A heavily revised 1.6-liter diesel engine will join Honda Civic's European range starting March next year. Generating 120 horsepower (89 kilowatts) and 221 pound-feet (300 Newton-meters) of torque, the motor provides a decent acceleration from a standstill to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 10.4 seconds.
While the power numbers are almost identical to the previous 1.6-liter diesel engine of the brand, the new unit is far more efficient. Significant improvements have been made to the exhaust gas treatment system, while the cylinder friction has been reduced thanks to pistons made from highly durable chromium-molybdebnum steel alloy.
The new 1.6-liter i-DTEC engine is one of the first on the market to be officially tested under the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) fuel consumption and emissions cycle. It is developed using actual driving data and is designed to produce results closer to a real-world driving experience compared to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).
Under the new WLTP cycle, the Honda Civic 1.6 diesel returns an impressive average fuel consumption of 63 miles per gallon (3.7 liters per 100 kilometers) with corresponding CO2 emissions of 99 grams per kilometer.
The new 1.6 i-DTEC unit is also one of the first to be tested under the Real Driving Emission (RDE) procedure that validates the NOx emissions. Honda explains the powertrain is equipped with a larger catalyst and a higher content of noble metals (silver, platinum, and neodymium) that store nitrogen oxide gas until the regeneration cycle.
Later this year the new Civic will also become the first front-wheel drive model from the Japanese manufacturer to receive a nine-speed automatic gearbox in Europe. The transmission was introduced for the CR-V in 2015.
Related News
