When the time inevitably comes that you are stuck on Loveland Pass in a plodding, precarious line of vehicles, pelted sideways with snowflakes the consistency of Zyn pouches, a low-set, front-wheel-drive sedan will suddenly make less sense.

Or, if you’re a dynamic, adventurous type with the sense to order aggressive winter tires, maybe a low-slung cruiser like the 2026 Acura Integra will fill the bill. You’ll probably do better with FWD and the base Integra’s 30-mpg, 200-hp 1.5-liter turbo than the showy, performance-oriented madness of the 320-hp Integra Type S; you’ve got room for five passengers and a decent-sized trunk, and a six-speed manual transmission to help cope with all of those traction discrepancies. 

That was the kind of projective thinking I did as I spent a week with the compact, Ohio-assembled Integra, which reappeared a few years back as a tribute to those even more compact, performance-minded Acuras people of a 1990s vintage may well remember.

The larger, updated Integra bears much in common with Honda’s vastly updated and improved Civic, itself a classy and now family-sized vehicle. And with the discontinuation of the slightly larger Acura TLX sedan, Integra is positioned as the enthusiast’s alternative to the new ADX SUV  — if a real car can suit your year-round needs, especially in the High Country.

For the sake of today’s argument, let’s say that’s possible (again, order those winter tires) and let us consider what the regular-strength Integra brings to the game.

I was cruising in the middle-of-the-pack A-Spec Tech model, priced at about $41,000 including destination charges and a new, slightly iridescent metallic paint job called Urban Grey Pearl. The A-Spec package offers a glossy set of non-mechanical upgrades: black 18-inch alloy wheels, a revised aero kit and a rear decklid spoiler.

New paint colors and an available color-matched starburst-styled grille are the big changes for 2026, along with the inclusion of my test model’s 9-inch touchscreen as a feature on the other trims, which start at $33,000 — but share the same engine and driving dynamics. 

The interior, which builds on the clean modernity of the Hondas’ design (honeycomb-mesh pointable air vents, glossy black trim and oversized, metal-rimmed temperature and fan knobs), also sees sporty yellow stitching on seats, wheel, shifter shroud and the door panels, or blue accents when the Orchid-colored interior is ordered. You get a big, flat wireless phone charger and wireless CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, and added indoor ambient lighting.

As I wrote in a comparison for a major financial institution a year ago, after driving the speedier Type S — one which never saw the light of day — the Integra offers a flashier variation of the nuanced basics found in both Civic and the larger Prelude. The Integra’s upscale A-Spec models provide a fun driving experience, though judicious use of the rev-matching six-speed manual is necessary to get the most out of the 200-horsepower engine.

Happily, clutch effort is practically non-existent, so light you get the impression you might be able to shift without even having a left pedal. That rev-matching can also be more than a little exaggerated in non-canyon driving, and it can be disabled through the touchscreen.

While there’s plenty of rear-seat space, making it a high-zoot, small-family cruiser, passengers will certainly notice a lot of bumps and road feel from its low-profile tires and an aggressively sporty suspension. 

It’s also low enough that you may find yourself blinded by the new LED lamps on every SUV out on the road, especially in the side mirrors, so keep the vehicle’s stature in mind.

The Type S, meanwhile, is geared for full-time intensity, complete with a three-pipe exhaust system, a carbon fiber wing and aggressive front lip air splitters. Enhanced body stiffness makes the vehicle somewhat uncomfortable on urban roads, but right at home on a race track — perfect for mid-winter Colorado, right? 

Its cornering abilities and absolutely breathtaking acceleration, however, make it a huge draw for performance aficionados — even those who are brave enough to fill that wide rear seat with friends or family.   

Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” publishes Saturdays in the Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, focusing on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in Golden. Contact him at summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.