COMPLETING THE CIRCLE

26 Years Later, the Civic Type R Has Finally Learned All the Integra Type R's Tricks

- SCOTT EVANS

It begins with the shifter. The visual connection is obvious—it’s the same shift knob, and not by accident—but it goes deeper, all the way to the transmission it operates. More than any other single part, though, the shifter in the 2023 Honda Civic Type R is the most tangible physical and spiritual connection to the legendary Acura Integra Type R.

This new Civic Type R shares more conceptually with the Integra Type R than any Honda- or Acura-badged car in the preceding 26 years. The way it drives, the way it behaves when pushed to its limit, the way it makes you feel all channel the Integra in ways no other car has managed.

So much effusive ink has been poured over the years in tributes to the Integra Type R, you’re forgiven for thinking this story is just another work of Honda fanboy navel-gazing. But as you see from the photos, it’s not. We’re not looking back at the Integra with rose-colored glasses; we actually drove one. This immaculate 2001 Type R came straight out of Honda’s own museum in Southern California, and we didn’t just drive it around for photos. Trust us, VTEC kicked in and then some.