"There is little chance that Honda will sell its new engine anywhere outside of Europe; company executives admit that it likely will be the last diesel it will develop. Diesels still made up 45 percent of European passenger-car sales last year, but that percentage is falling rapidly and is disproportionately made up of cars bigger than the Civic. Within a technology generation, the case for spending the money necessary to develop another all-new diesel for a minority player like the Civic will almost certainly be gone. But it is fitting for such an engineering-led company that, despite its modest output, this little diesel should be remembered as one of the pinnacles of its genre." The Full Euro: Honda Civic Diesel Driven Europe's new diesel Civic is a fuel-economy champ. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/honda-civic-i-dtec-diesel-first-drive-review
Wellllll, sure. 'They' could sell you a 250,000+ mile beefy piece of 140 mpg personal transport. But then, ... well ,..... they'd have to kill you. http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/2009/09/article/track-t800cdi-diesel-motorcycle-quick-ride/ /sorry, 1 extra cylinder
That's NICE. But I do like a real manual transmission on a motorcycle. Otherwise , I'd be......... reading about Euro-bikes ( and cars ) we can't buy here.
Hi Carcus: I will miss this as well. Although we only drove the iCDTi in the 2007 Civic, it was and still is one of the best drive trains I have ever driven. It only got better with the iDTEC and its two or three updates since its release. 2007 Honda Civic iCDTi Wayne
Through Honda's internal testing, they say the car is good for 76.3 mpg (imperial gallons) which would be 63.5 mpg US. This is on the WLTP testing which is supposedly much closer to real world than the old NEDC (I've seen examples of a 20% to 30% reduction from that old standard). Not much out there for real world reports yet, ... but I think (guess) it's possible this is a 60-ish mpg highway cruiser if speed is kept under 70 mph.. (especially with the 9 speed transmission) With a (comparatively) uncomplicated emissions system, this ought to be a 300,000 mile car, and I imagine they'll give the euros a decent (1500 lb or more) tow rating.
I'm curious what the cost of forced regeneration is to the efficiency overall, as well as to the TCO. That piece of hardware is expensive to replace so will it last the lifetime of the vehicle? And it'll be worse for hypermilers if the exhaust doesn't get as hot for extended periods. Those who drive around all day with a lead foot will probably not incur much regeneration. Right? Wayne, I feel it is almost time to post something about looking past just getting great MPG. We need to start looking at the smog side of things. I've seen some things in doing the fueleconomy.gov side-by-side comparisons that I cannot unsee, in particular in the smog section. This is starting to affect my next vehicle choice as I hope it will for others. But the topic isn't in the news foreground.
4. Comprehensively revised 1.6 i-DTEC diesel engine delivers outstanding real-world efficiency and refinement Athletic response, low CO2 emissions and high real-world fuel economy Friction-reducing technologies improve refinement and contribute to lower NOx emissions New forged steel pistons reduce cooling loss within the engine block Upgraded engine assembled at Honda of the UK Manufacturing in Swindon Honda has comprehensively revised its 120 PS 1.6 litre i-DTEC diesel engine for the all-new Honda Civic range, offering an outstanding combination of performance and efficiency. The development objective for this engine upgrade was to deliver an athletic response and agile feeling for the driver, greater refinement through precision technologies, and lower levels of NOx emissions. The four-cylinder 1,597cc i-DTEC diesel engine provides maximum power of 120 PS (88 kW) at 4,000 rpm and maximum torque of 300Nm (221 lb ft) at 2,000 rpm, powering the Civic from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 10.5 seconds. CO2 emissions (under the updated NEDC test conditions*) are from 91 g/km (Civic Sedan) and 93 g/km (Civic Hatchback), when equipped with the six-speed manual transmission. Combined fuel economy figures under the updated test conditions* are 3.4l/100 km (Sedan) and 3.5l/100 km (Hatchback). The improvements to the 1.6-litre diesel include enhancements to reduce cylinder friction, improve the efficiency of NOx conversion, and to further develop the driveability of the car. Honda’s engineers have employed new production processes, introduced different materials, and sourced next-generation components to deliver a comprehensively-revised engine. Lightweight aluminium structure Honda’s 1.6-litre i-DTEC engine is comprised of a lightweight aluminium cylinder head joined to an all-aluminium, open-deck, high-pressure, die-cast engine block to minimise the engine’s weight. In the revised i-DTEC unit, the external design has been enhanced, with additional cast ribs added to the surface of the cylinder block. These ribs increase structural rigidity and, consequently, improve the management of noise, vibration and harshness. The lightweight dual-overhead camshaft (DOHC) cylinder head is made of pressure-cast aluminium alloy. In this re-engineered unit, the head requires less reinforcement thanks to improved cooling in the block, so the thickness – and therefore weight – of the aluminium structure has been reduced. The new component is 280 grams lighter than in the previous generation 1.6-litre i-DTEC, representing a 2% reduction. Pistons and connecting rods In the previous 1.6 i-DTEC, the pistons were made from aluminium. In the revised i-DTEC engine, the pistons are manufactured from steel. The use of forged steel reduces cooling loss. It prevents thermal energy from escaping to the engine block and makes it possible to improve thermal efficiency. This change enables the cylinder head to be thinner and lighter, but with no detriment to durability. A high-strength, lightweight slender crankshaft is also used to further minimise weight. Friction-reducing technology A key target for Honda’s development engineers working on the previous 1.6 i-DTEC was to reduce the mechanical friction of the diesel engine to the level usually associated with a petrol engine. With this new, revised 1.6 i-DTEC unit, the development has been taken a step further, with additional friction-reducing technologies. The new 1.6 i-DTEC engine features ‘super plateau honing’, which lowers the friction level between the pistons and the cylinder bores by creating an ultra-smooth surface. Plateau honing is a two-stage machining method that uses two grinding processes instead of the more conventional single honing process. This also enhances the long-term wear characteristics of the engine. Lower friction generates less heat, and so the plateau honing also contributes to a lower maximum combustion pressure (Pmax) in the cylinders: from 15.8 MPa in the previous 1.6 i-DTEC to 14.6 MPa in the newly-revised engine. By lowering temperature and pressure during combustion, Honda has been able to improve fuel economy from the 1.6 i-DTEC engine, even while introducing additional technologies to reduce the NOx produced – which would typically increase fuel consumption. Smoother internal mechanisms help to improve efficiency; they also improve the engine’s response, making the car feel more athletic to drive. Next-generation efficient turbocharger The revised 1.6 i-DTEC employs a turbocharger with a new design. It features a highly efficient variable-nozzle design and its rotational speed is precisely controlled by the car’s electronics, minimising turbo lag and providing an optimal combination of low- to mid-range pull and high-speed performance. Energy loss from the system is lower than in the previous i-DTEC, thanks to a new design of compressor in the turbocharger. Efficient fuel injection system and engine air flow The 1.6-litre engine uses a solenoid fuel injection system that is capable of operating at a high pressure of 1800bar. The higher the fuel pressure, the more rapidly it is injected, with finer atomization of the fuel spray that mixes with the air in the chamber. This results in a cleaner and more efficient combustion helping to achieve low emissions and fuel consumption. The i-DTEC’s cylinders have high volumetric efficiency, featuring a high-intake flow and a high-swirl head port that precisely controls the combustion process to reduce hot spots that create unwanted emissions. The engine air flow is managed by using an EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system that operates at high and low pressure to reduce NOx emissions. Honda has made a number of adjustments to the injectors to reduce emissions. The addition of post injection at lower ambient and coolant temperature increases the exhaust temperature and enables earlier activation of the catalytic converter, and an increase in pilot injection frequency also helps to reduce NOx levels., when regeneration of the particulate filter may occur, multiple post injections have been applied to reduce oil dilution and help to maintain efficient engine performance. Low emissions technology Honda’s new 1.6 i-DTEC is one of the first engines to be officially tested through the Real Driving Emission (RDE) procedure to validate NOx and particulate emission levels. The diesel powertrain has a new NOx Storage Converter (NSC) system with a higher processing cell density, which enables faster conversion and a reduction in emissions. A silver thin-coated particulate filter further improves the combustion efficiency of particulate matter and increases the combustion speed of soot under regeneration. extending exhaust component durability, due to shorter heat production in the particular filter. Real Driving Emission (RDE) tests measure the pollutants such as NOx emitted by cars while driven on the road. RDE tests run alongside the laboratory-based test cycles such as NEDC and WLTP to ensure the delivery of low emissions from vehicles during on-road conditions throughout Europe. Idle Stop-Start The Civic 1.6-litre i-DTEC is fitted with Honda’s Idle Stop system as standard. The system reduces overall fuel consumption and helps to deliver CO2 emissions of just 91 g/km (Civic Sedan) and 93 g/km (Civic Hatchback), when equipped with the six-speed manual transmission (under the updated NEDC test conditions)*. Revised six-speed manual transmission A smooth and precise shift feel results from an enhanced synchroniser ring in the synchro-mesh gear of the six-speed manual transmission. The gear change friction is reduced by 40 percent compared to the previous generation Civic and is among the class best. A constant-mesh helical reverse gear mechanism significantly reduces noise, and the dual mass flywheel also contributes to improved management of noise, vibration and harshness. A nine-speed automatic transmission will bolster the Civic’s powertrain options from mid-2018, representing its first ever application in a two-wheel drive car. * Honda internal data on the NEDC cycle according to Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 with the tightened test conditions prescribed by Regulation (EU) 2017/1153. https://hondanews.eu/eu/en/cars/media/pressreleases/125012/2018-civic-i-dtec-diesel60
That's a quite sizable list of improvements. --- It looks like Honda pulled out all the stops on this one.
Here's an article which says the 2018 1.6 diesel NEDC tested at 80.7 mpg. The 1.5t NEDC test was 48.7 mpg. Assuming that is the combined rating and that I'm not missing something else. .... 80.7/48.6 x 35 mpg (EPA combined rating for 1.5) ... would mean the combined EPA for the 1.6 would be about 58 mpg! So any halfway conservative highway driver ought to easily exceed 60 mpg, and might be looking at 70+ mpg in favorable conditions. __________ "Good efficiency figures have the car off to a very promising start, with an official NEDC test fuel economy of 80.7mpg and a CO2 figure of 93g/km, giving it a good company car benefit-in-kind figure." http://companycartoday.co.uk/first-drive-honda-civic-diesel/ "The larger four-cylinder 1.5 litre VTEC TURBO gasoline engine provides substantially greater performance – in power and torque – over the previous Civic’s 1.8-litre VTEC. Maximum power is 182 PS (134 kW) at 5,500 rpm (at 6,000 rpm with CVT). With the six-speed manual, 240 Nm maximum torque is delivered between 1,900 rpm and 5,000 rpm. With the CVT, 220 Nm is delivered between 1,700 rpm and 5,500 rpm. Official CO2 emissions are 133 g/km for the six-speed manual model, with combined fuel economy (NEDC combined cycle) of 5.8l/100 km (48.7 mpg)." https://hondanews.eu/eu/en/cars/media/pressreleases/103228/2017-honda-civic1 /edit: that 48.7 is likely a EPA 33 mpg for the "sport" ,. . so a still impressive approx 55 mpg EPA combined (?) for the 1.6 diesel.
There are a handful of whack-jobs who will always want diesel. But I hate the idea of not having (much) control about shutting off the engine when I want to. If I NEVER had to do any city/suburban driving , and just cruised on (slower) highways , I'd BE one of those whack-jobs. I was converted on the Audi "Truth in 48 Hours" drive.
Road test results in highway mpg of mid to high 50's (US). This is in a hatchback and 6 speed manual and engine not broke in, so a sedan with the 9 speed ought to cruise the highway at 60+ mpg easily.,,.. "Our test car had barely covered 1,000 miles, but managed almost 70mpg on a long motorway run with some light-footed driving and Econ mode switched on, or low 60s to the gallon without any effort at all." https://fleetworld.co.uk/road-test-honda-civic-1-6-i-dtec-ex/ Imperial to US: 60 mpg = 50 mpg US 70 mpg = 58 mpg US
