Japanese manufacturer, Honda, saw that in order to conquer the European market they would have to embrace diesel technology – something they’ve been pretty passionate about ignoring for quite some time. But this is the modern era and that pig headed approach will most likely result in losing their place in the metaphorical championship – the result? Honda have become more mainstream with the Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC.
When you’re looking for diesel power in a hatch or an estate you’ll often be confronted with 2 extremes – somewhat unexciting 1.6ltr units or pricier and inefficient 2.0ltr units. The cleverness behind the 120ps 1.6ltr i-DTEC diesel engine is that you no longer have to commit to an extreme in this scale and it’s available in the 9th generation Honda Civic Hatch and Tourer estate models. Yes it is possible to have decent performance and economy at the same time – that’s exactly what Honda’s fuel-efficient and environment focused ‘Earth Dreams’ technology is all about. This 1.6ltr i-DTEC unit is actually the 3rd diesel engine Honda have ever produced – the 1st being back in 2002 with the 1.7ltrIsuzu-GM, which was a poor affair in contrast with the petrol models the company was merrily producing still. Then there was the N-engine introduced in 2004 – a 2.2ltr diesel that started off state of the art and then never moved beyond that. Flash forward a decade and you’ll appreciate the fine engineering that’s gone into this game changing Honda Civic.
When driving, the Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC knocks out 120ps and does 0-62mph in 10.1 seconds up to 120mph. It also rocks out 300Nm worth of torque, doubling that available in the 142ps i-VTEC petrol variant. That torque provides a 1400kg braked tow rate and makes the car seem very livery in contrast to what the figures suggest. At 170kgs it’s also claimed by Honda to be the lightest diesel engine in the world. The resulting drive feels in tune with the character of the car, being at its best at a nice cruising speed with plenty left in reserve. There’s little of that harsh vibration and pull you normally associate with diesel engines. Honda Civic has a very comfortable ride to appreciate, even better with the impressive noise reduction that Honda has applied to all the latest Civic models.
The most obvious facet of this engine’s personality is the economy figure. They’re very impressive sipping fuel at a rate of 74.3mpg, which means on a full tank of petrol it can go 870 miles without stopping! Now that’s a road trip and a half. It’s also eco-friendly, pumping out 99g/pk of CO2, keeping it just below that all-important £100 barrier and ensuring that your road tax will be free. This figure is assisted by the IdleStop (Honda’s stop/start system) to cut out the engine when it’s not needed; and the handy Eco-Assist which works on the driver’s display to inform you via lights how economically you’re driving.
All in all, what’s the lowdown with the Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC? This is a very new breed of Honda – one which purists might bridle at. But it is essential to note how the world is changing, and to survive so must Honda. This is especially important for the Europian markets who demand diesels. So with the Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC they have become a little more mainstream, but this 120ps 1.6ltr i-DTEC diesel engine – in all it’s well performing, petrol sipping/eco-friendly glory, is standalone enough to still be in a class of its own. Although this is the first of the Honda new wave… who doesn’t love a Civic eh?
If you want to get hold of the new Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC then don’t hesitate toleave us a message on our contact us page or give us a call on 01903 538835 to find out about our Honda lease deals.
