PRODUCT DETAILS
PRL Motorsports Front Mount Intercooler - 2022+ Civic Si & Integra 1.5T
The 1.5T heat soaks, and everyone who drives one hard finds out. Once the factory intercooler saturates, charge air temperatures climb, the ECU pulls timing to protect against detonation, and power fades pull after pull. This PRL bar-and-plate unit rated to 550+ horsepower dropped charge temps by up to 108°F against the factory intercooler in PRL's own testing, mounts in the factory location with no cutting, and it's legal in 49 states.
The Number That Matters: 108°F Cooler
This isn't estimated, it's what PRL measured against the factory intercooler.
Up to a 108°F drop in charge air temperature, up to 40% more cooling efficiency, and up to 9 horsepower on an otherwise stock car, purely from replacing the intercooler.
That temperature drop is the whole point. Cooler charge air means denser air, less risk of detonation, and an ECU that isn't pulling timing to protect the engine. The peak horsepower figure understates it, since the real benefit is that the fourth pull matches the first rather than fading as the factory unit saturates.
What Heat Soak Costs You
The failure is gradual, which is why it's easy to underestimate.
An intercooler that can't shed heat fast enough lets intake temperatures climb. Higher charge air temperature means higher cylinder temperature, which raises detonation risk, so the ECU pulls timing. Pulled timing means lost power.
In practice you get full power on the first pull and noticeably less by the third or fourth. It's worse with spirited driving and considerably worse once you've added power, since you're pushing more air through a core sized for factory output.
A larger, denser core keeps charge temperatures down through repeated pulls, which is what keeps power consistent instead of tapering off.
Rated 550+, Tested Past 600
The core is a dense bar-and-plate design measuring 26 x 4.5 x 5.9", rated to 550+ horsepower. PRL notes they've pushed it past 600 in their own testing.
Bar-and-plate construction is more durable and more efficient at transferring heat than the tube-and-fin design in most factory intercoolers. That's where the 40% efficiency gain comes from, and it's why this holds up to serious power rather than becoming the limitation as you build.
Machined billet aluminum end tanks handle the flow and mount to the factory location, embossed for a clean finished look.
Legal In 49 States
Worth calling out, because it's rare on an intercooler.
This carries a SEMA emissions certification, number SC-APG01-0054, which makes it legal for sale and use on emissions-controlled vehicles in 49 states when used per the manufacturer's application guide.
Most performance intercoolers can't make that claim. If your Civic or Integra faces inspection somewhere outside California, this passes.
Polished Or Black
Two finishes, purely a look since the core sits behind the front bumper.
Polished is the traditional intercooler appearance, bright and obvious that something's been done behind the grille.
Black disappears into the bumper opening, keeping the car looking stock from the front.
Both cool identically. Pick whichever suits how much you want the intercooler seen.
True Bolt-On, No Tune
No cutting or trimming. It uses the factory mounting points, and the kit includes billet aluminum adapters that let it connect to your factory charge piping directly.
No ECU calibration is required, since a better intercooler improves what the engine already does rather than changing how it's metered. Everything needed for the install is in the box, including brackets, stainless hardware, and replacement O-rings.
Pair It With The Charge Pipes
Where the charge path gets fully sorted.
This works with factory charge piping via the included adapters, but it pairs best with PRL's charge pipe upgrade kit. The factory cold side pipe is only 1.25", which is a restriction sitting right after the intercooler. Running both means the cooled air you just created isn't choked on its way to the throttle body.
The intercooler is the bigger single improvement. The charge pipes finish the job.
What's In The Kit
- Intercooler assembly with billet end tanks
- (2) Mounting brackets with stainless hardware
- (2) Billet aluminum factory charge pipe adapters
- (1) Cardboard stencil with PRL logo
- (2) PRL factory-style replacement O-rings
Fitment
2022-2026 Honda Civic 1.5T
2023-2026 Acura Integra 1.5T
All variants including Si, CVT, 6-speed manual, right-hand drive, and international models. Polished (HC11-IC) or black (HC11-IC-BLK). SEMA certified, legal in 49 states.
Who Should Grab This
This is for the owner who's added boost or noticed the car going flat after a few hard pulls, and for anyone building the car who wants the charge cooling sorted early. A 108°F temperature drop, a core rated past what most people will ever make, a genuine bolt-on with factory charge pipe adapters, and emissions certification that keeps it legal. Bolt it on and get power that holds.
Fits: 2022-2026 Honda Civic 1.5T and 2023-2026 Acura Integra 1.5T, all variants. Part numbers: HC11-IC (polished), HC11-IC-BLK (black). Core: 26 x 4.5 x 5.9" bar-and-plate, rated 550+ horsepower. Testing: up to 108°F cooler charge air, 40% more cooling efficiency, 9 hp on a stock car. End tanks: machined billet aluminum. Emissions: SEMA certified SC-APG01-0054, legal in 49 states. Install: factory mounting points, includes charge pipe adapters, no cutting. Tuning: no ECU calibration required. Pairs with: charge pipe upgrade kit.
2023-2026 Acura Integra Base/ASpec
2022-2026 Honda Civic Si/Sport/EX