Let’s Review Its Past Lives Before the Resurrection – The Second Generation Honda Integra

Original – Honda Magazine – Japanese Car Enthusiast Magazine – 2021-08-27 16:40:00
Included in Topic: #Honda Integra

Suddenly receiving the news that the Integra is going to be resurrected is definitely a joyful thing for Honda enthusiasts. The Integra series is considered an almost perfect street car. It evolved from the Civic series, and from the beginning of its development, it was oriented toward luxury and sportiness. Starting from the third generation, the Type R model also appeared. It can be said to be a model deeply loved by Honda fans. As for the introduction of the Integra, we had already covered its first-generation model a long time ago, but we never continued writing about it. And now, since the long-discontinued Integra is about to be revived, let’s fill in the gap and continue with the second-generation Integra.

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The second-generation Integra was born in 1989 and discontinued in 1993. The chassis codes for this generation are DA5–DA9 and DB1, DB2.

The second-generation Integra was introduced in 1989, and the changes in this generation were quite significant. Firstly, in terms of naming, the first-generation Integra was fully called “Quint Integra,” which shows that this car was originally launched as a derivative of the Quint. By the second generation, due to the popularity of the Integra, Honda decided to make it an independent model. So this second-generation Integra had already become a standalone series. Besides the name, the powertrain was also comprehensively updated. The first-generation Quint Integra mainly used the less powerful D-series engines, along with a ZC and an EW5 engine. In the second generation, it was upgraded to more powerful DOHC VTEC engines such as the B16A1, B17A1, and B18A1, while the ZC engine was retained. Additionally, in terms of body style, only two forms were kept in this generation: the Liftback Coupe and the four-door hardtop Sedan. It's worth mentioning that the hardtop Sedan version already featured frameless windows, which was quite high-end.

In terms of body styles, this generation only had the Liftback Coupe and the four-door hardtop Sedan. The suspension system was shared with the CIVIC EF, and could be considered an evolution of the EF.

As for engine choices, it had B16A, ZC, B17A1, and B18A1 options. Among them, the B16A was the initial version, the ZC was mostly seen in the JDM market, and the B17A1 was targeted at the North American market.

During the sales period of the second-generation Integra, Honda offered several different trims: RSi, XSi, ZXi, and TXi. XSi was the base trim and the first to be launched. It was a three-door Liftback Coupe equipped with the B16A engine. RSi was a cheaper version of the XSi. This version removed features like power steering, air conditioning, and electric windows, but still used the B16A engine. This version could be seen as a downgraded one, but from another perspective, it was a purer, performance-oriented model, since the weight reduction improved performance. Although both the XSi and RSi had the B16A engine, they used different transmissions in the early versions. The RSi used the S1 gearbox, which had closer gear ratios compared to the Y1 gearbox of the XSi. However, the XSi was no slouch either, with 0–100 km/h acceleration in just 7.2 seconds and completing 0–400 meters in 15.1 seconds — quite impressive performance. The ZXi, as the name suggests, used the ZC engine, which is a SOHC engine mainly for the JDM market. TXi was a rare trim, notable for disappearing just a year after its debut.

The four-door version of the Integra already had frameless windows at that time, indicating it was positioned as quite upscale.

Despite being positioned as luxurious and sporty, its weight was only 1,160–1,202 kg. Imagine what that means when combined with the 170 horsepower B16A engine?

Besides the Japanese market, the Integra was also very popular in North America (under the Acura brand). The second-generation Integra had a special version in the North American market — the GS-R version, which was exclusive to that region. What set it apart was the B17A1 engine, the only 1.7L engine among Honda’s B-series engines. Like the others, it was a DOHC engine equipped with the VTEC system, with a total displacement of 1,678cc, bore and stroke of 81mm x 81.4mm, compression ratio of 9.7:1, VTEC engagement at 5,750 rpm, redline at 8,000 rpm, and fuel cut at 8,250 rpm. With VTEC, it reached peak torque of 159Nm at 7,000 rpm and produced 160 hp at 7,600 rpm. The GS-R version also used a different transmission from other versions — the YS1 gearbox. Its input shaft and final drive were different, with a larger final gear. The GS-R wasn’t available from the beginning in North America; it was introduced in 1992, and could be seen as the last high-performance model before the generation ended.

The second generation came standard with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic, though the manual versions had several gearbox models depending on production year.

In October 1991, the second-generation Integra underwent a minor facelift. Besides subtle exterior changes, Honda added a new trim in the Japanese market — the ESi, a four-door hardtop model. It used a 1.8L engine — the B18A1. However, this B18A1 was not the red-top 1.8L engine we’re familiar with; it only had 140 hp and revved up to 6,300 rpm. This version came with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Besides launching this new variant, Honda also upgraded the B16A engine, which now finally delivered the familiar 170 hp.

This is the North American exclusive Integra GS-R Coupe version, equipped with the unique B17A1 engine, delivering 160 hp.

This generation of the Integra was still sold exclusively through Honda’s Verno dealerships. In terms of market competition, there were many rivals in the same size segment, such as the Toyota Corolla Ceres, Toyota Sprinter Marino, Nissan Presea, and Mazda Lantis. But in terms of performance — especially power — the Integra seemed to have the edge. As for handling and other aspects, although this generation didn’t have a Type R variant, its suspension was shared with the CIVIC EF. I believe, if Honda was willing to fine-tune it, it could deliver excellent handling as well. Even the next generation — especially the DC2 Type R — was more popular, and that had little to do with being left-hand or right-hand drive. It was because the DC2’s sedan body design made its rear end more controllable in handling, compared to hatchbacks like the EK9 or EG6. Those may have quicker rear responses, but they could feel a bit too twitchy or nervous.

Alright, that’s the story of the second-generation Integra. We’ll continue with the next two generations, so if you want to know more about this series, stay tuned for future updates!