Tested: The 2026 Acura Integra A-Spec Manual Is Big on Feel, Light on Speed

See All 28 Photos28

The Integra’s comeback has been a win for Acura. Thanks to its sharp handling, smooth and eager powertrain, and solid fuel economy, the Integra currently sits atop our best subcompact luxury sedan rankings. (Yes, we know it’s technically a hatchback.) And for enthusiasts, there’s extra sweetness: Two of its trims still offer a six-speed manual transmission as standard equipment, a rarity these days.

We’ve tested a manual-equipped version of Integra A-Spec before, calling it an upscale take on the Honda Civic Si that we found to be engaging and polished, though not nearly as intense as the other Integra available with a manual, the super Type S. Acura has since refreshed the Integra A-Spec with Technology for the 2026 model year, adding updated styling and expanded tech features to the mix.

Among the tweaks are subtle aero additions, including new side spoilers. Do they help the base-engine 2026 Integra turn in stronger numbers on our test track? Time to find out.

See All 28 Photos28

(Still) Feels Quicker Than It Is

With its 1.5-liter turbo-four, the Integra A-Spec manual continues to be lively enough, and despite having the same power as before (200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque), the 2026 model we tested picked up 0.2 ticks to 60 mph over the 2023 version and tying in the quarter mile, tripping the lights at a barely improved 92.1 mph.

That’s fine for the daily grind, but 7.4 seconds to 60 won’t appreciably raise your pulse. Consider the Audi A3; it makes similar horsepower (201) and more torque (221 lb-ft) from a larger 2.0-liter turbo-four, powers all four wheels, and is a full second quicker. And if you want real pace, the 320-hp Integra Type S blasts to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds.

Still, for those who love to drive, especially those who love rowing their own gears, the A-Spec’s manual remains a highlight. The shifter’s gates are crisp, and the rev-matching system is subtle enough (and easily disabled through the infotainment screen). Pedals are positioned nicely for heel-toe action, and even though the clutch pedal remains soft, you adapt quickly.

While not as stout or as heavily damped as the clutch used by the Type S, it works well when paired with the little turbo-four. And if you appreciate a small engine with character, this VTEC mill sounds great, from its low, mellow notes at idle to the angry, endearing buzz when you wind it toward redline.

See All 28 Photos28

Tired Tires

When assessing the handling of the Integra A-Spec, it didn’t take long to identify its weak link: the factory Continental ContiProContact 235/40R18 tires. The car feels nimble at turn-in, but when you push harder, the sharpness fades, giving way to pronounced understeer. That matched what we saw on the test track, where the tires turned gummy after just a few laps.

But despite the tires, as with its acceleration numbers, the car made some incremental progress in our dynamic testing. The 2026 model is quicker through our racetrack-in-a-bottle figure eight than both the 2023 manual (27.2 seconds) and CVT (26.6 seconds), and it nearly matches the quicker A3 AWD (26.3 seconds). But the gains slip away in our lateral-acceleration loop, where the Integra A-Spec manual trails its rivals. Braking performance is similarly midpack: Stops from 60 mph are 2 feet longer than the 2023 CVT’s and 4 feet longer than the A3’s. Pedal travel is short, however, and modulation is easy.

Body control remains solid whether you’re carving canyons or making a panic stop. Steering effort is a touch heavy but otherwise precise. No, this isn’t a Type S, but there continues to be more than a fair amount of athleticism here. Did we mention it has a manual transmission?

See All 28 Photos28

Practicality Points

Fuel economy continues to be an Integra advantage, edging out the A3’s 24/34 mpg city/highway by a couple mpg in each cycle. The CVT-equipped A-Spec does even better. Range is a different story. The manual tops out at 372 miles, trailing the Audi, but the A3 hits its 406-mile rating with the help of a gas tank that’s 2.1 gallons larger.

The Acura’s hatchback layout is another key advantage. Audi gives the A3 a small sedan trunk, while the Integra offers a spacious cargo hold, measured differently, yes, but functionally far more useful. In real-world terms, the Acura provides more than double the A3’s 10.9 cubic feet of storage space.

Who Is This Car For?

The audience for a non–Type S Integra manual is small, given how few buyers choose a stick shift anymore. But if that’s your thing, the A-Spec manual is a likable package. It’s engaging if a bit on the slow side by modern “fun car” standards, it offers useful space for its size, and it delivers genuinely good fuel economy from its tiny turbocharged engine.

If you’re looking for a truly sporty front-driver not named Integra, a manual Hyundai Elantra N would cost you $4,800 less, and it nearly runs with the much more expensive Type S. That said, better tires and a bit more power could wake up the A-Spec manual considerably, and the aftermarket could certainly help spice things up, too, but those things cost extra. As it stands, the lesser of the two Integra manual models, as charming as it is, might not go far enough for most enthusiasts.