A broadly revised 120bhp 1.6 litre i-DTEC diesel engine will join the Honda Civic range in Europe from March 2018. Interestingly, this new motor 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.
Whereas the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test uses data based on a theoretical driving profile, the WLTP cycle has been developed using actual driving data gathered from around the world. It is therefore designed to produce results closer to real-world driving.
The upcoming 1.6 motor is based on the existing unit but it features reduced cylinder friction due to pistons made from chromium-molybdenum steel alloy. It uses a Bosch fuel injection system justlike before, and features a small, high-efficiency turbocharger, low-pressure EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system,d a high-intake flow and a high-swirl cylinder head port. Honda states that it has added additional cast ribs to the cylinder block to increase structural rigidity and reduce overall NVH levels.
The 1.6-litre engine, which produces 120bhp and 300Nm of torque will be assembled at Honda’s UK manufacturing facility in Swindon. It will be available in both the four-door and five-door variants of the tenth-generation Civic.
