Small turbo engines for next Honda Civic

Come 2017 an all-new Honda Civic will be available. Though relatively little is known about the

newcomer, Honda will use the upcoming Geneva motor show to give an indication as to how the

next-generation may look.

Here in South Africa a weak Rand and poor exchange rates mean that Honda is – and will be –

struggling to keep prices across its model range competitive. As a result, we are not getting the same

models and variants as our American or European counterparts and are engine choices on the

decline. The current Civic is only available with Honda’s 1,8-litre petrol engine. The 1,6-litre diesel

has been discontinued.

Be that as it may, the next Honda Civic will ride on an improved platform of the one currently doing

duty underneath the US-spec Civic. Independent rear suspension will replace the torsion beam and if

the mumblings are to be believed, the new platform will be 25% stiffer than before.

Already at the 2015 New York motor show Honda teased with a coupé concept of its 2017 Civic and

needless to say, the design of the car is a big step away from what’s in showrooms today. Prototypes

of the all-new Honda Civic have been doing the rounds the last few days and it gave away a few

more hints as to what can be expected at Geneva in a few weeks’ time.

The car has the same tail-light design as the American Honda Civic, but central twin exhausts and a

revised roofline suggests a sportier look.

Honda will also be making use of turbocharged engines, with a new 1,0-litre three-cylinder turbo

petrol engine (95 kW/200 N.m) replacing the normally aspirated 1,8-litre engine.

The big engine in the range will be Honda’s new 1,5-litre turbo petrol engine. This motor is already

used in America and delivers around 130 kW. It remains to be seen if South Africa will get this engine

and what the power figures will be.

The new Civic will be built at Honda’s Swindon plant in England. This plant is the sole global source

for the new Honda Civic hatchback and is capable of producing 250 000 vehicles per year. In 2015

Swindon produced only 119 000 vehicles.

The next Honda Civic will be available in a four body styles, including coupé and station wagon, but

thanks to a weakening economy we’ll probably still only have sedans and hatchbacks to choose

from.