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Recently, an efficient integrated forging process has been proposed in which solutionized aluminum alloy extruded bars are directly hot forged and quenched. In this study, the hot deformation behaviors and microstructure evolution of 6082 aluminum alloy extruded bar was investigated via isothermal compression tests under the temperature range of 400–535 ℃ and strain rates range of 0.1–10 s−1 with different strains. The deformation behaviors were described by the established strain-compensated constitutive model and processing maps. The microstructure evolution of the deformed specimens was revealed by electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that the Zener-Hollomon (Z) parameter, which involved temperature and strain rate, exerted a considerable influence on the deformation behaviors and microstructure evolution. Deformation-induced extensive dislocations were pinned by the dispersoids and generated cellular substructures under high ln Z (i.e. low temperature or high strain rate), potentially triggering dynamic instability. The tangled dislocations pinned by the insoluble dispersoids continued to overcome the pinning points as ln Z decreased, while the dislocations were consumed by the rotation of subgrain boundaries. As a result, the geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) was decreased with the significant increase of the fraction of high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs). In addition, the stable-end orientations, namely, Brass {011}< 211 > and Goss {011}< 001 > texture components with high Schmid Factors (SFs) are generated during compression, facilitating the dislocation movement and thus promoting the fraction of recrystallization. The above findings demonstrate the foundation for improving forming performance and optimizing the processing parameters for the integrated forging process. • The flow behaviors of solutionzied 6082 aluminum alloy extruded bars were investigated. • The relationship of the dominant softening mechanisms and the Z parameter was revealed. • Evolution of grain boundaries misorientation and geometrically necessary dislocation was illustrated. • The characteristics of grain orientation and Schmid Factors were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]