About 6 months ago I purchased myself a 1996 Acura Integra GS-R with 105k miles on it. I was kind of skeptical because I know that teenagers like to race these cars and they usually come trashed, so I expected that the motor wouldn’t be as strong and there would be lots of rattles in the car.
Man was I wrong. Either the previous owners babied this car or else Acura did a great job designing it. The motor runs strong and fast, there are no rattles what so ever coming from the body, the interior is in great condition and everything works perfect.
First I’ll start off with the things that I love about the car. The obvious is the motor. I don’t know what the engineers at Honda are smoking to get so much acceleration out of a 1.8, but it must be good because it’s working. The B18C1 is pushing 170 hp and 128 ft/lbs stock. The car runs a 7.1 0-60 acceleration time with a top speed of 143 mph. It’s a 5-speed close-ratio manual transmission (no automatic transmission available) with front-wheel drive. This car is quick from the take-off but when u hit about 5,300 rpm that is when the VTEC engages all the way to the 8k redline and that’s when all the fun really starts, and does all this with great gas mileage: 25 city, 31 highway (just remember that if you drive it hard you’re not going to even come close to these figures).
The GS-R comes with a lot of standard options that the driver can really appreciate. It comes with a glass moonroof, rear spoiler, power windows, power locks, driver and passenger airbags, power steering, stock motor strut bar, 4-wheel disc ABS brakes, and 15-inch alloy wheels. The Integra is also a hatchback that has a lot of room when you fold down the back seats (I can fit my mountain bike easily). Also, the transmission has a short-throw for quick, easy, and precise shifts. The seats have more of a race-seat feel, the wrap around you so you never move around while cornering. That reminds me, the suspension and handling are awesome!! It is a stiffer ride, but the handling on this car is solid.
But with every great thing there must be some negatives. First is that the backseat is way too small, it almost feels like an afterthought from the designers. I’m about 5㤒” and I am way too tall to ride in the back comfortably. The also is a lot of road noise inside of the car, especially when you are traveling at higher speeds. The B18C1 is a great motor, but it still is only a 4-cylinder. Even though the top end power is ridiculous, the motor does lack a lot of torque. While the transmission is great, the car really feels that it needs a 6th gear (cruising at 70mph, the car is at 3,800 rpm in 5th gear). The most common complaint I hear from GS-R owners (and Integra owners in general) is the headlights. So feel that they are too feminine and many people feel that the GS-R should look radically different then the base Integra. The only difference body looks-wise between a GS-R and the base Integra is that the GS-R has a spoiler,15-inch alloy wheels, and the DOHC VTEC badge. Oh yeah, this thing is a thief magnet. You better get full insurance, alarm, kill switch, the club, and about anything else you can find, on this bad boy because this is the most stolen car in California. And since it carries that lovely title of being a highly-stolen car, and it’s under the sports car category, your insurance premiums are going to be ridiculous.
In conclusion, this is an iconic car for very good reasons. It is going to cost a little more (insurance and repairs) then a regular Honda, but it is worth every penny. So if you are looking for a nice little compact car that gets great gas mileage, but can throw you back in your seat when you step on it, then the Acura Integra GS-R is for you.


Amount Paid (US$): 6,500
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1996
Model and Options: Acura Integra GS-R