Honda Automobiles: 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback Press Kit

With advanced new turbocharged engines and new and updated manual and Continuously Variable Transmissions, the 2017 Civic Hatchback offers exceptional fuel efficiency and fun-to-drive performance. The Civic Hatchback builds on powertrain technology first introduced in the 2016 Civic Sedan line, advancing performance to new levels.

In LX, EX and EX-L Navi models which are designed to operate on regular unleaded fuel, the 1.5-liter 16-valve DOHC direct-injected turbocharged powerplant is rated at 174 horsepower at 5,500 (6MT) or 6,000 (CVT) rpm. Torque output is set at 162 lb-ft. between 1,700 and 5,500 rpm when equipped with the CVT. When equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission (LX) the torque rating increases to 167 lb-ft.

In Civic Hatchback Sport and Sport Touring models that are designed to benefit from premium unleaded fuel, output jumps to 180 horsepower at 5,500 (6MT) or 6,000 (CVT) rpm. Torque output crests at 162 lb.-ft. between 1,700 and 5,500 rpm when equipped with the CVT.  For Sport models equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission, the peak torque rating increases to 177 lb.-ft.  

The highly efficient engines and transmissions, along with exceptional aerodynamics and low running resistance, result in impressive performance and fuel efficiency. The Civic Hatchback is rated by the EPA at 30/39/33 mpg1 (city/highway/combined) when equipped with the standard 6-speed manual transmission (LX and Sport). When equipped with the available Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), the Civic Hatchback in LX, EX and EX-L Navi trims is rated by the EPA at 31/40/34 mpg1. Sport and Sport Touring trims equipped with the available Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) are rated at 30/36/32 mpg1.

Key Powertrain Features

Turbocharged 1.5-liter, DOHC direct-injected inline-4 engine

  • Dual VTC (Variable Valve Timing Control)
  • Low inertia Mono scroll turbo system* 
  • Computer-controlled Direct Injection (DI) with multi-hole fuel injectors*
  • 10.6:1 compression ratio
  • Lightweight, high rigidity steel crankshaft
  • Drive-by-Wire throttle system
  • Maintenance Minder™ system optimizes service intervals
  • 100,000 +/- miles tune-up interval

Transmissions

  • 6-speed Manual (Standard on LX and Sport)
  • Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) (Standard on EX, EX-L Navi and Sport Touring; available on LX and Sport)

Engine Output EPA Fuel Economy Estimates by Model and Transmission

Engine Architecture and Features

(Also see the 1.5 L Turbo engine animation in the press kit or on Hondanews.com for a visual representation of prominent engine features and functions.)

Cylinder Block and Crankshaft
The Civic Hatchback’s 1.5-liter inline four has a lightweight die-cast aluminum block with individual reinforced main bearing caps to minimize weight. Cast-in iron cylinder liners provide long-lasting durability. Each journal on the lightweight forged-steel crankshaft is micropolished to reduce internal friction.

Pistons and Connecting Rods 
The 1.5-liter engine’s pistons have “cavity-shaped” crowns that help maintain stable combustion and contribute to improved efficiency. The lightweight pistons have a carefully optimized skirt design to minimize reciprocating weight, which minimizes vibration and increases operating efficiency. The pistons are cooled by twin oil jets directed at the underside of each piston crown. Ion-plated piston rings help reduce friction for greater operating efficiency. Lightweight, high-strength steel connecting rods are heat-forged in one piece and then “crack separated” to create a lighter and stronger rod with an optimally fitted bearing cap.

Cylinder Head and Valvetrain
The direct-injected Civic Hatchback 4-cylinder turbocharged engine has a lightweight pressure-cast aluminum alloy DOHC cylinder head. With exhaust ports cast directly into the cylinder head, the need for a traditional separate exhaust manifold is eliminated, reducing engine weight and simplifying the assembly.

A low-friction, silent-chain drives dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. The cam drive is maintenance free throughout the life of the engine. To help further reduce weight, new thin-wall hollow camshafts are used.

To benefit fuel efficiency, emissions and power, the turbo engine utilizes sodium-filled exhaust valves. A hollow chamber within the valve contains sodium that is cooled by the exhaust port cooling jacket. As the chamber reaches close to the valve head, the sodium helps to cool the entire valve. Since the valve is internally cooled it doesn’t need the enriched fuel mixture that is generally used in turbo engines to help cool the exhaust valve. The resultant leaner mixture reduces emissions, increases fuel efficiency and helps increase power.

The cylinder head includes small M12 sparkplugs, down from the more common M14, to save space and weight. The head also includes direct-injection multi-hole fuel injectors with a small-diameter bore. Higher-pressure direct injection optimizes fuel atomization, allowing for more efficient combustion. To provide a high-tumble intake charge that further enhances combustion efficiency, both the intake port and piston crown have special designs.

The Civic Hatchback turbo engine features Variable Valve Timing Control (VTC) that can vary the timing of both the intake and exhaust camshafts independently to best suit the driving conditions. Under light loads, valve overlap can be increased to reduce pumping losses and improve fuel efficiency. When engine speed is low and engine load is large, such as during initial acceleration, the amount of overlap is increased to boost the scavenging effect, which improves torque and responsiveness. When engine speed is high and engine load is also high, such as during full-throttle acceleration, the amount of valve overlap is reduced to increase engine output by improving both intake and scavenging.

Direct Injection System
The direct-injection system enables increased torque across the engine’s full operating range along with higher fuel efficiency and low emissions. Multi-hole injectors deliver fuel directly into each cylinder (not to the intake port, as in conventional port fuel injection designs), allowing for more efficient combustion. The system features a compact, high-pressure, direct-injection pump that allows both high fuel flow and pulsation suppression, while variable pressure control optimizes injector operation.

Low Inertia Mono Scroll Turbo System with Electric Wastegate
The turbocharged Civic engine employs a small-diameter, low-mass turbine for maximum responsiveness. The Mono scroll housing design helps the turbo build boost even at relatively small throttle openings and low rpm. The electrically actuated wastegate allows boost pressure to be precisely controlled.

A large low-restriction intercooler is positioned low in the front of the car where it receives unobstructed airflow when the vehicle is in motion. Intake air travels from the air filter, to the turbo compressor, on to the intercooler, then to the engine’s intake ports. The intercooler helps reduce the temperature of air entering the engine, making it denser for greater performance. To reduce weight, the turbo system is plumbed with rigid, lightweight resin composite inlet pipes to carry intake air to and from the intercooler.

ECON Mode
Every 2017 Civic Hatchback is equipped with a green ECON button located on the center console near the shift lever. Activating ECON mode improves fuel efficiency by modifying throttle mapping, HVAC operation and shifting schedule in CVT models. The Drive-by-Wire throttle system provides more gradual response, and to save additional energy, the climate control’s fan speeds are lowered incrementally and other climate control system characteristics are altered based on the conditions.

Friction Reducing Technology
All Civic Hatchback engines make use of new friction-reducing technologies designed to improve engine efficiency:

  • The outer skirts of the lightweight aluminum pistons feature a low-friction molybdenum coating applied in a dot pattern 
  • Plateau honing of the cylinder walls removes microscopic high points to further reduce friction while improving the long-term wear characteristics of the engine.  
  • Low viscosity oil (0W-20)  
  • Other contributors to overall operating efficiency are a special 2-stage oil pump relief valve, low-friction oil seals, special low-drag piston ring design, low-friction cam chain and a lightweight crankshaft. 

Drive-by-Wire Throttle System
The Civic Hatchback’s Drive-by-Wire throttle system replaces a conventional throttle cable with smart electronics that “connect” the accelerator pedal to a throttle valve inside the throttle body. The result is less under-hood clutter and lower weight, as well as quicker and more accurate throttle actuation. Plus, a specially programmed “gain” rate between the throttle pedal and engine offers improved drivability and optimized engine response to suit specific driving conditions.

Exhaust System
The Civic LX, EX and EX-L Navi trims use a single-pipe exhaust system for light weight and simplicity. Unique exhaust silencers and dual center-mounted outlets help contribute to the added power output of the Sport and Sport Touring models.

100,000+/- Mile Tune-up Intervals
The Civic Hatchback’s powerplant requires no scheduled maintenance for 100,000+/- miles or more, other than periodic inspections and normal fluid and filter replacements. The first tune-up includes water pump inspection, valve adjustment, and the installation of new spark plugs.

Maintenance Minder™ System
To eliminate unnecessary service stops while ensuring that the vehicle is properly maintained, the Civic Hatchback has a Maintenance Minder™ system that continually monitors the vehicle’s operating condition. When maintenance is required, the driver is alerted via a message on the Multi-Information Display (MID) on the LX and Sport trims or Driver Information Interface (DII) on EX and above trims. (See the Interior section for more information.)

The Maintenance Minder™ system monitors operating conditions such as oil and coolant temperature along with engine speed to determine the proper service intervals. Depending on operating conditions, oil change intervals can be extended to a maximum of 10,000 miles, potentially sparing the owner considerable expense and inconvenience over the life of the vehicle. The owner-resettable system monitors all normal service parts and systems, including oil and filter, tire rotation, air-cleaner, transmission fluid, spark plugs, coolant, brake pads and more. To reduce the potential for driver distraction, maintenance alerts are presented only when the ignition is first turned on, not while driving.

Advanced Transmissions

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
The Civic Hatchback’s available Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) offers smooth and predictable gear ratio transitions and excellent acceleration matched with efficient low-rpm cruising. The CVT is comprised of an engine-driven torque converter that in turn drives two variable-width pulleys connected by a steel belt. With its angled inner faces, the belt can circle the angled pulley faces at varying diameter depending on the pulley width, which alters the effective ratio between the pulleys. Since there are no steps in the pulley faces, the range of possible gear ratios is essentially infinite. This ultrafine control of the gear ratio is the key to the CVT’s greater efficiency over a conventional automatic transmission with a limited number of discrete gear ratios. Instead of approximating the correct ratio for the conditions like a conventional automatic does, the CVT can precisely select the optimum ratio from moment to moment without steps or slippage. Computer control of the transmission allows the ratio between the pulleys to be altered almost instantly to best suit the driving conditions and accelerator pedal setting.

As is the case with the Civic Sedan, the Civic Hatchback’s CVT is an evolution of the CVT transmission that is offered in Accord 4-cylinder models. In this application, the transmission’s final gear ratio is 4.69 percent taller than the Accord CVT to allow for lower-rpm cruising. A new turbine twin-damper design for the torque converter provides tighter control and helps mitigate turbo lag.

G-Design Shift Feature
The Civic Hatchback’s CVT is designed to provide the optimum gear ratio for the driving conditions, and to offer a more natural driving feel than some previous CVT transmissions that may have something of a disconnected “rubber-band” feel compared to a conventional automatic transmission.

The CVT has a new generation of special G-design shift logic that is designed to offer more immediate acceleration response than either conventional automatics or other CVT designs. When abruptly applying power from a steady-state cruising speed, the CVT immediately sends power to the drive wheels while simultaneously adjusting the gear ratio (seamlessly and progressively downshifting) to smoothly bring the engine to its horsepower peak in a linear way.

By comparison, a conventional automatic is slower to respond and loses time making multiple downshifts. Since the automatic transmission has a limited number of separate, discrete ratios, even when fully downshifted, it can only approximate the optimum engine rpm as speed increases. This cuts into acceleration.

During full throttle acceleration, the new generation of G-Design shift logic employs stepped ratios as the vehicle speed increases. This helps give the transmission a more “connected” feel as the engine rpm and vehicle speed increase together. This stepped operation also improves acceleration performance incrementally.

 

CVT Automatic Modes
The transmission can be operated in three different fully automatic forward modes with the console-mounted straight-gate shifter. The D mode is ideal for most driving situations, and combines fuel efficiency with smooth operation and responsive power when needed. The S mode is for more performance-oriented driving, and features more aggressive transmission mapping to keep engine rpm higher for greater acceleration and response as well as increased engine braking. The L mode is ideal for situations when additional engine braking is desired, such as in mountainous driving.

Steering-Wheel Mounted Paddle Shifters
Whether in D or S position, special transmission logic programming allows the use of the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, which are standard on the Sport Touring trim of the Civic Hatchback and CVT equipped Sport models. When the driver operates the paddle shifters while in Drive, the transmission responds to the driver’s shift command by selecting one of the available seven fixed ratios, and then returns to its normal fully automatic Drive mode if further paddle shift inputs are not made within a short time. This special logic makes it easy for the driver to command a quick downshift without leaving the convenience of Drive mode.

6-Speed Manual Transmission
A 6-speed manual transmission (6MT) is standard on the Civic Hatchback LX and Sport trims. The unit offers smooth and precise shift feel and great efficiency. Compared to the 5-speed manual transmission it replaces in earlier Civics, the 6-speed transmission has been engineered to deliver state-of-the-art performance and shift action, with reduced internal friction, tighter internal tolerances and improved synchronizers. The transmission also has a more rigid aluminum exterior case, higher-capacity ball bearings, stiffer gear shafts, and greater torque capacity. Refinements to the shift linkage and selector mechanism produce a precise and smooth gear lever shift action. A new constant-mesh helical reverse gear mechanism significantly reduces noise when reverse is selected. A reverse lockout feature prevents the transmission from accidentally being shifted into reverse while the car is moving forward.

 

Manual Transmission Gear Ratios

Continuously Variable Transmission Gear Ratios

Powertrain Features

Fuel Economy and Emissions Ratings

(See the Specifications and Features document for all data.)

1 Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.