SAHIKAWA, Japan -- The next-generation Honda Civic's base powerplant will be a downsized turbocharged engine as the automaker tries to boost fuel economy.
The turbo engine will help Honda Motor Co. meet stricter emissions standards and deliver fun-to-drive performance that sets the Civic apart, global r&d head Yoshiharu Yamamoto said.
"Downsized turbocharging will be the base, even for the Civic," Yamamoto said last month on the sidelines of a winter test drive event at Honda's nearby proving ground in northern Japan.
Last week, Honda announced that Yamamoto would retire in June, to be replaced by Koichi Fukuo, the company's quality czar.
A redesigned Civic may arrive as early as this year. Honda has confirmed plans to start producing the turbo engines in 2015.