Honda’s Civic Type R made a big splash when it launched in the late 1990s. The Civic Type R gave sport compact buyers around the world a potent front-wheel drive hatchback and fueled the growing interest in Japanese imports. The only problem: It didn’t come to the United States. No, instead Honda decided to shuffle its sport compact onto U.S. shorelines under the Acura banner. This low-production Integra Type R was obviously popular and now commands a premium as a collector’s piece. Fortunately, in 2017, Honda did bring the Civic Type R to the U.S. and finally gave Honda fans the option to easily and legally own Honda’s hot Civic. When Acura brought back the Integra, it was only a matter of time before the company ushered in its Type R analog, and it’s finally here. The 2024 Acura Integra Type S borrows the powertrain and hard points from Honda’s Civic Type R but gives it a more road-friendly makeover. The Integra Type S doesn’t have the heavily bolstered seats or large rear wing, but it does have more power than its Honda counterpoint.

On this episode of Quick Spin, host Wesley Wren hops behind the wheel of Acura’s hopped-up Integra and puts it through its paces. Wren takes you on a guided tour of the Integra Type S and highlights some of his favorite features and what sets it apart from the Civic Type R. Wren also takes you along for a live drive review. Wren chats with Autoweek associate editor Emmet White, who also spent time with the Integra Type S. The pair discuss how the Integra feels compared to the Civic and what they both like about the car. Closing the show, the pair breaks down what makes the Integra Type S special.