Issue: 208 Section: New Car Tests Published: 26 November, 2002

New Car Test - Honda Integra Type R

Purposeful performance in an attractive wrapper.

Words by Michael Knowling, Pix by Julian Edgar

With the crushing dominance of the Nissan 200SX and Subaru WRX, you could be forgiven for thinking there are no other affordable haul-**** four-cylinders on the market. Well, hold onto your seat, because the new generation Honda Integra Type R is set to rock your world...

First, though, we should establish the Integra Type R is not ideally suited for lazy everyday driving. It's happiest screaming along a winding road and laughing in the face of advisory speed signs. From its steering and suspension to its VTEC engine, this machine begs to grabbed by the scruff of the neck and driven.

The first impressions of the Type R relate to its steering - there's hardly any sneeze factor at the straight-ahead position, which means any small steering inputs send the car darting left or right. After constantly correcting this, you soon learn to keep the Type R on-track by merely flexing your wrists occasionally. Next - should you give the car a boot full away from a standing start - you realise the need to hold a tight grip on the Momo leather. The steering loads dramatically under hard acceleration - particularly when exiting a slow speed corner - and there can be considerable torque steer. The steering isn't a total loss, however - the 2.53:1 quick rack gives the car a lively, nimble feel.

And now onto how the suspension interferes with the steering...

The ride in the Type R is ultra firm and, when the road gets choppy, the rapid rates of body movement make it almost impossible to maintain accurate steering control. Everything's sweet on a road with an even surface, but broken bitumen makes the tiller's job oh-so difficult. Meanwhile - for the rest of the time when you're only pottering around in traffic - the Type R's ride can be slightly jittery, but it's quite acceptable for this kind of hard-edged vehicle.

Without question, few production vehicles can match the speed of the Integra Type R over a winding road (a smooth winding road, that is)...

Poised on 'control link strut type' front suspension and a double wishbone rear (with swaybars at each end and a strut bar at the front) the front-wheel-drive Integra is composed, balanced and progressive. Turn-in is quite sharp and - when you're pushing hard - there's a small amount of understeer into corners. In any event, wonderful throttle response and an even spread of torque allow easy adjustment of the chassis' attitude during cornering - oversteer can be provoked with the right driving style.

The new Type R proves that a VTEC flier isn't necessarily a doughy low rpm performer that gets into its stride only when the tacho needle's pointing at some ungodly number. Its 2.0-litre engine (200cc larger than the model it replaces) certainly comes onto a powerband at about 6000 rpm, but even below the second phase of VTEC it's extremely responsive and torquey. Floor it away from a set of lights making upshifts at only 5000 rpm and the cars that were next to you soon become specs in the mirrors.

Peer under the bonnet and you'll see what appears to be a very pedestrian transverse DOHC, 16-valve four carrying a plasticy i-VTEC manifold cover. Don't be fooled, though, because this 2.0-litre engine is capable of some 147kW (at 7400 rpm) along with 192Nm of torque (at 6000 rpm) without any form of forced induction. This impressive specific power output can be largely attributed to Honda's clever VTEC system whereby a three rocker arm setup varies the lift and duration of both the intake and exhaust valves. In addition to this, the new Type R comes equipped with VTC (Variable Timing Control), which enables 50-degrees adjustment of the intake camshaft. Combined, the VTEC and VTC technology make the rest of the Type R's engine features - its 11.0:1 compression, fixed short-runner intake, low friction internals and high strength conrods - seem boring.

Surprisingly, given its seemingly uncompromising approach to power, the Integra Type R meets official LEV (Low Emission Vehicle) II standards. The fight against emissions has involved turning the engine 180-degrees so that the exhaust ports are positioned closer to the catalytic converter, thereby allowing the converter to quickly reach operating temperature.

The Type R exhaust system is said to reduce flow restriction by 25 percent while also weighing 27 percent less than the previous model's. Certainly, Honda has ensured the larger Integra format hasn't ballooned in overall weight - the engine is 10kg lighter, there's aluminium bumper supports and door intrusion bars and the rear quarter and hatch glass is just 3.1mm thick. The result is a fairly lean 1160 kilogram kerb mass.

With its 147kW four shifting 1160kg, the Integra Type R has a decent power-to-weight ratio. With the right launch, it scrabbles from zero to 100 km/h in about 7.5-seconds and covers the quarter in low 15s. Top speed is reputedly 225 km/h.

And how quickly does it suck juice? Well, with a lot of hard driving we saw around 10.0-litres per 100 kilometres, but with more sedate driving it'd be more like 8 or 9-litres. Oh, and Honda recommends filling the 50-litre fuel tank with 95RON fuel - no need to search for those elusive 98RON bowsers.
Ripped Off?

Despite its creditable 147kW output, the Australian Integra Type R isn't the stormer it is in Japan. In its homeland, the Type R engine has - among other things - a higher compression ratio and different ECU mapping, giving it a very healthy 162kW. So why are we being ripped off 15kW, you ask? Simple - Australian fuel doesn't have the octane rating of the brilliant Japanese stuff.

With its peak power output attainable over a narrow 2000-ish rev range, it makes sense that the Type R is equipped with a close-ratio 6-speed 'box - it's not just a marketing ploy. This is one of the slickest short-throw gearboxes in the business, able to slide the next cog into place with minimal driver effort. There is an occasional crunch when rushing the 1-2 change, however - despite having triple synchro cones on first and second gear, and double cones on third to sixth. Overall gearing is very short - using a 4.764:1 final drive, first and top gear are around 8 percent shorter than the normal Integra. The final drive also integrates a torque-sensing limited-slip mechanism to help get the VTEC bundle to the road.

The Type R's ABS-controlled brakes are very effective at harnessing speed. The ventilated front discs - at 300 x 25mm - are larger than the normal Integra's, but the 260 x 9mm rear discs are a shared component. Also standard on the 'R are front brake cooling ducts, though we noticed some blue heat spots on the outer disc surface following a fairly hard drive...

The new Integra is a noticeably larger vehicle than its predecessor and that extra acreage is put to good use. There's ample front leg and headroom (partly thanks to the low seating) while the back seat offers decent width and legroom, but headroom is tight if you're taller than 178cm. Still, we reckon the Integra more comfortable in the rear than the S15 200SX - the lack of rear head restraints isn't so good, however.

The cargo area is much more than a simple afterthought. The hatch lifts high above your head to reveal a substantial 321-litre cargo area with a usable flat floor. Fold the 50/50 split rear backrest forward and Honda claims the Integra can swallow a bicycle - and we believe it. Another nicety is a removable rear shelf, which serves to protect cargo from prying eyes and prevent items becoming airborne projectiles in the event of an accident.

Up at the helm, the instrument cluster - consisting a 260 km/h, 7900 redlined tacho, fuel level and coolant temperature gauge - are set out for easy viewing. Honda likes to make it known they've used 'zero angle' pointers that, like in many racecars, point straight down at rest. Woo-hoo. The aforementioned Momo steering wheel is a very grippy number, and the standard Recaro seats - despite being a little tight across the base and impairing access to the handbrake lever - provide excellent support for super fast cornering. Also exclusive to the Type R is a trick titanium gear ****, drilled pedals and footrest, Type R scuff plates and an exclusive placard on the centre console. Oh, and if you enjoy a bit of engine noise you'll love the Type R - give it a wringing and your ears are bombarded by numerous buzzes, drones and screams (sometimes from other occupants).

The usual Integra equipment is also part of the Type R's deal - you get power windows and mirrors, a decent sounding 4-speaker CD-tuner, twin trip meters, remote central locking with an alarm/immobiliser, dual airbags and 3-point ELR seatbelts with front pre-tensioners. Strangely, climate control air conditioning is an extra cost option for the Type R whereas it's standard on the everyday Integra. The lack of standard air might shed some weight, but you'll have to shell out an extra $2000 for the privilege to remain cool.

Cosmetically, there's no mistaking the Type R as something out of the ordinary. Check out the towering rear wing, the front, rear and side skirts, the chrome exhaust tip, the Type R stickers and badges and the exclusive 16 x 6.5-inch 5-spoke alloys wearing 205/55 Bridgestone Potenza RE030s. All of this is in addition to what's already an attractive body profile.

Compared to the previous Integra model, the new body boasts 4 percent less aerodynamic drag together with reduced lift, 35 percent greater bending rigidity and an incredible 116 percent more torsional rigidity. Every part of the body - and the interior for that matter - is tightly assembled and has a quality finish.

So how much does Honda charge for their alternative road rocket?

Well, if the 200SX and WRX are considered bargains at $40,990 and $41,500 respectively, the $43,990 Type R must be seen as reasonable value. Unfortunately, the optional fitment of air conditioning bumps the price up to just beyond 45 grand, breaking something of a psychological finance barrier. At the end of the day, though, if you want real four-cylinder performance in something other than a '200WRX' the Integra Type R is it.

Why You Would...

* Engine is wonderfully responsive and torquey at all revs
* Steering is razor sharp
* Breathtakingly quick on a smooth surface road (or racetrack)
* Good build quality
* Looks sexy
* Four-cylinder performance from something other than a WRX or 200SX

Why You Wouldn't...

* To squeeze the most out of it you need over 6000 rpm onboard - and a set of earplugs
* Very tiring to drive fast in lengthy bursts
* No rear head restraints
* Starts getting expensive when you include air conditioning
* Annoying to know the 'real' Type R is only available in Japan

The Honda Integra Type R was provided to AutoSpeed for this test by Honda Australia.
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7.5 secs 0-100km/h....thats a pretty slow dash...i assume thats from MOTOR magazine?...

if so most people here can get 6.7secs 0-100km/h....if not flat 7. with our DC5R's.

cheers