For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Acura Integra have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Subaru Impreza doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.
The Acura Integra has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Impreza doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.
The Integra A-Spec with Technology Package/Type S has standard Parking Sensors to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Impreza doesn’t offer a front parking aid.
The Integra has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Impreza’s blind spot costs extra.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Integra has standard Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Impreza and its not available on the Base.
Both the Integra and the Impreza have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Acura Integra is safer than the Subaru Impreza:
|
Integra |
Impreza |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Neck Injury Risk |
27% |
39% |
Neck Stress |
191 lbs. |
247 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
19 lbs. |
50 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.7 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
27% |
34% |
Neck Stress |
151 lbs. |
208 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Acura Integra is safer than the Subaru Impreza:
|
Integra |
Impreza |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
145 |
165 |
Chest Movement |
.9 inches |
1 inches |
Abdominal Force |
226 lbs. |
293 lbs. |
Hip Force |
301 lbs. |
400 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
239 |
363 |
Spine Acceleration |
60 G’s |
79 G’s |
Hip Force |
531 lbs. |
715 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
12 inches |
13 inches |
Spine Acceleration |
45 G’s |
49 G’s |
Hip Force |
646 lbs. |
824 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Acura Integra is much safer than the Impreza Sedan:
|
Integra |
Impreza |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
POOR |
Structure |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
160 |
245 |
Head Peak Forces |
no contact |
55 G’s |
Neck Tension |
201 lbs. |
290 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
MARGINAL |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.14 in |
1.89 in |
Shoulder Force |
268 lbs. |
357 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.26 in |
2.01 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
8 MPH |
10 MPH |
Pelvis |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
959 lbs. |
1116 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Neck Compression |
112 lbs. |
178 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
MARGINAL |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.02 in |
2.09 in |
Shoulder Force |
201 lbs. |
424 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.46 in |
1.69 in |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Pelvis Force |
602 lbs. |
825 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
The Acura Integra has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Impreza is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.