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It was Acura's smallest, least expensive model, designed to offer a competitor to vehicles like the Volkswagen Golf GTI, which was the most well known and popular "hot hatch" of the 1980s when the Integra was introduced. Although a sedan was available for the 1986-1989, 1990-1993 and 1994-2001 generations, it was dropped when the vehicle transitioned to its current fourth-generation "DC5" platform, sold as the RSX in North America. Enthusiasts refer to the Acura TSX as the second coming of the Integra GS-R sedan. First generation (1986–1989)The vehicle debuted in Japan in 1985 as the Honda Integra before going on sale a year later in North America as part of the then-new Acura lineup. Three and five-door hatchback bodies were available, with a 1.6 L DOHC 16-valve engine powering all three. The engine was the vehicle's most publicized feature, as DOHC, multi-valve engines were anything but commonplace in entry-level models at the time. The Integra shared its platform with the less-sporty Civic, although it featured a small list of key upgrades over its lesser stablemate to help merit a price increase over the CRX Si, which was otherwise the sportiest compact vehicle being offered by Honda/Acura; enlarged 4-wheel disc brakes replaced the small front-disc/rear-drum setup used by the Civic and CRX, suspension calibration was re-worked, better tires were used and a 128 hp DOHC fuel injected 16-valve engine was used in place of the SOHC, 108 hp unit from the CRX Si. Combined with sleeker styling and a nicer interior, buyers were effectivly convinced that the Integra was worth the extra money, and nearly 228,000 units were sold during the four year run of the first generation model. The model was not without its shortcomings though; despite having 128 hp and a reachable 7000 rpm redline, the new DOHC engine had little torque and needed to be wound up quite a bit to make full power, leading to criticism that the model wasn't well-suited for day to day driving on surface streets, but was better tuned for spirited driving down tight, windy roads.
Second generation (1990–1993)Acura debuted the second generation Integra in 1990, now powered by a new 1.8 L engine making 130 hp, giving the model a necessary boost in performance. The three-door hatchback and 4-door sedan body styles continued to be available, but the 5-door hatchback was discontinued due to poor market reception. Trim levels for 1990 and 1991 included the RS (base model), LS, and GS. The 1991 GS could also be had with a leather interior, which made it a sort of "deluxe" model, and featured its own model number.
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