LONDON, ENGLAND -- (Marketwire) -- 11/10/12 -- An exciting new chapter in the history of Honda diesels has begun with the arrival of the b 1.6-litre i-DTEC engine. This is the first engine to be launched in Europe under Honda's flagship Earth Dreams Technology environmental programme and will offer customers an outstanding balance of high fuel economy, low emissions and exciting performance.

The new engine makes its debut in the British built Civic which will be arriving in dealerships from early next year, priced from just GBP 19,400 and will also be making its way into the new CR-V SUV later in 2013.

The all-new powerplant has been developed exclusively for Europe, and tested extensively on a variety of roads across the continent. As with the Civic itself, the engine has been built at Honda's state-of-the-art factory in Swindon.

This new engine catapults the Civic into the competitive corporate market, offering a 'no co the corporate customer. With a class-leading combination of fuel economy and performance, the new fuel-sipping Civic 1.6 i-DTEC keeps running costs low by emitting only 94 g/km meaning free road tax and with 78.5mpg on the combined cycle, it's longer between fill ups. Combine this with a pokey 12 and Honda's acknowledged reputations car for which reliability, is expected to catch the eye of company car fleet managers and user choosers.

The 1.6 i-DTEC unit features a 6-speed manual gearbox and has an exact capacity of 1597cc and in the Civic offers a maximum power output of 120PS at 4,000rpm while maximum torque is 300Nm at 2,000rpm. The new variant will be available in three generously equipped trim levels. Prices will start at a very competitive GBP 19,400 for the SE model, GBP 20,595 for the ES and GBP 23,175 for the top-of-the-range EX.

The specification for this trio of new variants will be identical to the equivalent 2.2-litre i-DTEC cars, but with the addition of new 16-inch alloy wheels. The 1.6 i-DTEC EX has also been enhanced with several desirable convenience features including front and rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rear view mirror and DAB digital radio.

Honda's advanced-DTEC diesel technology has already proved its environmental credentials over a number of years. It went on sale in the UK in 2.2-litre guise in the refined Accord Saloon/Tourer in 2008 and the award-winning CR-V sports utility vehicle in 2010.

Early interest in the new 1.6 i-DTEC Civic has been very positive and it's expected to be warmly welcomed into fleets when the first deliveries commence in January 2013.