What Does the Type R Badge Mean for the 2022 Acura Integra and Honda Civic?
The Type R badge is something of an automotive icon. It is to Honda (and Acura) what the SS badge is to Chevy. It’s a mark of something more special than your average car. Now, with the release of the new Honda Civic, and the impending release of the 2022 Acura Integra, we’re left wondering just what that special badge will mean for each.
Usually, it means more power, more engagement, and more styling. Those certainly aren’t bad things, and each car can become something wholly different if the rear bumper says “Type R” on it.
The Honda Civic isn’t just an economy car
It used to be the Civic was just an economy car. A small car built in post-war Japan to get the nation’s people from one end of Tokyo to the other. That’s a fine purpose for a car, but Soichiro Honda saw much more potential in the small commuter car. That’s where the big red “R” on the front of Civics come from. Honda wanted much more from the Civic, so they got more.
However, the first “Type R” branded car wasn’t actually a Civic at all. In fact, it was the Acura NSX, a car famously developed by Senna and a small team at Honda. Eventaully, the classic philosophy of adding power and grip while removing weight reached the Civic. From there, the Type R legend has only grown.
The 2022 Acura Integra Type R has a lot to live up to
That’s exactly why the 2022 Acura Integra Type R will have so much to live up to. For many here in the U.S, it’s the only car any of us remember seeing with that big red “R” on the bumper. As usual, the U.S market got cheated out of much of Honda’s Type R lineup. Obvisouly, that streak ended in 2017 with the launch of the first Type R car to come to America since the famed Integra.
Since then, American fervor for more Type R has only grown. The 2017 Honda Civic Type R was a massive sales success. So much so that it’s practically impossible to depreciate a Civic Type R. Demand for these is absolutely rabid, and Honda had better hope both the 2023 Honda Civic Type R and the Acura Integra Type R knock it out of the park.
Is a Civic Type R worth the money?
Presently, the current tenth generation Civic Type R’s are worth every single penny. It’s about the best FWD car you can put yourself in. It’s also a known quantity. Manufacturers have messed up a refresh before, and if that’s the case the Type R badge will certainly become a rare commodity once again.
