Short version: on a 1.5T Integra (DE4), we carry the AWE Track Edition cat-back. It's a single 3-inch to dual 3-inch T304L system with dual 5-inch tips, and it's loud on purpose. On the Type S (DE5), our pick for a daily is the AWE Touring Edition, a full 3-inch system with no drone on the highway. If you want a valve and swappable muffler modules, take the MagnaFlow SPEQ. If you want burnt titanium out back, go with one of the Invidia systems. Every one of them lives on our cat-back exhaust page.
Which Integra do you have? DE4 1.5T vs DE5 Type S
This part matters, because nothing in this post crosses over. The 1.5T and the Type S use different engines, different exhaust layouts and different part numbers. Order the wrong one and it won't bolt up.
The DE4 is the regular Integra: base, A-Spec and A-Spec with Technology Package, starting with the 2023 model year. It runs the same 1.5-liter turbo four as the Civic Si. That's 200 hp at 6,000 rpm and 192 lb-ft at 1,800 rpm, with a CVT standard and a 6-speed manual on the A-Spec Tech.
The DE5 is the Type S, which arrived for 2024. It runs the K20C 2.0-liter VTEC turbo, making 320 hp at 6,500 rpm and 310 lb-ft from 2,600 to 4,000 rpm. It's manual-only, with a helical limited-slip diff.
| Integra 1.5T (DE4) | Integra Type S (DE5) | |
|---|---|---|
| Years | 2023-2026 | 2024-2026 |
| Trims | Base, A-Spec, A-Spec Technology | Type S |
| Engine | 1.5L turbo I-4 | K20C 2.0L VTEC turbo I-4 |
| Output | 200 hp / 192 lb-ft | 320 hp / 310 lb-ft |
| Transmission | CVT, or 6MT on A-Spec Tech | 6MT only, helical LSD |
| Wheels | 17-inch base, 18-inch A-Spec | 19 x 9.5-inch, 265/30ZR19 Pilot Sport 4 S |
| Front rotors | 12.3 in. | 13.8 in. two-piece, Brembo 4-piston |
| Easy tells | No hood vents, smaller brakes | Vented aluminum hood, Brembo calipers, wider track |
Quickest check: look at the hood and the calipers. A vented aluminum hood and Brembos mean you've got a Type S. If you're also sizing up wheels, our Acura Integra wheel fitment guide breaks down each trim the same way.
Best cat-back exhausts for the Acura Integra 1.5T (DE4)
The 1.5T is tuned to be a quiet premium commuter, and the factory exhaust plays that part well. It sounds like an appliance, and most owners who want any personality start right here.
A cat-back replaces everything from the catalytic converter back. It's the easiest bolt-on for sound, and it carries over cleanly if you add a tune or downpipe later. The DE4 shares its powertrain with the Civic Si, so the mod-order logic in our Civic Si FC1 build order guide mostly applies here too. Exhaust is an early, honest first step.
For the 1.5T, we carry AWE's system. AWE builds it as a Touring Edition and an unleashed Track Edition. Ours is the Track Edition, offered in two tip finishes.
AWE Track Edition, Chrome Silver tips (3020-32331)
The AWE Track Edition Catback with Dual Chrome Silver Tips (3020-32331) uses a single 3-inch to dual 3-inch layout. It's built from CNC mandrel-bent, .065-inch wall T304L stainless. It includes a front pipe made to mate with the factory downpipe connection, plus a bullet-style resonator in the midpipe.
Out back, AWE skips the 180 Technology drone-canceling resonators and runs straight sections instead. AWE's own words: it gets "(really) rowdy" in mid-range acceleration, deceleration and cruising. The tips are dual 5-inch, slash-cut and double-walled.
AWE Track Edition, Diamond Black tips (3020-33331)
The AWE Track Edition Catback with Dual Diamond Black Tips (3020-33331) is the same system with darker tips. Same 3-inch T304L, same front pipe, same midpipe resonator, same noise. It's made in the USA and backed by AWE's Fitment Guarantee, No Check Engine Light Guarantee and Lifetime Warranty.
One thing to know before you click buy: AWE won't take Track Editions back because you didn't like the sound. Go listen to one first.
Our pick for the 1.5T: the black-tip Track Edition on a darker car, chrome on white or silver. Both are listed for the 2023 Integra 1.5T, so if yours is a 2024-2026, confirm fitment on the product page before ordering.
Fair warning: if you take long highway trips with a partner who hates noise, this is not the quiet option. For a full budget plan on the shared platform, read our Civic Si budget build breakdown.
Best cat-back exhausts for the Acura Integra Type S (DE5)
The Type S already sounds better than the 1.5T. It also carries a lot of muffling. The factory system is close kin to the Civic Type R's, with the same style of mufflers and a big midpipe resonator. The Type R just carries one extra midpipe resonator.
There's a factory valve. It only closes in Comfort mode, and even then it opens past a throttle threshold. Sport and Sport+ leave it open, and Sport+ adds ECU burbles. In practice the volume difference between modes is smaller than you'd expect, which is why so many Type S owners want more.
We carry five DE5 systems from three brands. All of them replace the factory exhaust from the cat back.
AWE Touring Edition, Triple Chrome Silver tips (3015-52335)
The AWE Touring Edition Exhaust for the Type S with Triple Chrome Silver Tips (3015-52335) is a full 3-inch system with its own front pipe. AWE uses a unique flange and gasket at the inlet, so it stays a true 3 inches from inlet to outlet. The material is .065-inch wall T304L, CNC mandrel-bent.
The rear section uses a DE5-specific version of AWE's patented 180 Technology. AWE developed it with and without aftermarket catted downpipes and promises zero drone at highway speeds. Three 4.5-inch double-walled, slash-cut tips keep the triple center-exit look.
AWE Touring Edition, Triple Diamond Black tips (3015-53335)
The AWE Touring Edition with Triple Diamond Black Tips (3015-53335) is the identical system with black tips. AWE says it tucks inside the bumper undertray with plenty of clearance and needs no motor mount removal. The system is not valved, so it sounds the same in every drive mode.
Invidia R400 Cat-Back (HS23AISFGM3STL)
The Invidia R400 Cat-Back for the Type S (HS23AISFGM3STL) is the Gemini-style system. It runs 76 mm (3-inch) stainless piping in a non-polished finish, with its front pipe included. The tip is a 101 mm burnt titanium unit, which is the real reason people buy Invidia: the heat-blued tip looks right on Indy Yellow or Liquid Carbon.
Invidia Q300 Cat-Back (HS23AISFQ33STL)
The Invidia Q300 Cat-Back for the Type S (HS23AISFQ33STL) also wears a single-layer titanium tip. Invidia pitches the Q300 line as its balance of a livelier note with street-friendly manners. It replaces everything from the cat back. Pick this one if you want the Invidia look and the more daily-minded line.
MagnaFlow SPEQ Series (19696)
The MagnaFlow SPEQ Series Cat-Back for the 2024-2025 Type S (19696) is the gadget pick, in a good way. It's 3-inch mandrel-bent stainless feeding three straight-through perforated-tube mufflers, ending in a triple center exit with 4.5-inch black chrome tips.
It keeps a cast stainless active valve with full valve function and uses V-band clamps. The modules swap with quick-release clamps, so you can pull the mufflers and run MagnaFlow's xTreme Delete straight-pipe sections on track days. MagnaFlow rates it moderate outside and mild inside, with its No-Drone Technology.
Our pick for the Type S: the AWE Touring Edition in Diamond Black. It's the most refined daily on this list, and it's honest about it. If you want a valve or the option to go straight-pipe for a weekend, the MagnaFlow is the one. If you're chasing feel as much as sound, pair it with a few of the cheap wins from our FK8 Type R micro-mods list. A lot of that thinking carries straight over to the DE5.
Acura Integra cat-back exhaust comparison
Every system we stock for the Integra, side by side. Match the engine column to your car first.
| Part | Fits | Years | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWE 3020-32331 | 1.5T | 2023 | Cat-back exhaust system | $1,411.48 |
| AWE 3020-33331 | 1.5T | 2023 | Cat-back exhaust system | $1,318.38 |
| AWE 3015-52335 | Type S 2.0T | 2024 | Cat-back exhaust system | $1,885.53 |
| AWE 3015-53335 | Type S 2.0T | 2024 | Cat-back exhaust system | $1,982.73 |
| Invidia HS23AISFGM3STL | Type S 2.0T | 2024 | Cat-back exhaust system | $1,809.16 |
| Invidia HS23AISFQ33STL | Type S 2.0T | 2024 | Cat-back exhaust system | $1,770.78 |
| MagnaFlow 19696 | Type S 2.0T | 2024-2025 | Cat-back exhaust system | $2,289.28 |
AWE vs Invidia vs MagnaFlow on the Type S
AWE is the engineering-first choice. It has the thickest spec sheet: true 3-inch with a custom inlet flange, .065-wall T304L, drone tuning built for the DE5, and a fit that skips motor mount removal. The tradeoff is no valve. It's one sound, all the time.
MagnaFlow is the flexible one. It has the valve, the swappable modules and V-band joints. If you go to the track a few times a year and drive to work the rest, you can have both in one box. Just note it's listed for 2024-2025 Type S cars and it's off the table in California.
Invidia is the style pick. You buy it for the titanium tip and the JDM look, on stainless piping. Invidia doesn't publish much in the way of drone or sound claims for these, so buy it with your eyes and ears.
We've done the same brand shootout on other platforms. If you have a second car in the garage, see the best cat-backs for the WRX and our BRZ / Toyota 86 cat-back guide.
Will an Integra cat-back drone on the highway?
Drone is the low, steady hum that fills the cabin at cruise. It's what makes people regret loud exhausts on road trips.
On the Type S, the AWE Touring Edition is built around killing it. AWE's 180 Technology cancels the drone-prone frequencies, and AWE claims zero drone at highway speeds, with or without a catted downpipe. The MagnaFlow promises a quiet cabin with its No-Drone Technology and a mild interior rating.
On the 1.5T, the AWE Track Edition is the opposite. AWE pulled the drone-canceling resonators on purpose, and it can get rowdy while cruising. If you spend hours on the interstate, know that going in.
Cat-back vs axle-back on the Integra
An axle-back replaces only the rear muffler section. A cat-back replaces everything behind the catalytic converter: front pipe, midpipe, resonators and mufflers.
We'd skip the axle-back conversation on this car. Every system we carry for the Integra is a full cat-back. On the Type S, that's what gets you a true 3-inch path. It's also why the AWE uses its own inlet flange. You also need the full system to deal with drone properly, because that work happens in the midpipe and rear.
Valved or non-valved?
Only the Type S has a factory valve. Of our DE5 options, the MagnaFlow SPEQ keeps full valve function through its own active valve. The AWE Touring Edition is not valved. The Integra modes won't change its sound, but the drone tuning means you don't need them to.
Our take: a valve matters if you cold-start at 6 a.m. in a townhouse complex. If not, the AWE's always-on but well-behaved sound is easier to live with than you'd think.
How much power does a cat-back add?
Be realistic. These are turbo cars, and the turbo and cat are the real restrictions. A cat-back is a sound mod with a small power bonus.
On the 1.5T, AWE claims dyno-proven max gains of +10 hp and +7 lb-ft at the wheels for the Track Edition. On a 200 hp car, that's a small bump you'll notice more in the seat than on a timeslip.
On the Type S, AWE doesn't publish a number. MagnaFlow says dyno-proven gains but gives no figure. If you want real power, the order is tune, then downpipe. A good cat-back fits right into that plan, and AWE says its DE5 system was developed with catted downpipes in mind.
Is an Integra cat-back legal? Will it pass inspection?
A cat-back leaves the catalytic converter alone, which keeps you on the right side of most emissions inspections. The two things that bite people are noise rules and California.
The MagnaFlow 19696 is not CARB legal and is not for sale in California. If you live there, check the product page for the California status of anything else before ordering.
Noise limits vary by state and town. The quieter daily options here are the AWE Touring Edition and the MagnaFlow with its mufflers installed. The AWE Track Edition is the one most likely to draw attention. On the CEL side, AWE backs its 1.5T system with a No Check Engine Light Guarantee.
How long does install take?
These are bolt-on systems with no welding. The AWE systems need no motor mount removal. The MagnaFlow is direct-fit from the cat back with V-band joints, and the Invidia R400 includes its front pipe.
The bigger hurdle is getting under the car. A 2025 Integra has 5.1 inches of ground clearance, so bring a low-profile jack and good stands. Budget an afternoon in the driveway. A shop with a lift is much faster, and an extra set of hands helps when you line up the rear section.
What we'd do
If it were our Type S, we'd bolt on the AWE Touring Edition in Diamond Black, set some 19s flush, and call it done. If it were our 1.5T A-Spec, we'd run the AWE Track Edition and enjoy the noise. We'd also accept that our passengers will have opinions. Browse the full cat-back exhaust lineup to see each one.
Acura Integra cat-back exhaust FAQ
What is the best cat-back exhaust for the Acura Integra Type S?
For most DE5 owners, the AWE Touring Edition. It's a true 3-inch system in .065-wall T304L, with drone tuning built specifically for the Type S, and AWE claims zero drone at highway speeds. If you want a working valve and swappable straight-pipe modules, the MagnaFlow SPEQ 19696 is the better fit. If the titanium-tip look is the goal, pick an Invidia R400 or Q300.
What is the best cat-back for the 1.5T Integra (DE4)?
The one we carry is the AWE Track Edition, in chrome silver or diamond black tips. It's a single 3-inch to dual 3-inch T304L system with a front pipe, a midpipe resonator and dual 5-inch tips. AWE claims up to +10 hp and +7 lb-ft at the wheels. It's loud by design, and AWE won't take returns based on sound.
Will a cat-back make my Integra drone on the highway?
It depends on the system. The AWE Touring Edition for the Type S uses 180 Technology to cancel drone frequencies, and the MagnaFlow SPEQ is rated mild inside with No-Drone Technology. The AWE Track Edition for the 1.5T drops the drone-canceling resonators and can get rowdy at cruise. If you road-trip a lot, take that seriously.
Does the AWE Track Edition fit the Integra Type S?
No. The Track Edition (3020-32331 and 3020-33331) is built for the 1.5T DE4 Integra and the FE1 Civic Si. The Type S uses a different engine and exhaust layout. For a DE5, use the AWE Touring Edition (3015-52335 or 3015-53335), the Invidia systems or the MagnaFlow 19696.
Does the MagnaFlow SPEQ keep the Type S exhaust valve?
Yes. The 19696 uses a cast stainless active performance valve and keeps full valve function. It also lets you swap the muffler modules for xTreme Delete straight-pipe sections with quick-release clamps. That makes it the most adjustable Type S system we sell.
Are Integra cat-back exhausts legal in California?
The MagnaFlow 19696 is not CARB legal and isn't sold in California. For the other systems, check California status on the product page before you order. Outside California, a cat-back keeps the factory cats, so emissions testing is usually a non-issue. Noise is the bigger risk, and that comes down to your local rules.
How much horsepower does a cat-back add to an Integra?
On the 1.5T, AWE claims up to +10 hp and +7 lb-ft at the wheels with the Track Edition. On the Type S, none of the makers we carry publish a number, though MagnaFlow describes dyno-proven gains. On a turbo car, the cat-back is mostly about sound. Real power comes from a tune and downpipe.
Should I get a cat-back or an axle-back for my Integra?
Go cat-back. You get the full 3-inch path from the converter back, and drone control actually works because the midpipe is part of the design. Every Integra system we carry is a full cat-back.
Can I install an Integra cat-back exhaust myself?
Yes, if you're comfortable under a car on stands. These are bolt-on systems, and AWE says its kits need no motor mount removal. With only about 5.1 inches of ground clearance, you'll want a low-profile jack. Plan on an afternoon, and grab a helper for aligning the rear section and tips.
Shop every Acura Integra cat-back exhaust
Pick your engine, pick your tip finish, and we'll get it moving. See the full range on our cat-back exhaust page.