2024 Acura Integra Type S is fun for kids and adults alike.

Stuck behind a dump truck going 14 mph in one of the towns that dot Highway 154 in Southern California, I can't help but wonder if Acura is selling the 2024 Integra Type S cheap with this First Drive program. I should not be frustrated by slowpokes. I should be negotiating Corkscrews at Laguna Seca.

Not all of this route is so tame and opens up fun canyon roads later on, but since Acura promotes the Integra Type S as a more mature street car than the Honda Civic Type R, which is billed as a track machine, this is a street drive, not a track drive. It is a street drive, not a track drive. The Civic Type R may be slightly sharper, but the Integra Type S is just as capable and more engaging.

The Integra Type S and Civic Type R share the same basic structure, powertrain, and suspension. They even share the same tire sizes and brands.

The engine is the only element that makes the Integra Type S sharper than the Civic Type R, but only slightly. The same 2.0-liter turbo four, with 25.2 psi of boost, produces 320 hp at 6,500 rpm and 310 lb-ft of torque at 2,600-4,000 rpm, 5 hp more than the Civic Type R, but Acura says the Integra Type S is also programmed for more mid-range torque. Acura says that the Integra Type S is also programmed to increase midrange torque.

The Integra Type S launches from 0-60 mph in just over 5 seconds, where the driver can fully enjoy the freedom of driving free from traffic. Its torquey engine provides powerful response from a standstill. The difference between the Type S and Type R requires back-to-back driving, which is not available here, but the response is good even in the mid-range up to the 7,000 rpm redline.

Like the Civic Type R, launching the Integra Type S hard is difficult because power is transmitted only to the front wheels from the six-speed manual transmission and the Acura has no launch control feature.

I tried several hard starts and found that the best way to launch the car was with about three-quarters throttle at about 2,000 rpm. Any higher revs than that and the wheels will spin when the clutch is disengaged. The Acura cuts the revs at 3,400 rpm to slow down the power. The front end also responds admirably, giving only a hint of torque-steer without pulling hard in either direction. Acura limits torque steer with an equal-length half shaft, a mechanical limited-slip differential, and a two-axle MacPherson strut front suspension with separate knuckles and dampers.

The engine is even chattier than the Type R, at least as seen from outside the car. It has essentially the same exhaust system as the Honda, with a single exhaust valve and three center-mounted 4.3-inch outlets, but without the Honda's front resonator, it is much louder. This sound has two levels: in Comfort Drive mode, the valves open at higher rpm, in Sport mode they open at lower rpm, and in Sport Plus they stay open all the time. In Sport Plus, the exhaust also produces a popping or burning sound when downshifting, upshifting, decelerating, or when engine rpm increases.

From the driver's seat, the engine does indeed sound like an angry beehive, but the Integra has more muffling material than the Civic, so it does not interfere with conversation. I didn't even notice the pops and blow-off valves until I rolled down the window.

The manual transmission is a typical Honda/Acura delight, with short throws, positive engagement, and a great feel from the metal and leather shift knob. The only complaint is the light clutch with a high engagement point that requires several shifts to get used to.

The Integra Type S's front-wheel-drive layout is also not ideal for handling, but you wouldn't know it by driving the car. Along with the Civic Type R, this car has the best handling of any front-wheel-drive car on the market.

Acura got there by upgrading the standard Integra. To fit the different suspension components from the Civic Type R under the Integra, Acura engineers increased the front track by 3.5 inches and the rear track by 1.9 inches. The multi-link rear suspension features highly rigid knuckles and unique bushings made from a material not disclosed by Acura. The multi-link rear suspension features highly rigid knuckles and unique bushings made from a material not disclosed by Acura. All of this reacts through sport-tuned versions of the Integra's three-way adjustable dampers. The body structure has not changed, but Acura has added binding material.

The suspension makes room for larger wheels and tires as the Type S rolls around each corner on 265/30R19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S mounted on 19 x 9.5-inch wheels. These wheels may be larger than the A-Spec model's 18-inch wheels, but they are 6.5% lighter.

The variable steering ratio is slightly slower than other Integra models, but still very quick, ranging from 11.62:1 at full lock to 14.9:1 at center. Brakes are also up 1.5 inches at the front to 13.8 inches (Brembo 4-piston calipers) and 0.9 inches at the rear to 12.0 inches (single-slot calipers).

Power is sent to the front wheels only, so Michelin must manage acceleration and steering and carry most of the braking force.

The open canyon roads we experienced later in the day revealed much, if not all, of the hatchback's handling capabilities.

Like all Integra's, the Type S has weighty, direct steering, which is further firmed up at high speeds for better high-speed stability. The car enters corners quickly and the rear end tracks faithfully. Thanks to the wide tires and limited slip differential, the car water-bugs through edgy corners and downs the power efficiently when accelerating out of corners.

Nevertheless, there is only so much the tires can do, so it is important to balance weight between turning, accelerating, and braking. If you are going too fast and push too hard in a corner, you can ease off the throttle or brake a little to get the nose tucked in nicely and get out of the turn. If the car goes too fast coming out of a corner, it will run wide, but a little throttle control will get it back on course.

All this is easy to feel thanks to the well-tuned suspension, which tilts the car slightly, regardless of the damper settings. In the three damper modes - Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ - the Integra Type S is a half-step softer than the Civic Type R's suspension and rides like a bus on broken pavement. Comfort provides a comfortable everyday ride, Sport+ borders on hard over bumps, and Sport is the sweet spot on twisty roads. It will probably set about the same times on a track like Laguna Seca, but is more comfortable on the street. It fits the car's mature character, which is reflected in its looks and equipment.

The Integra Type S has undergone various exterior changes to improve performance.

At the front, a larger, more open grille with diamond-pattern mesh allows for 170% more airflow than other Integra models. This air cools the engine and reduces lift through the aluminum hood vents. On the lower face are larger air intakes with areas for brake cooling and canards that help create an air curtain around the front wheels.

The wider lower sills match the wheel flares, which are 2.8 inches wider than the other Integra's, and the rear end features an integrated lip spoiler and a gloss black diffuser with triple center exhaust finisher. As a result, the Acura's downforce on the track is slightly less than the Honda's, but it is a fair price to pay for driving a car designed with sensible restraint.

Interior changes are few. The seats have the same design as the rest of the Integra, but with firmer bolsters, synthetic suede inserts, and contrast stitching. The seats are heated, sporty and comfortable with 8-way power adjustment and 4-way power lumbar adjustment, but not as hard as the Recaros and more extreme sport seats from other manufacturers. Large people will appreciate this, but smaller people may not. The rear seats are for two, rather than the standard three in other Integlas.

The interior also features a perforated leather steering wheel and shift knob, a synthetic suede shift boot with colored stitching, and a lower dash that matches the interior color choices of Red, Ebony, and Orchid.

Acura also offers the Type S with a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, 9.0-inch touchscreen, heads-up display, 16-speaker ELS audio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless and smartphone charging, and other standard luxury-level features.

Standard safety features consist of blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and traffic sign recognition.

All of this is offered for $51,995, including a $1,195 destination fee. This is about $10,000 more than the Civic Type R, which won Motor Authority's "Best Car To Buy 2023" award. However, the Integra Type S is more civilian and better equipped than the Civic. It is also likely to perform equally well as long as its slow-moving dump trunk doesn't block the road. The Motor Authority Best Car To Buy 2024 test later this year will aim to make that happen.

Acura paid travel and lodging expenses for Motor Authority to bring you this firsthand report.