Naysayers might think the Acura Integra Type S is just a Honda Civic Type R in J. Crew chinos and driving loafers instead of a flat-brim hat and a Mugen hoodie. And while not exactly wrong, that doesn’t tell the whole story. Sure, it shares the same 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and excellent six-speed manual transmission, but the Integra is meant more for back roads corner carving than manic lap times. It’s a car that can bring joy to the commute with a high-revving 320 horsepower engine with 310 pound-feet of torque, but it won’t kill your kidneys during a traffic jam—something the Civic Type R is unfortunately guilty of at times.
The Integra Type S also has a vastly more sonorous and engaging exhaust note than the Civic Type R, which to me makes it a much more engaging vehicle. So much so that I want to start this review by talking about noise. The exhaust shares the same three-outlet design in the rear, but while the Civic Type R has a higher-pitched tone, the Integra pops and burbles with a bass that belies its small-displacement four-banger.
During my day-long drive with the final-form Integra through the hills of Ojai, California I find myself downshifting the excellent six-speed manual transmission at every opportunity, just to hear the sonorous melody out of the tailpipes. When a convertible Corvette gets behind me in traffic, I use what little space in front of me to get on the throttle, treating him to an aural experience of his own. Why not? Even middle-aged bald guys deserve a bit of a concert, right?
So, how does Acura get this delightful sound out of the fifth-generation Integra Type S? After chatting with Acura R&D engineer Yoshiaki Akimoto and product planner Jonathon Rivers, I learned it all comes down to a unique exhaust construction, algorithmic magic and a bit of old-school timing.
Let’s Talk About That Sound
The Integra and Civic share much of the same exhaust design, with two key differences. Since the Civic Type R is sold worldwide, Honda had to ensure that it would pass noise compliance laws in international markets that have tougher sound rules than we do. As such, it has a resonator just forward of the main catalytic converter that functions as a restrictor. Good for local laws, bad for the fun-time sound.
But Acura’s primarily a North American brand. It doesn’t have to worry about such trifles with the Integra, so the company deleted that resonator. Boom—bigger sound for you and me. However, the exhaust tips are also wider, sitting at 4.33 inches. Their shape and surface are tuned by Acura sound engineers to get the sound low and raspy, just as God intended.
The center pipe has an active exhaust valve built in, but its opening and closing aren’t determined just by drive mode. Instead, Acura relies on a specifically formulated algorithm that takes into account everything that is going on during the drive experience.
“It’s not just comfort close, sport open,” says Rivers. “There is a very good science behind when and how it opens, given the percentage of throttle application and the rpms. There is a science behind it.”
Having said that, Sport+ definitely brings in both the noise and the funk, to the point where I can hear it in the cabin even with the windows up and the 16-speaker ELS Studio 3D sound system bumping out some serious tunes. However, none of the engine’s music is pumped into the stereo system. Instead, Acura uses Active Sound Control to make the exhaust note sound even better from the inside. No, Acura doesn’t pump sound in through the stereo speakers, but it does take advantage of said speakers’ noise canceling properties to help filter out everything but the music and the exhaust. Essentially I can rock out to Guns N’ Roses, but Axl never overwhelms the exhaust even when he’s telling you at full blast about his “shananananana knees knees knees.”
Timing Is Everything
The final piece of the puzzle I learn from Akimoto through a translator. If you have never heard a Japanese engineer explain something in his native language and then finish off his sentence with, “POP! POP! POP!” you haven’t lived. It truly is a magnificent experience.
Regardless, Akimoto tells me that many manufacturers delay the engine timing by just a skosh during shifting. This not only reduces shock to the drivetrain but it also produces just a bit of that exhaust noise we all love. In the Integra Type S, Acura exaggerates this timing lag, really emphasizing the pops and bangs. The result is that you get lots of noise on acceleration, but also on shifting and when lifting off the throttle. Yes, please!
Catching Feelings
Acura always intended for the latest Integra Type S to be an emotional car. The company didn’t set out to have the quickest compact sport sedan, or the most stylish or even the most value-packed—although it’s not too shabby in any of those categories. Instead, it wanted to bring joy to driving enthusiasts as they row their own on a back canyon road.
Mission accomplished.
I drove a prototype version of this car in October in Japan and laughed the entire time. This go-around was no different– I have a goofy grin plastered on my face at each corner. Get on the throttle too hard before straightening those front wheels and there is just enough torque steer to keep things interesting, but I never feel out of control. With the torque coming on at 2,600 rpm and a lightweight flywheel, acceleration out of corners is delightful. The wide 265/30/R19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires do a great job maintaining grip on these back roads and the larger Brembo brakes give me the confidence to brake late into turns. This is Miata-level fun, y’all.
The Acura has a rev-matching feature that works well, but those who really like to drive will want to turn it off. Be sure to do this before you hit the canyon as the controls are buried deep in the infotainment system and the car has to be fully stopped to access them.
On the fuel economy front, the Integra Type S is nothing special—it may be a four-cylinder engine but it’s a high-strung, high-output one. The EPA gives the Integra Type S an efficiency rating of 21 miles per gallon in the city, 28 mpg on the highway and 24 combined. The best I can say is I got close to the EPA rating myself and I certainly didn’t go easy on this thing. After a day of hooning and an hour or so of stop-and-go traffic I end my day at 23 mpg. Go me!
Inside And Out
My tester features the red interior—clearly the one to get over the black and white setup—with comfy yet supportive sport seats that are heated– unlike the Civic Type R. A 9-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is here, as is a head-up display. The full suite of Acura Watch drivers’ aids are standard, though I don’t really test them out on my drive. The only thing I can tell you with certainty is the back-up camera is a blobby mess almost to the point of being useless. You’ll likely want to reverse out of parking spots the old-fashioned way and turn around and look for that kid on the Big Wheel with your actual eyes.
The Type S distinguishes itself from the standard Integra by a unique front end with a cool grille and a vented hood to help keep that turbo four-banger cool. Everything you see on the Type S is functional, from the side curtain with hidden triple canards to the rear spoiler and diffuser. It’s all show and all go here, folks.
The car is 2.8 inches wider with bigger fenders and is available in the Type S-only Tiger Eye Pearl paint color. I personally think it looks like baby poop and would definitely opt for the Apex Blue, but you might like it. I wish Acura offered a pull-me-over yellow heritage color that looked so great on the third-generation Integra, but alas, that is not to be.
Price And Early Verdict
The 2024 Acura Integra Type S starts at $51,995 delivered and there aren’t many ways to increase that price. You can opt for accessories like an Alcantara suede steering wheel, copper wheels or a carbon fiber tailgate spoiler, but the Type S is essentially WYSIWYG.
The Integra is the only liftback in the segment, a plus in my book. The Mercedes-AMG CLA35 costs about the same and has more tech features, but forget the manual transmission. Both the Audi S3 and BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe are less expensive, but again are only available with an automatic transmission. Those who prefer rear-wheel drive may want to look at the larger Alfa Romeo Giulia, but it is down on power by about 20 horses compared to the Integra, it’s over 1,000 pounds heavier despite being shorter overall and, you guessed it, only the Integra will give you a manual. (Editor’s Note: And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess which one is gonna be in the shop less. -PG)
At the end of the day, more than one journalist in my group had their wallets out, ready to put some money down on a new Integra Type S. And why not? The liftback makes it practical, the engine is efficient, the dynamics are stellar and the damn thing sings like a raspy Placido Domingo. Sign me up.
Man, that thing is hideous. Wtf.
I think that the journalists are making the classic “car review” mistake with this car. It’s easy to dismiss the price, or even minimize the impact of the price, when you’re driving the car for free.
It’s too expensive for what it is, end of. Pretending the price rise to get an M340i isn’t worth it is silly, you’re talking about another performance league entirely and a vehicle that’s not based on a civic.
Also, a Guila is 1000 lbs heavier?!?! This is so inaccurate it’s hilarious.
The 3-outlet exhaust is emblematic of the failure of this car. A V6 has 2 cylinder banks, each requiring exhaust. Three pipes is a silly weight-adding do-dad that was added in an attempt to create personality.
It’s not every day you hear “as fun as a Miata” in a review for a new FWD hatchback sedan, that’s a bold claim and worth taking seriously. I’ve heard a lot of criticisms of this car from people who are disappointed about what this car isn’t – a retro coupe with attractive styling. And TBH I get it, this new Integra is kinda ugly and just another hatchback sedan in a world where economical coupes don’t sell anymore. But if you stop complaining about what it isn’t and look at what it actually is, it’s pretty darn cool. The spec sheet nerds will always give it crap, but they’re not who this car is for, so if I somehow had 50 grand to spend on a new car this would probably be at the top of my list – assuming I could find one that isn’t marked up to the moon, anyway. I hope cars like this will still exist by the time I can afford one…
It took me awhile in my life to adjust my outlook to not hate something for what it isn’t, but love it for what it is. Some things may not be my jam, and that’s OK. This Acura I suspect I would like, but not in the budget, for certain.
Really pushing this ugly thing. That interior is gross and not “mature”. And if you write two paragraphs about the sound of a v6 pretending it sounds good….
This car is for 30 year olds who think its mature, but anyone who looks inside at those seats, or hears that sweet exhaust at 7 am in their neighborhood, knows its a clown car.
Sorry for the unpopular opinion but it needs to be said.
And it’s a fucking ILX, not an integra.
Integra = double wishbone suspension, and ability to win 4 world touring car championships, consecutively. That’s what made the Integra a legend.
Anyone who is talking about the # of doors is completely and totally missing the point; people aren’t complaining because it’s a sedan, they’re pissed off because it’s FAT, GIANT, HEAVY, has boring ass macpherson suspension, zero motorsports cred or ability, and … oh yeah, it’s a fucking ILX not an Integra.
Boy there’s a lot going on in that grille
To be fair, there’s room….
The Honda dealer near me has three used 2023 CTR’s. They have 600-4,000 miles and are $56k-$58k.
I guess now that the MT 2.0T Accord is gone people are all in on these things.
No passenger lumbar support crosses any pseudo-luxury car off my list though.
If that’s your only reason, you can add upholstery foam or an adjustable solution is to get a blood pressure cuff and slip it in the seat back between the foam and springs in the lumbar area and route the bulb between the seat and console (or wherever). I did those on my GR86 and they work really well. Bulb isn’t visible on my car unless you’re sitting in the seat and looking for it.
That’s what Lotus did on the Elise S1!
I gave this car a lot of shit for a while but after reading the reviews and watching YouTube videos from some sources I trust (Savagegeese, The Topher) it’s starting to make a lot more sense to me. They’ve essentially addressed the 3 biggest complaints with the CTR…the immature styling (I guess this is more of an FK8 complaint, but it stands), the fact that it sounds like a vacuum cleaner, and the fact that it can be overkill for street driving.
This is essentially a slightly softer CTR with better styling, a more luxurious interior, and a better exhaust. Whether that’s worth the cost delta is up to you…but for someone like me? An early 30s enthusiast with some disposable income who has to deal with grueling commutes, road trips a fair amount, and has a wife/doggo/hopefully kiddos on the way soon?
When you really break it down this starts to make sense because this does absolutely everything well. I see a lot of “lol might as well get a Supra” or “this is Corvette money” or “but the German competition is faster” or “but you can get a loaded pony car that will shred this for 50k” takes…and in a vacuum, sure, all of that is correct….but this seats 4 adults and can carry all their stuff. You can see out of this. You can park it easily. It can handle a track day.
It’s also a hatchback! Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, etc. don’t offer those. If you’ve lived with a hatchback, you get it. They’re ridiculously useful. And maybe most of all…you can keep this past warranty. If something goes wrong with an M340i or S4 once they’re off warranty, good luck! I just watched my mom’s Audi Allroad shit the bed to the tune of nearly 5 figures days after its warranty expired and I’m a little more than a year removed from GTI ownership. No thanks.
If you essentially forego options this is a good buy in the low 50s if you can get over the FWD aspect. Some can’t, and that’s fine. Once you add all the carbon fiber and forged wheels and stuff it’s not as appealing because you’re getting into Blackwing/M2/IS500 territory. Essentially this is a long winded way of saying I was wrong to bash this car. Now that I know more about it it makes a lot more sense.
And do you know what? The wife loves it. She walked past me watching a video on it and stopped to sit down with me. When I explained what it was she was all about it because of how it’s more “mature” than a CTR and for all that money you’re at least getting a luxury badge and experience. The sellable to your partner factor is key, my friends. Don’t underestimate how well you could sell this to your significant other. It’s a reliable Japanese hatchback that’s MATURE!
Anyway I don’t need a new car right now and I assume fighting for one of the first of these is going to be a bloodbath. But a year or two down the road after the hype calms down? I’m going to take a look. It’s literally everything I like about my Kona N with 0 of the compromises. I wish they’d offer a decent auto option but I could suck up miserable manual commuting for something this special.
Your Kona N is a hatchback, I wouldn’t call this one. YMMV
As an early-40s enthusiast with no kids and none on the way I still don’t get it. My sorted mk5 GTI is a stellar front-driver (and I love the DSG) but I’ll ice skate in hell before I spend $50k on another FWD vehicle. Having the hatch is nice, but that’s not the killer app for me.
Practicality isn’t really my strong suit, though. My mouse is hovering on the bid button for the Exocet on Cars and Bids right now. I just can’t justify having that and my 996 cabrio, and the P-car was a dream when I was a kid.
Or, hear me out, buy a clean DB8 for 5k, get a B or K series built and thrown in it, put in $1500 in suspension, and have something ACTUALLY COOL that isn’t depreciating, way more fun to drive, and you won’t get laughed at by actual enthusiasts.
This car fucking sucks and it’s a slap in the face, because it’s everything that an Integra isn’t. It’s an ILX.
Did you not read what he wrote? A track day special db8 wouldn’t exactly be a “nice car for road trips with the family” lol. Sure, have one as a track toy, but that ain’t gonna be a daily, unless you’re a high schooler lmfao.
When did I say track day? Throw a decent muffler on a B or K series and it’s perfectly quiet for road trips. The nice thing about that chassis is there are like 8 million suspension options, including ground control which allows you to fine tune the exact spring rate you want, you can go linear, progressive rate, and get adjustable dampers. My 90 Civic Si rides great on Koni/GC setup. I drove it for 3.5 hours yesterday, it was awesome the whole time.
Just because something has aftermarket parts doesn’t mean it’s uncomfortable, bud!
As someone in my late 30’s with two young children (still in car seats) and a Labrador retriever – I’m just slightly ahead of you. All of what you said for considerations applied to me, too.
I went with a 2010 BMW M3 (e90; sedan version of this chassis). However, this Integra Type S is a strong contender for being a worthy replacement if I were to seek one out.
In reality, this M3 is a car that I will cling to for as long as possible and would rather supplement with an SUV than replace, but it works well for all its daily duties and is practical with one exception: ~14mpg with premium fuel. Still saves money compared to buying a new integra, but filling up the tank every 180 miles isn’t great.
I bought a new vehicle last year, but my partner will be due for a replacement in two years. This thing would absolutely be top of the choices…except the price. It’s less a concern about the price plus dealer markups today, and more the (likely) limited volume they will sell new and then commensurate limited volume (and jacked price) on the used market in 2025.
The Venn Diagram of people who are complaining about it not being a 2-door or not being faithful to the 1990’s version vs. people who will never ever buy said car new is nearly a circle.
This 1000%
These people will bag on it for not having enough luxury features, while simultaneously wishing it was lighter and somehow less expensive.
Absolutely. My best friend in high school had a first-gen 2-door Integra, and while we loved bombing around in the thing, I never thought the fun of that car came from it only having two doors. We had another friend who had a second-gen 4-door Integra that was just as fun but even more practical. Sometimes nostalgia is just too powerful for reality to overcome.
Even that 4 door integra HAD THE CHASSIS AND CONNECTION to a 4 year championship winning car. This has jack shit. Macpherson bullshit, huge, fat, gross.
I must sadly agree.
I didn’t even like the 2-door Integra that much, design-wise. The 4-door was even uglier. But they demanded respect. They both paled to an EE8 CRX (Euro version, it is true) in design, but had improved on all of its good mechanical stuff.
Honda used to design cars by taking everything superfluous out till only perfection remained.
Nowadays they start with a blob, roll it in glue, throw plastic at it and don’t even shake it to make the madness fall off.
If I wanted a car that I don’t feel like turning my head back to look at after having parked it, I can always get me a bangle butt or beaver tooth BMW.
As an owner of a Miata ND and Civic SI, I think the term “Miata level fun” it’s not the right metaphor for this Acura in the slightest way.
The Type S may drive fast, corner well and sound great on its own. The Miata is much tinier, slower, lighter and way cheaper…not to mention it’s a rear-wheeled drive convertible!!!
That said I guess I could now say that my Miata is “911-level fun, Y’all”
As a person who regularly says his base 991.1 is “the world’s most expensive Miata,” you’re not entirely wrong. 🙂
I’d have more patience with “it’s not le rear wheel drive!” if it wasn’t from a company that ditched RWD after its’ earliest, chain-drive experiments.
It’s fine, but stickshift be damned I’ll still take an AWD, 5 cylinder RS3 over this any day.
I was a bit confused about your stickshift comment since I have an Audi TTRS (exact same drivetrain as the RS3) clutch in my GTI, but then I found out the 3-pedal versions are not available on this side of the pond..
No, naysayers will say that isn’t even an integra. That’s an ILX. Let me know when that thing has multiple world challenge touring car championships under it’s belt:
http://realtimerl.com/heritage/
Until then I don’t give a single shit about this car, it sucks.
THIS is what they should have built, this is what enthusiasts wanted, and this is the reason modern Honda is dead to me:
https://www.carthrottle.com/post/dare-we-dream-of-a-new-honda-integra-that-looks-this-good/
This
Nah.
I get that everyone thinks of the Integra as a coupe because of the Type R, but the Integra was available as a four door from introduction all the way until 2001 when the RSX replaced it. It may not be what some enthusiasts wanted, but I think this can still be a spiritual successor to the original line of Integras.
There was no way this was ever going to be a 2-door. It’s only financially viable because they can use so much of the Civic Type R underpinnings. And the Type R was only possible because it was based on the basic Civic. It was this or nothing.
My entire family learned to drive stick when my parents bought the 5-door (4-door liftback) Integra in ’87, and it was my daily driver in the ’90s after college. So, yeah, this body style is exactly what I think of when I think Integra.
I owned an integra sedan. My criticism has absolutely ZERO to do with the number of doors it has. Read it again.
It’s a brand new unreleased car. How could it have racing wins under its belt?
Does it suck? Sounds like a lot of smack from someone who hasn’t driven it. Everyone who has seems to like it… (I wonder which group of people is talking out of their ass.)
That rendering is cool but doesn’t fit into the modern Acura range style-wise. I appreciate what they were going for, but frankly it kinda looks like a scion/Toyota.
There’s a Grand Canyon-sized gap between what internet enthusiasts want and what people who actually buy new sports cars/sedans want.
K let me know when it gets those racing wins >yawn<
The integra was a fancier Civic and it still is. Your nostalgia is blinding you to the realities of the market and the current Civic. This is a version of the Type R, and that’s fine.
I’m not sure “this car hasn’t won any races, they should’ve build this random internet render instead (that also hasn’t won any races)!” is as strong of a point as you think it is. I mean, I get the disappointment at Macpherson struts, that it’s not as special relative to a Civic as it used to be, and I struggle with the value proposition of what’s supposed to be the raw engaging choice (relative to modern competitors) while being Civic-based still being a $50k car, although the last point is probably the most genuinely Integra thing about it.
All the enthusiasts were so god damn excited…. we saw renders like this, and got even more excited, finally Honda is BACK!
Then this fucking atrocity comes out. ILX with a badge swap. BARF.
You weren’t going to buy it even if they put in a racing engine with pushrod suspension. Calm yourself down Karen
Great article, thanks! I wish I had the coin for one of these…
“I have a goofy grin plastered on my face”
Hey, you match the car!
Also, the whole ignition timing exhaust thing you explained? That’s exactly what a crackle tune is. So it’s just like every BRZ with blacked out taillights. That doesn’t exactly evoke the “sonorous melody” you described.
“When a convertible Corvette gets behind me in traffic, I use what little space in front of me to get on the throttle, treating him to an aural experience of his own. Why not? Even middle-aged bald guys deserve a bit of a concert, right?”
Why not throw in the explosive auditory and olfactory pops and bangs experience of your lower digestive system after a lunch of cuttlefish and asparagus while you’re at it?
Wash it down with some crab cakes and eggs benedict, and copious amounts of beer, then some White Castle sliders while you’re at it.
“Miata level fun” and torque steering $55k sedans are mutually exclusive.
Yes. The torque steering is another thing I neglected to mention in my earlier comment. I thought a 170 horsepower Duratec V6 in a FWD Ford Contour was a bit unwieldly due to torque steer, but this Acura has almost twice the power to weight ratio.
Doesn’t this have the same equal-length driveshafts setup as the Civic TypeR?
They specifically did that to get rid of any torque steer.
ITS carries over the front suspension from the CTR which (virtually*) eliminates torque steer. Look it up and read about it. It’s pretty ingenius. So, while your point is still valid, your accusation of the ITS being included in the list of torque-steering sedans is not.
*I say virtually just to cover my ass. I’ve never driven one myself, but I’ve heard from others that there is literally zero torque steer.
That is interesting. Upvoted.
I swear the EPA is trying to finally kill manuals with the utter nonsense mileage ratings. Unless you’re on a track through a whole tank of fuel, I have never gotten mileage as low as EPA ratings. Usually, my combo of driving-like-a-dick (though nothing like an Altima driver) and Boston traffic mileage meets or exceeds the highway ratings. I have never gotten as low as their city mileages, even spending 5 hours to go 25 miles in a snow storm. Yet, many people I know regularly state that the ratings for their automatic are optimistic.
I think these are getting too dumped on because of the CTR and weirdos with no conception of what it costs to build and certify a car thinking OEMs could make money selling these with 2-doors (as much as I also like 2-doors, nobody buys them), but my issue with it is the cost. Yeah, $50k is the new $35k and any non-CUV ICE with performance pretensions has people lined up for them, but that’s still a lot of money for a fancy Civic even before the filthy dealers start marking them up.
Honda is also notorious for underrating fuel economy ratings… My 6MT Fit was rated for 29 city, 36 hwy, 32 combined. After 40K miles, I was sitting at 38.5mpg average. My Mazda3 2.0 6MT on the other hand refuses to do much better than the combined rating.
I wish I could star this a hundred times. The EPA ratings are a joke, and the fact that cars and manual transmissions are being vilified while larger vehicles are gaming the system is silly.
I know I’ll never own one of these due to costs + Dealer markup, but this would basically be my perfect daily (I don’t love the wing on the CTR, but otherwise, I’d be happy with a CTR too). I’d do the blue + bronze wheels please 😀
Me too. I have a Si currently, and would like something a little nicer, little more luxurious, but still fun & quick. I wonder if it comes in Red? Or a nice BRG?
Savagegeese was told by Honda that CTR production right now is 400 units a month for the entire planet. That’s 4800 total cars for the planet for 2023. By comparison, Porsche sold 40,410 911s (all trims) in 2022, or over 8 times as many.
There are 1072 dealers in the US. 236 in Canada. 100 in the UK. 88 in Australia. If we keep going down the list, we’re probably going to arrive at around 3000 worldwide Honda auto dealers.
That’s 1.6 cars per dealership, worldwide. Sure, allocation will never be uniform, but consider that’s how few cars there are to go around.
ROTFLMAO!
No. It’s roughly 1.5x the mass of a Miata, and takes up roughly 1.5x the space on the road as a Miata, it seats 5, and has 4 doors. Compared to a Miata, it’s a pig. And this article is akin to smearing lipstick on that pig.
Now the Integras from the 1990s OTOH…
I have yet to have Miata-level fun in anything that exclusively powers the front wheels. Fun, yes. But not the same kind of fun.
I think a Honda Del Sol is at least 75% of the way there. In spite of its non-ideal powertrain layout, it is light weight, compact, and nimble.
Have you driven one? It seemed to flex a lot for a Honda.
I often got flack for this, but my 2017 Manual Fit with wider tires (205mm) and a rear swaybar was pretty on-par with my NA Miata on stock suspension and all seasons.
I really need to spend more time in a Miata because after a 20 minute test drive, I was disappointed that it wasn’t as fun as my brothers Fiesta ST. Now, they were different types of fun, but on the pure fun-o-meter scale, the FiST was way more fun than the ND1 I drove. I’m willing to give the Mazda a second chance though…
That’s because the FiST is the automotive equivalent of the devil on your shoulder begging you to do ridiculous things.
I always thought that devil on your shoulder was a Dodge Charger Hellcat or Demon.
Nope – the Hellcat series begs you to do one thing: stomp the go pedal and in terms of fun that’s a fairly limiting prospect. The FiST induces shooting gaps, taking slow, tight corners and ramps at ridiculous speeds and chasing down much more powerful and capable cars wielded by lesser drivers on tight mountain roads. “Shift me, flog me, brake me, turn me, I’m yours” is the siren call and I’ve been nothing but thrilled to answer it for the last five years. Yet, because it’s a 200hp car that will get utterly stomped by a V6 Camry from a stoplight I can do all these stupid things without getting a ticket and it keeps me from suffering the fate of those who can’t handle their over-capable monsters. It may very well be the ultimate package in the “slow car fast” genre.
Totally agree to that. I found normal 4 way intersections fun because I could just gun it halfway through the turn, feel the boost come on, fight the little bit of torque steer (not too much but enough to keep you honest), pitch the inside wheel up, and still only be like 30 mph. Love it!
Haha that’s VERY accurate!
There looks to be some kind of magic about the execution of this car because all I hear from people who actually have driven it is great – it’s not just a spec sheet thrown together.
Matt and Zack of The Smoking Tire give it the highest praise. About how it feels weight-wise, Matt said, “The first thing that jumps out at me it the weight or lack thereof. While 3,200 lbs sounds a lot by 1990 standards, it’s nothing by 2023 standards. And going from something like a BMW M2 to this, it’s almost like a loaded bat warmup. After the M2, this is like swinging a wiffle ball bat.” Matt concluded, “I don’t know if I’ve ever driven a car that’s absolutely perfect in every way, certainly for less than $100K, but this is about as close as I’ve ever seen.”
A lot of great classic cars didn’t light the magazines on fire with specs, they just had that magic feel that makes them so much more than they should be and that’s why I have never cared about specs beyond a minimum. I care about enjoying my drive and couldn’t care any less if it impresses some other dudes (who probably won’t be impressed, anyway).