Honda

Honda plans to standardise engines across different models

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Honda’s diesel offering for India, the i-DTEC.

Honda is quite new to the diesel scene and that shows in some of their cars that are powered by the i-DTEC motors. Though they are quite powerful and offer respectable fuel economy, they aren’t the most refined and smooth of the oil-burners currently out there in the market. But, Honda isn’t a company that sits back and just eats sushi once they release a product. Their engineering brilliance cannot be undermined and the i-VTEC is globally touted as one of the most refined and reliable internal combustion engines ever made. That said, the Indian consumer has openhandedly welcomed the i-DTEC, mainly for its frugality and the practicality that it brings to the table.

New honda City images from launch (22)

The Honda City diesel is one of the best-selling C-segment cars in the country, today. 

Honda now plans to standardise engines across their wide range of cars to help boost sales in the coming years. Apparently, their aim is to sell 3 lakh units in the Indian market in the next two years. Hironori Kanayama, President & CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd. said “Indian customers have been very appreciative of the high mileage delivered by our 1.5L i-DTEC diesel engine that has been developed exclusively for India, considering the tough driving conditions here. It is the lightest engine in its class with an all-aluminum cylinder head joined to an open deck engine block delivering high torque and mileage as high as 26 kilometres.”

Honda is keen on implementing its diesel tech in its next-gen of cars. Currently, the Brio hatchback and CR-V softroader do not yet possess a diesel motor under their bonnet. But the stable isn’t completely void of diesel cars, the Mobilio, Amaze and City all now come with a diesel motor option. Honda India has sold over 1 lakh diesel powered units till date. According to the company, its diesel cars have racked up over 90-crore kilometres, combined.

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The Honda Amaze i-DTEC has been quite a runaway success for the company.

The Japanese manufacturer’s 1.5-litre i-DTEC motor has helped give the company a big boost in sales in a country that’s mostly driven by the phrase “Kitna deti hai?” (What’s the fuel economy?) The claimed mileage of the diesel City is 26 kmpl, the Amaze diesel claims an average of 25.8 kmpl and the Mobilio MPV is said to deliver 24.5 kmpl, which are the best figures in their respective segments. The impetus towards higher fuel economy and lower prices of diesel means that Honda is eager to make the best out of this opportunity. The company is aiming to sell 3 lakh diesel powered cars in India in the coming two years. For this purpose, Honda will equip its new cars with a diesel motor for their next-gen iterations.

Honda Mobilio front (2)

Honda’s MPV, the Mobilio has garnered some good attention within its segment.

“We have been successful with the diesel portfolio so far even as the market for petrol cars is gaining traction. The new-age customers are looking for high power and torque that come in a diesel engine and form a substantial part of our sales in the Indian domestic market,” Kanayama mentioned. Despite the dropping costs of petrol that’s inching ever so close to the price of diesel fuel, Honda says it’s confident of its diesel cars sales, regardless of the market trend. According to Kanayama, over 40% of Honda cars sales are driven by the diesel variants and made the company the third largest carmaker in the country.

Source – https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/auto/news/cars/honda-motors-plans-to-standardise-engines-across-different-models/articleshow/46060860.cms

1 thought on “Honda plans to standardise engines across different models”

  1. The issue of 1.5 i-DTEC is, it is forcefully reduced frmo 1.6 i-DTEC. The 1.6 is purely architectured and hence has all the properties of i-VTEC. Making it 1.5 does make out things not very well. It need rearchitecture. That is why you see the engine is not rev happy and coarse in engine note.

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