Testing the 2024 Acura Integra Type is in the RAIN! Are the M Pilots ENOUGH traction for RAIN?!

[@airblizzard]

What a scenic road!

[@PlasmadaeDal]

Agreed! Glad you could come along for the ride!

[@bajabret60]

From the PNW, thanks for this one!

[@PlasmadaeDal]

You are most welcome! Was definitely thinking about YOU guys up yonder!

[@jamwest3146]

I have All Season on the ILX, and they cut thru standing water very well. Not sure that I trust the 4s in rain. As always you are creating an entertaining and very useful video. No one else is testing this car in rain and snow. BTW, the dealer and Acura are being very cool about the clutch issue. They are going to remove the transmission from the engine, and they have invited me to watch. Pretty cool!

[@PlasmadaeDal]

Yeah, the All Seasons do great in Rain. I was actually surprised with the Pilots! I'm glad the dealership is looking put for you--that's a good dealership and a keeper! I'm sure they'll make everything all better! Keep me posted!

[@contacttimbre]

I had the MPS 4 S on an AWD bmw and they were like glue in rain and snow. Significantly better than any other All Season or dedicated snow tires I have had on the car or other cars. As I said above, the FWD will have a difference in handling but the MPS4S should have great traction. These are the tires for ALL 4 Seasons and for Winter not the stock tires that come with the car, which are completely different even if all seasons.

[@theopenroadahead]

Really enjoyed that drive! What road was that? It looked more like a rally stage than it does a public road. Reminds me of some of the back roads in the Adirondacks. Thanks for sharing your experiences with your ITS - really a capable machine!

[@PlasmadaeDal]

Isn't it incredible?! It's just one of MANY canyon roads you can enjoy in these neck of the woods. The Rocky Mountains, spanning from Wyoming to Colorado are seriously some amazing sights to behold! Driving them is even more amazing! I wish we could do a Pikes Peak sort of thing where cars can go only one way! Would be incredible! I've never been to the Adirondacks, but sounds enticing for sure! Indeed, the Integra Type S is always surprising me 😀 Thanks for your comment! 😊

[@contacttimbre]

Well informative. Is this the PNW? I love the M PS 4S on my 2014 328ix wagon, as close to comparable as I can think as far as engine power and body style, tires. The BMW AWD is excellent especially on the same tires. but I quickly disliked the automatic and paddle shifters. Yes the Type S is ten years newer so it would be hard to compare cars of those two vintages, and is FWD, but holy wow is it better to drive at least in the dry, not only from 20% or more power but also the manual. I will miss the AWD as I just sold it. However I am nervous about going back to FWD after 20 years and living in the PNW (SW WA). I grew up in the Midwest and know how to drive in bad weather in AWD, 4WD, FWD and RWD. One still has to drive carefully as I am happy to see you point out on a regular basis. Even in AWD I couldn't drive crazy with my 4 different AWD BMWs and on the roads pictured I still had to be careful. In the Type S per your video I can be confident in safety as long as I drive responsibly, so thank you.

[@PlasmadaeDal]

@contacttimbre Not PNW, but the conditions were similar. Was cool, very wet, and in a foresty roadway, slickness would be similar, but like you said, the MPS4S tires are epic and handle great in wet conditions. The FWD aspec of the handling is nothing to be concerned about as you can back off a bit, but the Limited-Slip Diff in this car is incredible, to the point that you really wonder, "Is this AWD?!" Hahha, seriously amazing! Acura has done some magicianry with how well it handles! Really enjoyable!

[@contacttimbre]

@@PlasmadaeDal Were you in comfort of any of the sport modes? I might imagine that accelerating out of a turn may experience grip issues in R+ on those roads. You were talking about understeer too. I test drove one from the dealership and had to do a U-turn and I was surprised and how much it cut and did an incredibly sharp U, sharper than that of my awd bmw and any RWD car I have driven lately (other than my E30) because any FWD car typically has it. Track reviews say it has a pronounced understeer issue but I can't see it and it is one of the best cars I have ever driven, with incredibly sharp turning and better than the Type R. I am trying to justify the expense and can't talk myself out of it.

[@PlasmadaeDal]

@contacttimbre The understeer track folks are talking about is not as bad as it sounds. In regular, day-to-day driving, even spirited, is excellent. I've had many comments on how the LSD just keeps it inline and steady, but has juuuust the right amount of play. The rain is possibly not advised to put into sport mode, because the torque, and you'll have plenty in Comfort Mode anyhow. If you want the burbles of Sport +, you'll really be fine if you are feathering as needed. The CTR dynamics are just as good, but I sort of think the Integra Type S is a little more unruly if I have to compare the two. They are different beasts tho, and have different purposes, and I truly love both! The seats of the CTR are seriously sublime. All depends on what experiences you're looking for, right? But AWD versus FWD with these two cars is a non-issue in my view 😉

[@contacttimbre]

@@PlasmadaeDal Thankyou! Sometimes one has to take what a reviewer from the major publications says worth a grain of salt even though the type S is well loved by them. What is scrambling my brain is how great this car is compared to a BMW. Apples and Oranges really, but after a disappointing year with one of the last wagons they produced for the American market (F31) I have been searching for a new car, to even new brand. Being used to driving the refined driving dynamics of BMW it is difficult to enjoy other cars. But this car, is probably one of the most enjoyable rides I have had since owning a DINAN '03 M5. It is hard to get over the price tag of cars today and justifying a 60k purchase (package upgrades and TTL) and I have yet to really test drive it out on the open roads but based on this model, you tube reviews and periodicals I am switching back to Japanese after my Honda Accord blew a spark plug 20 years ago. (no complaints on Japanese, I just ended up following BMW after I bought a 98 328 to replace it- one of the best 3 series made). Thank you again for your review and responses.

[@PlasmadaeDal]

@contacttimbre I love the candid response and indeed, it's all about the feels of what you think. The price of the ITS is such great value. It's not cheap by any means, but it is a fantastic value if you are an enthusiast who loves driving. The shifter is precision, so not only is the engine great, plenty of BALANCED power and tire, and amazing handling, but the shifting experience is SUPERB! You're hard pressed to find a better shifter for a car at this price! All things considered, Acura has made something special....and it looks so GOOD! Maybe not as refined as BMW, but plenty refined and that's even the focus being the driving :) Thanks for your thoughts and kind words.

[@contacttimbre]

I only drive MT. Which is why Im choosing the Integra. I want the "GT" car that the GS corolla, type r, or golf r are not.

[@PlasmadaeDal]

@contacttimbre If I'm reading you correctly, I'm gonna suggest Integra Type S, it's a mind-blowing experience for how good it is. But if you are not in need of tons of torque, then the Aspec is a solid choice as a daily driver. Economical fuel, performs great, is fun, has the 6MT, does just about everything, clearance is decent, interior is comfy, sound system is fantastic, trunk/hatch space is plentiful, and it looks great! The Type S does just about everything the Aspec can do, minus a seat, memory seat buttons, sunroof, and passenger motorized seat positioning. One other thing ITS doesn't have is the Acura Link functionality is weak compared to Aspec. There's just a TON packed into the Aspec, where the Type S focus is performance and handling as the main emphasis. So for me, it was so tough, I decided to keep the Aspec for daily, and my Type S is more or less my weekend car 😀 😍 🤩 ☺️ 😃 😀 😍 🤩 ☺️ 😃 😀 😍 🤩 ☺️ 😃