 200,000 miles with just regular maintenance according to the owners.
Some of the common issues include gear synchronizer failure, interior rattles, water leaks, and rattling exhaust manifolds, and all of these were present in the Integra forums. However, rust has been an issue with many offerings from Japan and the Integra Type R is no different. Nevertheless, it is not a major issue if you are not from the rust belt region of the United States.
5 The Integra Type-R Offers Better Suspension And Brakes Than The Regular Integra
The Acura Integra Type-R is quite a lot different from the regular base Integra GSR when it comes to engineering and mechanicals, and it shows the moment you take it for a spin. It gets an upgraded suspension setup which helps the car to sit lower, helping it corner a bit flatter around tight corners.
There is serious weight reduction with the Integra Type-R and the helical gear limited slip differential helps it to grip the road when driving hard. The double wishbone suspension system all-around, bigger sway bars, and bigger disc brakes with ABS were all beneficial for setting impressive track times.
4 The B18C Engine In The Type R Is One Of The Highest-Revving Engines Out There
What makes the B18C one of the most renowned engines of all time is due to its impressive rev-happy nature and the performance it produces even with such a tiny capacity. Being a 1,800 cc engine with 16 valves and double overhead cams, the VTEC system made sure that you see a very aggressive cam profile at the higher rev range.
This made the B18C a hoot to drive at high RPMs, and it was also one of the best-sounding inline-4 engines that came to production. The B18C also came with modified pistons, lighter connecting rods, and wider intake valves when compared to the regular B18. All of these helped the Acura Integra Type-R to get a rev limiter at 9,000 RPM.
3 The Interior Of The Integra Type-R Looks Sporty
The interior of the Acura Integra Type-R looks very similar to many of the offerings from the Honda stable of that time. The large three-spoke steering wheel and the clean analog dials will take you back to the 90s. Even though the overall design is pretty simple, Acura made sure that there are some minor touches that helped it to give out the sporty vibe.
The suede upholstery with contrast red stitching is onboard with the Integra Type-R and the red elements are also present in multiple parts of the dashboard and door cards. The aluminum shifter knob and the simple center console design with a lot of buttons and knobs look pretty cool too.
2 The Integra Type-R Lacks Many Features
The Acura Integra Type-R is a pretty old car and that does show when it comes to the features on offer. The standard interior features include an AM/FM stereo system, 6-speaker audio system, power door locks, heated mirrors, tilt adjustable steering wheel, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and single-zone automatic climate control.
The ABS comes in as standard and the 4-wheel disc brake makes sure that you do not have any problems while anchoring down the Integra Type-R from high speeds. However, you are not going to see any driver-assistance features or other luxury features like leather upholstery, heated and powered seats, and a sunroof with the Integra Type-R.
1 The Integra Type-R Is A Lightweight Sports Car
The main mantra of Acura when making the Acura Integra Type-R was to create a fast and fun-to-drive sports coupe. As a result, they made sure to cut off as many pounds as possible. This resulted in the Integra Type-R losing a lot of techs and features that most of the segment rivals offered.
The weight was not only reduced by the removal of interior and exterior features but also by reducing the weight of the powertrain and other mechanical components. The entire suspension system and braking hardware were lighter than the Integra GSR. The chassis is pretty beefed up with more reinforcements in the front and back. Acura also made sure that it didn't contribute to any significant weight increase. Overall, the Integra GSR was over 100 lbs heavier than the Integra Type-R.