compareCivic FL5 vs Integra DE5
// the director’s cut

Honda Civic FL5 vs Acura Integra DE5

8 reviewers · 44 head-to-head calloutsZygrene · 11·Jubbal & Cars · 3·Savagegeese · 2·Tedward · 1
// two characters, one road
Civic FL5
The Track-Day Bargain

The more focused, more powerful, ~$7k-cheaper Type R — stronger up top, higher cornering speeds, and seats built for hard laps, at the price of a stiffer, noisier daily.

Pick it if you want the sharper, faster, track-focused one plus the $7,000 saving — more top end, higher limits, the better seats — and you'll live with a stiffer, louder daily to get them.

Integra DE5
The Grand-Touring Type R

The same K20C1 wrapped in the nicer car — heated seats, adaptive dampers, plusher materials, and 20–30 lb-ft more in the mid-range. The Type R you can commute in without flinching at a bad road.

Pick it if you want the K20C1 thrills in the more comfortable, better-finished car — adaptive dampers, heated seats, a supple ride, more usable mid-range — and the upgrade is worth the premium.

00// bottom line

Same K20C1 turbo four, two opposite ideas of what to do with it.

The FL5 Civic Type R is the undiluted one: sharper, faster, ~$7,000 cheaper, with higher cornering speeds and seats built for hard laps — loud and stiff because that's the point.

The Integra Type S spends the difference on civility — adaptive dampers, heated seats, plusher materials, and ~30 lb-ft more low- and mid-range torque — the same engine retuned to grand-tour rather than attack.

Buy the Type R if your best day ends at a track; buy the Integra if it ends in traffic.

// scorecard at a glance
// the five aspects — one at a time
01// the matchup

Performance

Civic
4.5/5
Integrawins
4.5/5
Integra WINSIntegra wins on low-end and mid-range torque delivery.· reviewers split
CivicFL54.5/5positive2 clips

this is next level in terms of power

9:39Zygrene · 9:39wins here

an fl5 Civic type bar should be a tad bit quicker

1:00Zygrene · 1:00wins here
IntegraDE54.5/5positive5 clips

I actually think my Integra Type S seems to have a bit more low-end and mid-range torque.

12:53Zygrene · 12:53wins here

this has a lot more mid-range torque something like 20 to 25 lb feet I want to say and that gives this car the edge in Daily driving

14:00Zygrene · 14:00wins here
02// the matchup

Handling

Civiceven
5.0/5
Integraeven
4.5/5
EVEN READno clear edge· reviewers split
CivicFL55.0/5positive4 clips

I remember driving an FL5 Type R on 275s and the front end just felt kind of mushy.

9:08Zygrene · 9:08trails here

Biggest difference is the high-speed stability. The overall cornering speeds of this car are just a little bit higher.

12:34Zygrene · 12:34wins here
IntegraDE54.5/5positive2 clips

see how it just absorbs that single compression no pogot Pogo dancing around like in That cic Type R

14:03Jubbal & Cars · 14:03wins here

because the suspension's softer on this car when you're driving above 810s so when you're driving at the absolute limit the front end does not work as well as it does in the tie bar

31:48Savagegeese · 31:48trails here
03// the matchup

Fun to drive

Civicwins
4.5/5
Integra
4.5/5
Civic WINSCivic Type R wins; seats are significantly more supportive for track use.
CivicFL54.5/5positive2 clips

these seats are fantastic... way more supportive for hard driving a lot more bolstering for your thighs

5:01Zygrene · 5:01wins here

I think the Civic is the real monster on back road

40:13Redline Reviews · 40:13wins here
IntegraDE54.5/5positive2 clips

in terms of the driving dynamics of the car dare I say close to faultless

10:42Zygrene · 10:42impression

this is hands down the best option in this segment for someone that's interested in driving enjoyment

35:31A Auto Buyers Guide · 35:31impression
04// the matchup

Daily drivability

Civic
3.5/5
Integrawins
4.5/5
Integra WINSCivic Type R has superior, more comfortable seats.· reviewers split
CivicFL53.5/5positive4 clips

the seats aren't as good the Civic Type R has better seats more bolstering really comfortable

10:53Jubbal & Cars · 10:53wins here

the seats aren't quite as comfortable as in the type R but Type R has more lateral support and just the whole way that those feel

1:37Jubbal & Cars · 1:37wins here
IntegraDE54.5/5positive13 clips

the overall choice of materials in the Integra Type S interior does feel a bit better

4:28Zygrene · 4:28wins here

this car is definitely a lot softer than the type R. The type R is a pretty stiff vehicle and this dials it down just a bit

5:18Tedward · 5:18wins here
05// the matchup

Value

Civicwins
4.0/5
Integra
3.5/5
Civic WINSCivic Type R wins; offers similar performance and better software for $7,000 less.· reviewers split
CivicFL54.0/5positive

the integr type S MSRP is so much higher roughly a $7,000 price difference for as you can see not that big of a difference

16:30Zygrene · 16:30wins here
IntegraDE53.5/5positive2 clips

the $10,000 Delta that the Integra Type S has over this car is just not worth it

27:59Savagegeese · 27:59trails here

we get a lot of extra feature content so I think that the price bump is worth it

19:06A Auto Buyers Guide · 19:06wins here
06// the footage

Hear it in the reviewer’s words

Zygrene
Posted Jul 7, 2024Open on YouTube
Moments worth your time
Redline Reviews
Posted Aug 23, 2023Open on YouTube
Moments worth your time
Tedward
Posted Jun 19, 2023Open on YouTube
Moments worth your time
More Civic vs Integra comparisons
▶ play all (18)
Integra on video
▶ play all (12)