The Acura Integra is back and in many ways better than ever. And we test the performance-oriented A-Spec version in this episode of “America on the Road.” The Integra was a mainstay of the Acura lineup from the day the brand was introduced in 1986 until the Integra was discontinued 20 years later. Now, as Acura turns its back on its alpha naming system, the Integra has returned as a five-door hatchback with driving enjoyment as its key calling card.

In A-Spec form, the 2023 Acura Integra features its first-ever turbocharged engine, 18-inch alloy wheels, and the availability of a six-speed manual transmission with rev-matching capability. Of course, there is plenty of tech as well, like the 10.2-inch digital instrumentation display and the adaptive damper suspension system. And the Integra A-Spec looks the part with stainless steel pedals, red gauge needles and contrast stitching on the steering wheel, console, shift boot plus a leather-wrapped aluminum shift knob.

In the news segment, we examine the contention that electric cars will be less trouble-prone and need less service than conventional gasoline cars. Many pundits have made that claim, but a new study from Consumer Reports says quite the opposite is true. We’ll have our thoughts on all that coming up.

Also in the news, is there a “Silent Majority” of top car company execs that believes that pursuing electric vehicles to the exclusion of conventional vehicles is a giant mistake? One prominent global executive certainly thinks so, and in this edition, we’ll tell you who that is and why he believes it. Our guest host, EV expert Matt DeLorenzo, will weigh in on that as well.

DeLorenzo is the author of the new book How To Buy an Affordable Electric Car: A Tightwad’s Guide to EV Ownership and a longtime industry observer. In a special segment this week, he and AOTR Host Jack Nerad will take a long look at the assertion by some climatologists that the accelerating move to electric vehicles is not the right solution to climate issues. In fact it could be a multi-trillion-dollar mistake. Nerad is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicles in addition to his latest novel, Dance in the Dark.

In the road test segment, Matt DeLorenzo will detail his recent experiences in one of the biggest “sleeper values” on the sedan market today — the Volkswagen Arteon. The highly styled and well-equipped Arteon deserves more attention than it has received, and we’ll tell you why.