Original vintage early 1990s Acura advertisement for the company's sporty Integra, second generation - "For a new driving sensation, Integra has two personalities."  In Kanji Japanese.
 
When it comes to automotive icons, one of the most popular and storied compact cars produced in the past half-century is the Acura Integra.  Credited with helping to cement the Acura brand as a leader in the luxury performance segment, the Integra has earned a cult following across multiple generations.
 
Dimensions: 8 inches wide by 10.5 inches high.
 
The Honda Integra (Japanese: ホンダ インテグラ), sold in North America as the Acura Integra and later the Acura RSX, an automobile produced by the Japanese company Honda from 1985 until 2006, and then since 2021.  The Integra was one of the launch models for Acura in the U.S. in 1986 alongside the Acura Legend. Throughout its production run, the Integra was highly regarded for its handling and performance.  The 1995–2001 Integra Type R is widely regarded as one of the best front-wheel-drive cars of all time.
 
First Generation – 1986-1989
History was made on March 27, 1986 when the Acura brand made its global debut.  Simultaneously, the first-generation Integra also burst onto the scene with two variants – a 3-door and 5-door hatchback.  These Integra models were powered by a standard 1.6-liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine (D16A1) and 5-speed manual transmission that instantly made them a hit with driving enthusiasts.
 
Both consumers and industry critics began to recognize the Integra as one of the best front-wheel drive sport compacts available on the market. Its athletic styling cues highlighted by its signature pop-up headlight design helped the Acura Integra stand out from the competition.  The Integra also earned podium finishes on the racetrack, including a 2nd consecutive IMSA International Sedan Manufacturers’ Championship and 2nd consecutive IMSA International Sedan Drivers’ Championship in 1988.
 
Acura’s first-generation Integra debuted in Japan in February 1985 as the Honda Quint Integra, available only at Honda's Japanese dealership sales channel Honda Verno before going on sale a year later in North America as part of the then-new luxury Acura lineup.  The three-door variant was the only model available originally, with a five-door arriving in October 1985. Only the three-door versions were sold in the U.S., at least initially.
 
A 1.6 L DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine powered most versions.  The engine was the vehicle's most publicized feature, as DOHC, multi-valve engines were not commonplace in entry-level models at the time.
 
Being designed as the successor of the Honda Quint, the Integra is closely related to the Civic, although it featured a small list of key upgrades over its smaller stablemate to help merit a price increase over the CRX Si, which was otherwise the sportiest subcompact vehicle being offered.  Enlarged 4-wheel disc brakes replaced the small front-disc/rear-drum setup used by the Civic and CRX, suspension calibration was re-worked, better tires were used and a 113-hp DOHC fuel-injected 16-valve engine was used in place of the SOHC unit from the CRX Si.
 
Just like the Prelude of that period, the Integra featured sleek, sporty pop-up headlights, like its Japanese dealership Honda Verno stablemates, with the CRX adopting semi-concealed doors over the headlights.  Nearly 228,000 units were sold during the four-year run of the first-generation model, most of them in the United States.  The Integra received a minor facelift in 1987 for the 1988 model year which featured slightly reshaped indicator lights, an improved climate control system and an update of instrument clocks.  
 
Second Generation – 1990-1993
An all-new Integra was introduced in 1989.  The second-generation Integra continued to be available as a hatchback coupe but also a new 4-door notchback is available instead of a 5-door hatchback.  The second-generation Integra was introduced in April 1989, featuring the first VTEC engine ever manufactured by Honda (the B16A).
 
The next chapter of the Acura Integra brought a number of key updates and improvements for its second generation.  Notably, second-generation models were engineered with a fully independent double wishbone suspension to bolster agility and refinement. Under the hood, a more powerful 1.8-liter engine (B18) producing 130 horsepower turned up the exhilaration for the Integra.
 
In 1991, GS models were offered with premium features like a leather interior, power door locks, and a power moonroof. 1992 marked another milestone with the introduction of the Integra GS-R – a race-inspired high-performance variant that made it the second Acura model to feature VTEC (after the NSX).
 
In North America, the Integra was sold under the Acura nameplate.  Acura offered three trim levels (RS, LS and GS) for 1990 and 1991 model years and added a fourth trim level (GS-R) beginning in May 1992.  Model choices consisted of a 3-door liftback and a new 4-door sedan. All trim levels were available with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission except for the GS-R which was only offered in a 5-speed manual with shorter gearing than other trim levels.
 
For the 1992 and 1993 model years, Acura offered a GS-R model. The GS-R liftback came only with a 5-speed manual transmission and 1.7-liter B17A1 DOHC VTEC 4-cylinder engine with 160 hp (119 kW). The GS-R model came with a rear spoiler and 195/60/VR14 tires and alloy wheels.
 
Less than 5,000 of the 1992–1993 model years Acura Integra GS-R were produced for North America; this is confirmed by the VIN sequence of these cars.  Using this information, the production numbers of the GS-R via vehicle history reports are determined.
 
Integra Theft in the United States
According to a 2002 Highway Loss Data Institute study, the Integra "accounts for 21.7 [theft] claims per 1,000 vehicles", compared to a contemporary Jeep Wrangler, the second most-stolen car model of that period, at just 8.5 claims per 1,000 vehicles.
 
In 2004, CCC Information Services named the 1999 Integra as the most stolen car in the United States, with the 1998 model year of the car listed as the third-most stolen model for that year. In 2014, LoJack named the Integra as the sixth most stolen car among vehicles equipped with their car tracking service.