Honda is to offer a comprehensively revised 120PS 1.6-liter i-DTEC diesel engine in the Civic range, in Europe from March 2018.
The new engine is one of the first units to be officially tested under the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) fuel consumption and emissions cycle, which comes into force this year. While data from the familiar New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test is based on a theoretical driving profile, the WLTP cycle was developed using actual driving data gathered from around the world.
Honda states it has made significant improvements to the engine and the exhaust system to maximise real world performance. The efficiency enhancements for the new i-DTEC unit result in fuel economy and CO2 emissions starting from 76.3mpg and 99g/km.
The improvements to the 1.6-litre diesel include a reduction in cylinder friction, thanks to pistons made from highly durable chromium-molybdebnum steel alloy, as well as ‘super plateau honing’ of the bores to enable smoother piston movement.
The 1597cc engine uses the same Bosch fuel injection system as before, and features a small, high-efficiency turbocharger, low-pressure EGR system and a high-intake flow, high-swirl cylinder head port. A high-strength, lightweight slender crankshaft and all-aluminium, open-deck, high-pressure, die-cast engine block minimise the engine’s weight. For the new i-DTEC, additional cast ribs have been added to the cylinder block to increase structural rigidity and, consequently, improve the management of noise, vibration and harshness.
Honda’s new 1.6 i-DTEC is also one of the first engines to be officially tested through the RDE procedure to validate NOx and particulate emission levels. The diesel powertrain has a new NOx Storage Converter (NSC) system with larger catalysts and a higher content of silver, platinum and neodymium, that store nitrogen oxide gas until the regeneration cycle. A soot sensor detects when the regeneration cycle is required, extending exhaust component durability.
The 1.6 i-DTEC engine produces 120PS at 4,000rpm and 300Nm at 2,000rpm, powering the Civic from zero to 62 mph in 10.4 seconds.
A nine-speed automatic transmission will further bolster the Civic’s powertrain options in mid-2018, representing its first ever application in a two-wheel drive car.