Acura Integra vs Toyota Camry

The 2024 Acura Integra Type S stood out with its distinctive and aggressive styling that was more apparent than ever due to its widebody appearance and assertive detailing. The car offered a complete hardware upgrade derived from the Honda Civic Type R, enhancing elements from the drivetrain to the suspension, as well as the steering and brakes. The front end of the Type S was unique and easily distinguishable from other Integras. The redesigned front bumper, broader front track width increased by 3.1 inches, 19-inch wheels, aerodynamic aids, and enhanced cooling structures for the engine and brakes made it appear formidable. The rear track was also widened by 1.9 inches, ensuring that the vehicle's physique tied together seamlessly from front to back. The lower body kit and rear fender flares connected visually to the flared front fenders. Additionally, a rear lip spoiler and a significant rear diffuser enhanced the sporty look, with the triple-outlet exhaust system delivering an impressive soundtrack, especially in Sport+ mode. Acura sold the 2024 Integra Type S in a single specification level, with options for various paint colors (excluding Lunar Silver) and trendy accessories like Gloss Copper wheels and carbon fiber detailing. The as-tested price for an Apex Blue model with additional accessories was $53,785. Inside, the Integra maintained a visual similarity to the Integra A-Spec, featuring Type S emblems, Ultrasuede seat inserts, and a color-matching dashboard trim. However, the interior material quality wasn't exceptional for its price point, particularly evident to rear-seat passengers. On the other hand, the 2025 Toyota Camry showcased a cohesive and business-like front fascia, taking stylistic cues from the new Prius and the Lexus spindle grille. Termed the "hammerhead front face" by Toyota, the design incorporated standard LED headlights and DRLs. Though lacking a trendy light bar, the vehicle gave an illusion of one due to its design. The profile of the Camry remained largely familiar, with an extended rear-window surround that emphasized its coupe-like roof. The hood extended further forward, meeting the grille's vertical line, giving the car a more assertive look. The base LE trim featured 16-inch alloy wheels, while the SE and XLE trims had black 18-inch wheels. The sporty XSE showcased 19-inch wheels finished in black and Smoke Gray. Sportier SE and XSE models added front air ducts, rear diffusers, sport-mesh grilles, and exposed dual-tip exhausts. The XSE also offered a two-tone paint job as an extra-cost option, with several color choices. The interior of the new Camry represented a significant departure from its predecessor with an entirely new dash layout that helped camouflage the vents. However, the light gray quilted Dinamica microfiber found in the XLE test car was not well-received due to its propensity for attracting spills and oils. Fortunately, the microfiber on the seats was limited to the shoulder patches, minimizing cleanliness concerns.

The 2024 Acura Integra Type S's performance could be credited to its sophisticated mechanics shared with the Honda Civic Type R. It featured a turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, coupled with a six-speed manual gearbox that included downshift rev matching and a helical-type limited-slip differential. The suspension setup was identical to the Type R’s, featuring a dual-axis front strut and a multi-link rear suspension with adaptive damping. Steering was precise with dual-pinion variable-ratio steering, and braking was robust with 13.8-inch two-piece ventilated front disc brakes paired with Brembo four-piston calipers. The car's driving modes, center-mounted triple-outlet exhaust system, and 19-inch wheels with 265/30 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires added to its dynamic driving experience. Despite its similarities with the Civic Type R, the Integra Type S was tuned for a slightly more civilized ride, providing a softer suspension in all driving modes. The Acura's specially developed Michelin tread design ensured exceptional grip, but highway noise remained a concern. Generating slightly more power than the Civic Type R, the Integra Type S boasted 320 hp at 6,500 rpm and matched its 310 lb-ft of torque from 2,600 to 4,000 rpm. During extensive testing on California roads, the performance was thrilling yet controlled, with minimal torque steer except on rough terrain. Although Acura designed the Type S with a small 12.4-gallon fuel tank, resulting in frequent stops for premium fuel, the overall driving experience was exhilarating. In contrast, the 2025 Toyota Camry presented an innovative performance approach for hybrids. It utilized Toyota’s fifth-generation hybrid system, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric motors. Front-wheel-drive models had two electric motors producing 225 hp, while all-wheel-drive models had three motors for a total of 232 hp. The AWD system, being electronic rather than mechanical, offered extra traction with minimal fuel economy impact, achieving an estimated 50 mpg combined for AWD and 51 mpg for FWD models. The Camry’s handling was commendable, with a suspension tuned differently for various trims. The XLE and LE trims focused on comfort; as indicated by the subtle switching between gas and electric power, there was no jarring transition. The hybrid system was relatively quiet, except at higher speeds and during passing maneuvers. The acoustic laminated front glass on the XLE and XSE helped mitigate road and wind noise but not engine noise. The braking system felt natural, and the hybrid braking was transparent to the driver. The only notable driver interaction with the hybrid system occurred below 25 mph, where a dedicated EV mode button enabled electric-only driving for short distances.

The 2024 Acura Integra Type S featured front sport seats with aggressive lower bolsters, offering comfort for daily driving without compromising the grip needed for dynamic performance. The driver’s seat had 12-way power adjustment, while the front passenger seat lacked power adjustments and stayed static. The rear seats provided decent legroom but lacked adequate thigh support and promoted slouching, with limited storage and no added comfort features like air conditioning vents or USB ports. The sportback body style of the Integra Type S allowed a generous 24.3 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable with rear seats folded down. This setup offered the utility of a small SUV while maintaining the spirited drive of a sports car. On the flip side, the 2025 Toyota Camry XLE interior offered a heated steering wheel, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and six-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. Both X grades had standard heated and ventilated seats available as options. The Camry also introduced a panoramic moonroof for the first time on a hybrid model in the XLE and XSE trims. Standard features included dual-zone climate control and rear-seat air vents. Though Toyota hadn’t published interior metrics for the new Camry, changes were expected to be minimal, retaining comparable dimensions to the 2024 model. The trunk provided about 15.1 cubic feet of space, falling short of the Accord’s 16.7 cubic feet.

The 2024 Acura Integra Type S incorporated a 10.2-inch digital instrumentation display and a 9-inch infotainment screen, both customizable and user-friendly. Thankfully, Acura omitted the True Touchpad Interface in favor of a traditional touchscreen with essential buttons for convenience. The infotainment system included Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD Radio, and SiriusXM with a 16-speaker Acura/ELS Studio 3D surround-sound system. However, quirks like a finicky wireless charger and moderate sound quality issues persisted, likely due to the car's noisy interior. Adding to the tech suite, the Type S featured a 5.3-inch head-up display, showcasing speed, speed limits, and driving assistance adjustments. Meanwhile, the 2025 Toyota Camry boasted an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the ability to manage dual Bluetooth connections. The Camry's higher trims included a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a fully digital 12.3-inch driver information display, while select trims offered a 10-inch head-up display and a nine-speaker JBL audio system. Various subscription services provided 4G Wi-Fi connectivity and real-time traffic updates, though some struggled with voice recognition systems.

The 2024 Acura Integra Type S was equipped with the AcuraWatch suite, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The manual transmission model lacked some low-speed and traffic jam assist features. The car had ten airbags, automatic high-beam headlights, and front and rear parking sensors. Acura’s ACE vehicle architecture helped disperse crash energy. Though the Type S had not been crash-tested separately, the standard Integra received five-star ratings from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, suggesting strong safety performance. The 2025 Toyota Camry came with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing assist, lane-departure alert with steering assist, and road-sign assist. The Premium Plus Package added front cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, a panoramic view monitor, and traffic-jam assist with an active Drive Connect subscription. The 2025 Camry had not been crash-tested at the time, but based on Toyota’s reputation and the 2024 Camry’s Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS and strong NHTSA scores, it was expected to perform well.