The new 2012 Honda Civic will feature a cleaner, more powerful and economical diesel engine to deliver lower running costs for owners.

Improvements to Honda’s 2.2-litre i-DTEC engine, coupled with a low-drag body design, mean the new 2012 Civic emits only 110g/km of CO2 – while producing a powerful 148bhp and 258lb ft of torque.

This new lower CO2 figure signals a drop of 29g/km over the outgoing model and will enable customers to benefit from free road tax for the first year (and only £20 per year from then on), as well as cheaper fuel bills. Meanwhile, company car drivers will be able to take advantage of BIK tax rates among the lowest for a small family car. The improved engine also shows that customers do not need to sacrifice on power to achieve better economy – the 2.2 diesel delivers a 10bhp boost over the outgoing engine.

Honda’s advanced i-DTEC engine received a number of enhancements in the quest for lower emissions. The oil flow through the engine has been carefully managed to reduce circulation loss, while engine materials and components have been revised to reduce friction. A five g/km reduction in CO2 was also achieved with the addition of Idle Stop (start/stop) technology. Extensive wind tunnel testing was carried out to improve the car’s aerodynamics, reduce drag and refine high speed stability, all of which contribute towards lowering emissions.

“To achieve a good CO2 figure, you need to optimise every aspect of the car,” says Katsushi Watanabe, Development Leader for the engine. “Reducing the emissions was our key target and we’re proud to say that we have achieved this without compromising the high performance character of the engine. We want our customers to have fun when they drive this car.”