QUIKAG

Don, please forgive me. It's not the Corolla GR, it's me. Tommy, Wolf, etc. and I talked you into a GR and then I flip out of mine a week or two later. I legitimately need help.

I traded the '24 GR Premium on a '24 Integra Type S. I think in other threads, I even talked crap about the ITS. Anyway, they gave me a grand less than I paid for the GR with 1,500 miles on it and I got the Type S about 1,500 below MSRP and honestly, the rear seat room and hatch space was the biggest consideration for me since it limited out of town travel with my family.

Honestly, the GR is more of a thrilling drive and an event whereas the ITS is more of a "normal" car, a nice one, a hot hatch for sure, but lacks some of the fizz of the GR. That was apparent yesterday when I was turning left from a light, cold tires, shifted to second, and then gave it moderate throttle mid-corner and the front wheels spun and the whole car pushed out a bit. Bleh. Definitely not AWD or RWD.

Anyway, threw together a quick pro/con list:

Corolla Pros:
1. Very nimble
2. Short wheelbase
3. Awesome turbo 3 cylinder that feels very strong and overbuilt, pulls quite hard all the way to 143mph electronic governor. Sucker squirts through traffic with 25.2psi of stock boost.
4. Nice sound
5. Brakes great.
6. Suspension almost feels like aftermarket coilovers. Very buttoned down and stiff, yet liveable for around town
7. Zero issues, squeaks, rattles, anything. Solid build quality and attention to detail out of the Motomachi factory in Japan.
8. AWD grip, zero torque steer or traction issues (big plus for those of y'all up north)

Corolla Cons:
1. Tight interior (especially rear seats)
2. Cheaper interior
3. Minimal space in cargo hold
4. Looks a little toyish/childish with smaller hatchback configuration as I'm getting older, just turned 47.
5. Radio kind of sucks
6. No ambient lighting, almost no buttons are backlit.
7. Shifter is a bit notchy (but was smoothing out with more miles) and launches are fairly tricky (either burn the clutch or "abuse" it. Hard to find middle ground).

Integra Type S Pros (compared to GR):
1. better ride quality
2. adjustable electronic suspension
3. much nicer interior
4. shifter is like butta
5. stereo is better
6. engine feels just as strong, if not stronger. Maybe a little less overall "character" compared to that turbo triple, but still an awesome engine obviously K20C8.
7. Much bigger backseat area, legroom
8. Hatch can swallow a lot more cargo (i.e., I can take my wife, two young boys, and our luggage from Dallas to Corpus Christi, Houston, etc.)
9. Wider, better tires stock (4S versus normal Michelin 4's)
10. Feels like a more grown-up hot hatch
11. Quieter inside and on highway road trips.
12. Higher top speed (167 supposedly versus 143 electronic limited). Uncorked I think the GR would do 155-160mph. It's a little beast.

Integra Type S Cons (compared to GR):
1. FWD versus a great AWD set-up. As good as the helical limited slip and dual axis suspension is at mitigating torque steer, etc., it's still FWD. [img]data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7[/img]
2. Not as flickable around town due to longer wheel base and FWD set-up. GR felt more like a go-kart and is arguably more fun to zip around town in, but admittedly haven't flogged the ITS yet. But, I think my comment will stand. That said, both very fun cars obviously!!!
3. A bit more grown-up/boring looking compared to the pocket rocket GR.
4. More expensive. Paid about $12k plus my '24 GR Premium to trade up. Worth it to me though overall obviously.
5. Engine sound maybe not quite as exciting at the GR 3 cylinder, but still good.

That's all I got for now. Attached is a couple crappy pics (it was raining yesterday). In one of the pictures, you can see the red GR in the background. I'll miss it, but I think the ITS is a better car for the long haul as my primary evening/weekend driver and wife will like that it's a bit more 'comfy.'

sam_spider

Yep, you've got issues Corey.

I like the white, not really a red interior fan though, probably my one big gripe with Honda/Acura is their interior color choices, lack of really.

ssbfgc

Sweet ride! How do you have time to do so much car shopping!?! It's amazing. At this point is has to be a second full-time job

TheDonEffect

Did I remember to post a pool on the over under on when you were going to unload it? Dang it, would've been fun, but hey at least you're setting new PRs, lol.

Well normally this is the point where I say something to the effect of congrats! Enjoy in good health! But that would be enabling so I'll say instead... shame, shame, shame.

Anyway, I think your reviews are spot on. I've said it before, the current Civic imo has the best interior in its class by a country mile, both in terms of design and quality, but man the ergonomics and layout is really spot on, and the hatch is just world's better than anything out there. I'm currently helping my sister in law shop for a car and the Civic hatch is at the top of the list and it isn't even close. The cargo area is huuuuuuge with the seats folded down to the point of aside from ground clearance why would you need a CUV. It's deceptively well laid out, which I will always say Honda does the best at, they just manage to get every ounce of usable space out of their cars. And yeah the interior passenger space is exceptional.

However the FWD just lets it down for me. I watched all the reviews, read most of the opinions, I get the appeal but anyone saying it doesn't wash out under throttle is just lying or didn't live with it long enough. I don't live on a track, or a well thought out course, or just want to feel acceleration, or really care about setting lap PRs, I'm just in it for fun. If my heart was set on getting a CTR it would not detract me from getting one, because let's be honest the vast majority of enthusiasts are mostly about that show and shine life. I think this is where Honda engineered it good enough where the FWD isn't a real con per se that would sway their loyalists from buying it.

If Honda made a CTR AWD man oh man that would be tempting, but I'm still not sure I'd make the jump. The CTR is infinitely more usable, but you can't hide the longer, bigger body, which is fantastic for practical purposes, but not for driving fun. I don't evaluate cars by their track times, I just care about how they feel and a car that big, with those huge tires, and when you consider what a FWD CTR costs, an AWD version would just be astronomical.

I also realized that if I prioritized interior and usability that high when comparing it to the GRC, then really I should be looking elsewhere for a car.

The ITS was a no go for me just based on the price and that the VIN doesn't start with a J, lol.

Anyway, I get it man, the ITS fits your family of four much better than the GRC would, so I'm sure it will be a welcome addition to your fleet since you don't have another fun, four door, sedan, with performance, manual, upscale interior, similar size, called a Blackwing, in your garage.

Btw, if you plan to keep this up, could you give a brother a heads up so I can start a review channel and just use your latest acquisitions for content creation? lol

WolfpackS2k

Wow, that was quick haha. But if said vehicle needs to be roomy enough to transport a family of 4 and (some) luggage, there's just no way a GRC works. It just doesn't. A lot of people gripe about the GRC being 5 doors and not 3, but really, in my mind it has the practicality of a 3 door, not a 5 door. Size-wise, it just is. So I totally get it.

silvio1522

Congratulations on the new car!

Guess this makes you an official member of the "Fanbois Club". Enjoy it. I know I would.

QUIKAG

hahaha! So, my twisted logic on the Blackwing is it and the ZR1 are hopefully part of my "permanent" cars, so I don't want to rack up a ton of miles on either one for evening/weekend slogs. Fun drives, rallies (like the 1,200 mile one I just got back from), etc., sure, but not in "mindless" miles.

The "squirtability" of the GR is absolutely superior. I was driving to the dealership in the rain in the GR and zero traction issues acceleration at near full throttle away from the light. Do that in the ITS and it's spin city and/or traction control locking stuff down. FWD is definitely inferior to the AWD set-up in the GR. In the dry or from a highway roll, the ITS is good, but still have to manage traction in the lower gears. Non-issue in the GR.

I like a nice interior, but it's not that big of a deal. To me, the GR was comfy and functional and had cool gauges. AC works good, the 8" screen was fine with my Apple Carplay. Yeah, the ITS interior is nicer, but whatever. Doesn't really add to the driving dynamics and enjoyment which are most important to me. In short, I think the GR is overall more enjoyable to drive, but the ITS is still fun to drive and more functional with interior room and space for my family.

So, Don, unless you need a ton of rear seat and/or hatch space, you still definitely own the right car. The price difference isn't worth it unless you REALLY need the functionality and are willing to give up some of the traction dynamic benefits of the GR.

QUIKAG

Again, it's a OCD thing along with some weird combination of ADHD too.

My Dad did tell me today that I really should get a dealer license here in Texas and start buying and selling cars to drive different cars and hopefully make a few bucks. It does sound intriguing, but I need to focus on my primary job more, so I don't lose it. haha.

rwheelz

Was there anything else you were considering when leaving the GR for the ITS? Is the interior really that much better? Very difficult to tell from photos having not seen either car in person.

darcyw

I really like the TypeS and been fortunate enough to drive both typeR and TypeS. Maybe, just maybe, used TypeS' will be a better buy than the civic TypeR in the next 4-8 years. Kinda like a Buick Grand National vs. T Type.

well done!
darcy