Honda Civic Type R vs. Acura Integra Type S: Which FWD King Should You Get?

Two identical twins separated at birth grow up living two different lives only to accidentally meet up at summer camp years later. Despite sharing the same DNA, they have different identities and speak with different accents. After a brief stint as frenemies, they accept their similarities and differences and embrace a common goal. Walt Disney's 1998 blockbuster The Parent Trap starring Lindsay Lohan and Lindsay Lohan may as well have predicted the friendly rivalry between the 2023 Honda Civic Type R and the 2024 Acura Integra Type S.

These Japanese hatchbacks share the same platform, five-door configuration, powertrain, and more. They both carry legendary names with hefty reputations in JDM culture, and both aim to deliver silly amounts of driving fun for the buck. That's where the similarities end because when you put the spec sheets down and experience them in the real world, you quickly realize they are very different beasts. But beasts nonetheless.

Last October I had the opportunity to drive a camouflaged prototype of the Integra Type S at Honda's gigantic test oval in Tochigi, Japan. The experience didn't reveal a whole lot about the car, as it only involved flooring the accelerator and holding it down as I lapped a 2.48-mile oval with a wall-like 45 degrees of banking at 130 mph. If anything, it spoke to its stability and cushier, quieter interior.

Similarly, earlier this summer I was invited to a track day at Putnam Road Course in a production-spec Civic Type R. This was a more revealing test as it took place in the kind of environment the Type R is designed for. Its sharpness, balance, grip, and mini-race-car vibes were on full display that day.

Those isolated experiences were too dissimilar to arrive at any conclusions about the Japanese twins, not to mention that neither involved driving on public roads. It wasn't until last month, however, that I was able to drive both cars back to back. I ran errands, took kids to school, and even managed to squeeze a road trip in each car to see what they were like on longer hauls. After spending a week, 600 miles, and a dozen hours in each car, I walked away with a full understanding of each vehicle's pros and cons.

Acura Integra Type S: The Daily Warrior

Power, finesse, and seriously cool looks: that's what the Acura Integra Type S is all about. It's a real darling that dazzles with its flashy front end and sculpted rear. Plus, it features some creature comforts that should be in the Civic Type R—but aren't—though these tack on an additional 31 pounds. I'm talking about heated, leather-trimmed seats, a crispy ELS sound system, and parking sensors to make sure you don't rip those diffusers off on a rogue curb.

A more forgiving suspension, slightly less edgy dynamics, and a more refined cabin make the Integra Type S the weapon of choice for fun-loving commuters. Or should I say, fun-loving commuters in their 30s and 40s? Listen, I'm not getting any younger and I welcome any car that I can easily get in and out of, doesn't make me wince when I drive over a speedbump, and pampers me like the house cat that I am.