Let’s not forget it’s not the only Civic-based product trading on that nostalgic badge — there’s the Honda Integra too. The Chinese-market Integra got its public debut at the 2021 Guangzhou Auto Show. The Honda Integra is being positioned as a sportier affair than the Civic but features far less visual differentiation than its Acura namesake. In fact, the best way to describe it would be as a mildly tweaked Civic with slimmer LED headlights, grille, bumpers, and dual exhaust pipes.
The Integra is slightly longer than the
Civic, measuring 4,675 mm long, 1,800 mm wide, and
1,415 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,735 mm. The
interior again features minor differences from its Civic sibling, with a
10.2-inch digital instrument panel, a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen, and the
signature horizontal full-width honeycomb design connecting the climate vents.
The Integra also gets Honda’s Connect 3.0 operating system, with Baidu CarLife
(an alternative to Andriod Auto and Apple CarPlay). The ‘teg also gets a
12-speaker Bose audio system, and a “digital key” that enables a connected
smartphone to unlock and start the car.
The reason the Integra exists is to
provide an option for Honda’s tie-up with GAC, with the Civic already being
made by another JV in the form of Dongfeng Honda. However, the GAC-Honda
Integra’s 1.5-liter engine will be sourced straight from the Dongfeng Honda
Engine Co. The L15C engine is the same 1.5 turbo found across the Civic range
that develops 180 hp and 240 Nm of torque –
despite that confusing ‘240’ badge at the back. Power is delivered to the front
wheels via either a CVT or a six-speed manual.
