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Honda Considering Small Diesel Engine with Capacity Between 1 and 1.2 Liters

Preconceptions would suggest diesel engines have lower specific power output compared to your average petrol equivalent. However, since they have so much more torque, you don't need to rev them under normal city driving conditions.
Honda Jazz 1 photo
Photo: Honda
That's why some automakers decided to make much smaller diesel engines for cars that are used primarily in the city. A couple of years ago, Volkswagen introduced a 1.2-liter 75 PS TDI diesel to the Polo, replacing the oversized 1.6 TDI with the same output. Another carmaker that widely uses really small diesels is Fiat, its 1.3 being available on the Panda and 500 to name but a few.

Honda has shied away from small diesel engines but could reconsider its position after seeing the success of its 1.6 i-DTEC Civic. From an interview with SmartInvestor.in, we've learned the Japanese automaker researches are thinking about going well below that in terms of displacement.

"We are looking at developing a smaller diesel engine. We are looking at a diesel engine with engine capacity between 1-1.2 litre. Once developed, it can be used on small cars," said Mr Atsushi Arisaka, Honda Asia Pacific R&D’s chief engineer.

Of course, he was talking about a small diesel that would go into cars like the Brio hatch and Brio Amaze sedan, but it could also be offered with the next-gen Jazz/Fit. We've long considered this car to be unappreciated. As a supermini, it's uglier than its rivals, but a large boot and very spacious interior makes it very practical as well. The 1.4 VTEC is nice, but let's be honest – nobody wants to rev to 6,000 in a car like that.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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