THE WAY IN

ACURA'S INTEGRA AND AUDI'S A3 ARE THE PERFECT MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN PREMIUM AND PRACTICAL

- BOB HERNANDEZ

Buying a premium SUV isn’t the only way to show the world you’re moving up in life. Used to be, buying a small luxury car like the Acura Integra or Audi A3 was the principal method for making that flex. These days, the segment is growing again as automakers want to woo customers into their product families for not just one purchase but many more down the road.

Audi redesigned the A3 for 2022 with a longer, wider, and taller body, plus revised styling, updated technology, and a standard mild hybrid turbocharged powertrain. Spicier related models include the S3 and top-spec RS 3, but the A3 is the lineup’s bread and butter.

For 2023, Acura resurrected the Integra as a four-door after a 22-year hiatus. It picks up with its first factory turbo engine, but we’re still waiting for a higher-performance Type S to break cover.

Each competitor is equipped with a turbocharged I-4 that makes about 200 hp. The A3’s engine is bigger by a half liter; other differences include its 48-volt mild hybrid system, seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and standard all-wheel drive.

The displacement and hybrid system help the Audi develop 221 lb-ft of torque, 29 more than the Acura (though some dyno runs have indicated the Honda-owned brand could be underreporting the car’s output). For its part, the Integra leaves the factory with a 1.5-liter turbo-four, CVT automatic, and front-wheel drive. (AWD isn’t available.) The A-Spec model with Technology package we tested can also be ordered with a six-speed manual and a limited-slip differential.