Which Honda model was the first to feature VTEC technology?

The Honda Integra was the first Honda model to feature VTEC technology.

Honda’s first VTEC engine was the B16A, introduced in the second-generation Integra in 1989. The high-performance Integra XSi and RSi used this 1.6-liter DOHC four-cylinder, making the Integra the first production Honda model associated with the company’s revolutionary VTEC system.

VTEC stands for Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control. At different engine speeds, the system changes which camshaft profiles operate the valves, allowing an engine to behave efficiently and smoothly at lower revs while producing stronger high-rpm power. This helped Honda combine everyday drivability with unusually high specific output.

The technology soon spread to other Honda and Acura products, including the Civic and later the NSX, which made VTEC famous among enthusiasts. That expansion creates a frequent quiz trap: the NSX is one of Honda’s best-known VTEC cars, but it was not the first. The Civic also received VTEC engines shortly after the Integra, while North American buyers often encountered the Integra under the Acura nameplate.