Finally had a chance to drive one. It has been a long time since I was this disappointed with a car that I was expecting to be spectacular. It drove great, but nowhere what I was expecting. I thought it would blow my 2.0T 6MT Accord out of the water and yes, it's a more competent car but not to the point to blow me away. My car has Acuity transmission upgrades and Eibach front and rear sway bars so my car isn't an average Accord boat but still, I was expecting dual axis front suspension + LSD to be like on rails. Well, it wasn't. Also, it's gutless below 3K RPM. My car has full torque 273 at 1500. That's not even the worst part. The worst part are the price vs what you get for the money. Even at MSRP it's a wildly overpriced car. At $54K, you have SO MANY other options that offer better/bigger engine/hp/torque numbers, better drivetrain (AWD), better transmission (DCT) and better interiors. It's wild that this is considered a luxury vehicle. Seriously, no memory seats, no rear HVAC vents, no heated steering wheel, no cooled seats, no rear USB ports, no LEDs, no 360 camera, no coolant temp gauge, no sunroof, no middle seat on a LUXURY brand 4 door, manual passenger seat...seriously??? Honda should have left Type R at $38K and Integra S should have been $44K. This $54K+ nonsense is a failure. It's a small dealership (really small in comparison) and they have two Integra Type S sitting on the lot at MSRP. No one is buying them. I've seen few YouTube videos where people filmed bigger Acura dealership lots that have 6 or 7 Integra Type S sitting. This car is I'm sorry to say it but dead in the water. Way overpriced for what it offers and at price (if that is your budget) you have SO MANY OTHER OPTIONS (Golf R, Corolla GR, Supra 3.0T, M240i, S4, CT5-V, Camaro 1SS 1LE, Mustang GT, Perf Package, Scat Packs, Model 3 Perf, STI, 370Z Nismo, Jag XE R-Dynamic S, IS 350F, G70, 718 Boxter, etc, etc, etc.).

 

Road and Track's Performance Car of the Year. https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews...r-winner-2024/

The 2.0/6MT Accord was a special car. Too bad Honda d/c'd it.

 

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to please everyone and probably you had very high expectations and Acura didn’t meet it. On the other hand, over 30,000 people bought the Integra and made it a massive success. Hope you find a car that checks all the boxes for you for less money 🙏🏽

 

Keep "modding" your Accord OP..way to many Type S on the road already....lmmfao....

 

Maybe a 2025 Accord Coupe will be released and tickle your fancy...

 

The IT-S is a pretty cool looking car, but its looks alone aren't worth $54k imo. At that price, Acura should've given it SH-AWD (or better yet, eSH-AWD for more low end grunt). But despite all this, there were still takers. Shouldn't that be enough motivation for Acura to offer a TLX-S 6MT? They like to advertise the fact that both the base and S variants are the only 6MT's in their class, but what about the midsize class? Are they content leaving that piece of the pie to Cadillac, despite being a "performance" brand?

Alas, it's been said that the IT-S is their swan song to ICE models - such a shame if true, as there's so much left on the table with that and the TLX-S that they could've done to send them off with a bang (similar to what Cadillac did with their Blackwing lineup, which are supposedly also their last ICE enthusiast models).

 

Which Acuity transmission upgrades did you do? I was looking at the stage 1 to stiffen up the shifter on my 2.0T 6MT also. I had a 2020 Civic Si, and I loved how that shifter felt..

With that being said, I agree with what you're saying about the ITS. I mean our Accord has rear seat vents, how does the Acura not? With driving around a kid in the back, the rear vents are pretty important to me.

 

To start, I do own a 2024 Integra Type S, and traded in my 2022 Integra Aspec Tech for the Type S.

When I first test drove the vehicle, I also was a little disappointed. I had high expectations with all of the praise the car gets from most reviewers out there. I also never test drove the FK8 or FL5, so I was really hoping for something special. To be honest when I drove the car for the first time there was 4 of us in the vehicle and it was raining, which added to the lack of driving enjoyment on the very short test drive. However, I kept coming back to the idea of having a luxury(ish), good looking, fun to drive car that will be my last swan song manual, I just can't give up on it yet. I have to disagree with your options you suggested for the money, as IMO most of those other vehicles do not look as good, do not have a manual, and have different driver engagement. Some of those vehicles are nice ones as well, but they either lack in interior, exterior, or driver interaction - At least what I want from a vehicle. An AWD vehicle is not so important to me, as I do not launch the car/clutch dump and drag race other people, and I put winter tires in the snow (yes I live in Canada and we get snow) - The car is more than capable.

As for fit and finish, I think Honda/Acura was too caught up on reducing weight from the Teg Aspec to the Type S. I really would prefer 5 seats (although they say the car powertrain was not meant for 5 people) for the odd time I would take 5 passengers. I also am pissed off that they removed the memory seats, and even the auto tilt for reverse on the passenger side mirror (common Acura this feature loses has no weight savings as there is already wires in this mirror and a motor) - These would do nominal difference in weight. Also they could have a Plus R mode to provide the same screen and specs that the Type R has for track focused info.

As for the Teg S and what I need in a vehicle. Well, this is my one and done car. I don't have a second vehicle, and this vehicle fits the bill almost perfectly. I want a 4 door vehicle that can carry a decent enough of cargo. This Teg can fit my large size road bike in the rear with the seats down without removing the wheels = That is awesome. The car is comfortable, but also has some power and sound when you push the car. Every time I look at it, I am impressed and have a hard time thinking of a current vehicle that looks as good for the money. Every time I drive it, it is fun to drive and much more so than my modestly modified 2022 Aspec Teg (Dyno'd with 250 tq and 238 Hp to the wheels).

Why I decided to try the car again and end up buying it..... Well, yes I test drove it again and was more impressed - You really need to spend more time with this vehicle and you will know. In fact I still am impressed with the car having it now for approximately 6 months and thoroughly enjoy driving it daily! What I had to get past in my head was the cost difference upgrading from the Aspec to the Type S, it is a huge jump. BUT, where I live Acura and Hondas hold their value exceptionally well, most especially Civic Type R's. The original FK8's that have 50,000 - 80,000 kms on the odometer are selling in the used market for close to original MSRP (which seems absolutely ridiculous), and the Teg Type S is exactly what I want in a vehicle. For me, when I consider the MSRP for this vehicle it is actually not unreasonable compared to what the market asks for vehicles now - And most vehicles are all jumping up in price. One exception would be the Elantra N, which is pretty much a way better car for the money - But, I am a Honda fan boy (yes I admit it, but I have tried the VW's, Audi, and Mazda. I keep coming back to Honda).

We all have our own opinions, and decide where we want to spend our hard earned money. For me as a Teg Type S owner, I would say it is well worth it for those that can dish out the money for the things they love and want to hold on to. I will be keeping this car for quite a while!!!


The Teg Type S is

 

I currently drive a 2014 TL SH-AWD and have been doing some research on the ITS models. I came from a Focus ST and I miss having a MT car and something a little better on fuel. I was actually thinking of test driving an ITS today, and now I’m wondering if I’m shopping the wrong type of car. I use my sunroof daily and enjoy some of the features that (I didn’t realize until now) the ITS doesn’t have at all. That being said, I love the look of the integra and having something newer and more sporty is definitely appealing.

 

DF132,

I understand your concerns regarding some of the creature comforts on your 2014 TL AWD, however that vehicle is around 11-12 years old now and new vehicles have more features inclusive of safety and comfort (Android Auto/Car Play - Which is huge for me). I marginally miss the sunroof - But that is mainly if I am trying to look above and can't see up through the glass of the moonroof. If you want more creature comforts like sunroofs etc you can try and look for a 2024 Golf R (2025 no longer is available in a manual), or a Cadillac Black Wing or Porsche 911 (If you can afford those options). The ITS is definitely not a cheap vehicle, however nothing really is now, and nothing compares to the ITS with its features, fun to drive, and manual transmission - Without a doubt one of the best sticks currently available on the market ( arguments against could perhaps be the Mazda Miata or a Porsche 911, but I prefer Hondas ).

The AWD is not something I miss at all with the ITS (I previously had an Audi S4 manual), and I live in Canada with more rain and snow than most others on this forum, and I don't race people so 0-60 times is a maturity thing I am not a part of any longer. However, you should note the ITS has a very small gas tank and you will be filling up likely almost weekly. The ITS is not horrible on gas for the type of vehicle it is, but the tank is small, I only mention this as you wanted something a little more fuel efficient. The ITS easily has about the same interior space and storage compared to your TL, aside from a lower head room in the rear.

I would definitely test drive the ITS, although many times "driving leads to buying". The car looks amazing, drives exceptionally well for what it is, and very likely will hold its value based on the lesser amount of ITS on the road, and manuals becoming fewer and fewer.

Some other options may be the new Toyota Celica or MR4 that may be coming in the next couple years, one may likely be a manual?

Long live the manuals!!!

 

Thanks for your response on this. I will definitely check out a few of the other offerings in this price segment....I would love a Porsche but I don't think the price is doable, I will be stretching pretty good at the ITS range. The Golf type R was something on my radar but I've heard that it's not a really "special" feeling car in many ways compared to the ITS and the manual transmission is not that great (I haven't driven this one personally but in some of the comparison threads I've been reading through, this is the general consensus).

Thanks!

 

I watched many reviews on comparable vehicles and I came to the conclusion that the ITS was the right one for me. It was also a bit of a stretch price wise, but I would honestly say it is worth it as long as you can afford it, and get it for MSRP or close to it. This is saying a lot as i came from a 2023 Integra Aspec, and got hosed in losses for trading up a 2 year old vehicle instead of waiting a little longer for the ITS. IMO The VW Golf R is not in the same class when it comes to fit and finish, especially when it comes to driving and digital controls. Also, Honda generally have better reliability and are easier to work on if u are a hands on person.

Finally, the resale value on CTRs where i live is absolutely insane.if the ITS can hold its value fairly close to that, you can sell it in a couple years with minimal to no losses.

Best of luck!