Edmunds U-Drags: Honda Civic Si Goes Head-to-Head With New Acura Integra

• Civic Si and Integra are very close competitors on our U-Drags course
• Same powertrain but different tires meant varied results
• Watch the full video below to see the nuanced results

What is U-Drags?

More than just a straight-line race, U-Drags is a unique format cooked up by the Edmunds test team. It tests acceleration, braking and handling all in one race. Vehicles line up side by side and accelerate toward a quarter-mile marker. When they reach the marker, they brake hard, make a U-turn, and head back toward the start line as fast as possible. To make sure things are even, the drivers then switch cars and switch lanes and do it all again.

Check out the diagram below to get a visual and then scroll down for the details on how this U-Drags throwdown played out.

The results

The Civic Si won the first race, but by a small margin, crossing the finish line in 41.8 seconds while the Integra did it in 42.2 seconds. The second race was even closer but with a different result — the Civic lost this time, crossing the finish line in 42.5 seconds, with the Integra doing it in 42.4 seconds. In the final race, the Civic came out on top again, finishing in 41.5 seconds, beating the Integra's time of 42.0 seconds.

So, yeah, we're talking split-second differences here.

With front-wheel-drive cars such as the Civic and Integra, getting the launch right is extremely important, and our race proved that. With equal power, the driver who got the better launch had a much better chance.

The details

The 3,073-pound Integra is aimed at the luxury-car shopper, while the 2,961-pound Civic is a bit sportier and, as such, it gets summer performance tires. This means it has an advantage in our U-Drags format. Better tires mean a better launch from zero to 60 mph, better braking distances, and better handling. So, with the Integra sporting all-season tires and the Civic wearing summer performance tires, a win for the Civic was all but certain.

When it launched well, in the first and third races, the Civic Si won. In those races it went from zero to 60 mph in 7.7 and 7.5 seconds, respectively. But, when the launch wasn't perfect and it had a zero to 60 mph time of 8.1 seconds, the Integra was able to keep up. The Civic Si had a maximum lateral g of 0.94 while the Integra was just a bit less grippy at 0.92 g. This contributed to the difference in cornering, and it gave the Civic an advantage on the return trip.

With one superior launch in the Integra, it was able to cross the finish line first in a single race. With the Civic winning two out of three, however, both our drivers said they'd prefer the Civic thanks to its inexpensive summer-tire option. The added traction in the corner, the additional braking power and, ultimately, the superior launch capability gave the Civic Si the advantage.

Edmunds says

When power and weight are equal, the winner in an out-and-back drag race comes down to equipment. The Civic Si is offered with summer tires directly from the manufacturer, and we test our vehicles unmodified, so that's where it gained its advantage. The Integra performed admirably, but ultimately it was held back by its less aggressive all-season tires.