Honda Civic Hybrid vs. Acura Integra: One of these hatchbacks wilts under friendly fire

Sales of Acura's compact Integra hatchback were down 25 percent or so in 2024, a troubling trend for a model in its third year of production.

Perhaps not coincidentally, 2024 was also when the Honda Civic Hybrid made its debut.

Now, looking at monthly sales for 2024, the picture is more nuanced. The Integra was well behind its 2023 numbers from January onward, whereas the Civic Hybrid didn't hit dealerships until the summer.

But given that the Civic Hybrid offers a hatchback body style for around $3k less than the Integra's starting price, it's quite plausible that some of those lost Integra sales were in fact defections to the Honda side.

Is the Civic Hybrid really a substitute for its luxury-brand sibling, though? What do you miss out on by slumming it with the "H" badge instead of the "A" — and what does the Honda give you that the Acura can't match?

Let's crunch the numbers and find out which model wins where.

Pricing & Value

• 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback: Starts at $30,150
• 2025 Acura Integra: Starts at $33,000

First off, it's worth noting that the hatchback version of the Civic Hybrid costs more than the sedan version, which starts at $28,950. If you don't need the extra cargo space, you can save even more by going with the Civic Hybrid sedan. But since the Integra only comes in hatchback form, we'll stick with the Honda hatchback here.

Squinting at the spec sheets, the Civic Hybrid Hatchback's base Sport trim acquits itself rather well. It comes with an eight-speaker audio system, for example, same as the base Integra, and its 7-inch touchscreen also matches the Acura's standard kit.

Interestingly, the fancier of the two Civic Hybrid Hatchback trims — the Sport Touring — boasts a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12-speaker Bose audio system at an MSRP of $33,150. The Integra's optional audio upgrade, an ELS-branded system, bumps the speaker count to 16, but you can't have it unless you drop $38,000 on the A-Spec trim. That's also the only way to get the 9-inch touchscreen in your 'Teg.

In short, the entry-level Civic Hybrid Hatchback Sport already looks like a good deal compared to the base Integra, but the fancier Sport Touring looks even better, as it matches key Integra A-Spec features at a steeper discount.

By the way, one thing I'd gladly pay a premium for in the Acura is significantly reduced road noise. Having tested both cars, however, I can report that the Integra is barely quieter than the Civic at speed, if at all.

Fuel Economy

• 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback: 48 mpg combined
• 2025 Acura Integra Base (CVT): 33 mpg combined

Although the Integra is one of the most fuel-efficient small luxury cars on the market, it obviously can't compete with the hybrid-powered Civic. The base Integra is the most efficient version in the lineup by a smidge, thanks to its relatively small wheels, so that 33-mpg figure is its best foot forward. Nonetheless, it loses to the Honda by a whopping 15 mpg.

If you're wondering about the Integra's optional six-speed manual transmission, it actually drops the efficiency down to 30 mpg combined. There's no way around it: the Civic Hybrid is massively better on gas than even the most frugal Integra.

Acceleration 0-60 MPH

• 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid: 6.1 sec
• 2025 Acura Integra: 7.1 sec

The Integra has had trouble separating itself from the Civic since its debut, not least because it shares the sporty Civic Si's turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, a slightly detuned version of which was also available in the regular Civic until 2025.

So when I heard that the Civic's 1.5T was being discontinued except in the manual-only Si, I initially assumed that Honda was trying to set the 2025 Integra apart by making the automatic-transmission 1.5T a 'Teg exclusive.

But Honda ended up replacing the 1.5T automatic with something better — the new hybrid powertrain, which scoots the Civic Hybrid to 60 mph in roughly six seconds. The Integra, meanwhile, needs about seven seconds to hit 60, even though both models are rated at 200 horsepower and the Acura is about 150 pounds lighter.

Credit is due to the Civic Hybrid's relatively responsive hybrid powertrain, which is always ready with a jolt of electric-motor assist. Moreover, its naturally aspirated gas engine doesn't have to wait for a turbo to spool up, and its 232 pound-feet of torque crush the Acura's 192 lb-ft.

As impressive as the Civic Hybrid's performance is, though, it also underscores that the Integra's is downright pedestrian. This Acura is supposed to be competing against top small luxury cars from Europe, Japan and Korea, yet its own downmarket sibling outsprints it by a full second.

Sheesh.

Winner's Circle

There's only room for the Honda in here. You may have noticed that the Integra didn't win a single category in our little comparison. I'm not sure we could cook up any category in which it would be the favorite, aside perhaps from the sound quality of optional audio systems.

I do want to temper this Civic Hybrid lovefest a bit by noting that it's still not our top-ranked Compact Hybrid Car, an honor that goes to the reinvented Toyota Prius as of this writing. But it's a very close second, and compared to its Integra platform-mate, the Civic Hybrid Hatchback is quite simply a much more capable and appealing car for less coin. ⛐ md