Honda is bringing Acura to Japan for the first time and will export the Integra Type S from Ohio, according to a report from Automotive News. The Integra Type S will be joined by the Honda Passport TrailSport Elite, both of which will be exported in the second half of 2026.Both the Integra Type S and the Passport will retain their U.S. specifications, along with their left-hand-drive designs, which will likely limit their sales figures.
Honda will export an Acura model from the United States to Japan, marking the first time an Acura-branded car has been sold in the country, according to Automotive News. The automaker isn’t planning to bring its full lineup over to Japan, but it will import only the Ohio-built Integra Type S. At the same time, Honda is planning to bring the U.S.-built Passport to Japan too, bringing the off-road-focused SUV to the brand’s home market.
Marc Urbano|Car and Driver
Both the Integra and the Passport will be imported into Japan in their U.S. specifications, meaning that they’ll both come with a left-hand-drive design. The fourth-gen Passport was designed in California, developed in Ohio, and is built in Alabama. The imported TrailSport Elite trim is equipped with all-terrain tires, off-road-tuned suspension, and reinforced steel skid plates for protection from rocks.
The decision to reverse-import the Integra marks a bit of a full-circle moment for the performance car. The Integra was one of the first two Acura products sold in the United States when Honda first formed the brand in 1986, launching alongside the Acura Legend. At the time, the Integra was sold as a Honda model in Japan and imported to the United States with Acura badging. In modern times, the Integra Type S is built exclusively in Ohio, with no JDM version of the Honda Integra on sale.
The export of both models will begin in the second half of 2026. We don’t expect either model to generate huge sales figures for Honda, particularly because of the left-hand-drive designation, though some enthusiasts are sure to snatch them up.
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Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
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