Honda Cars India has launched the BS6 compliant version of the Civic diesel in the country. The updated Honda Civic Diesel BS6 is priced from Rs. 20.75 lakh for the VX trim, going up to Rs. 22.35 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi) for the range-topping ZX trim. Compared to the BS4 models, the VX trim has seen a price hike of Rs. 20,000 while prices for the ZX trim remain the same. The diesel variants of the sedan were pulled off the market in April this year with the transition to BS6 norms but the engine has now been upgraded to meet the new regulations and will be sold alongside the petrol model.
Also Read: 2019 Honda Civic Review: The Return Of The Prodigal
Commenting on the launch, Rajesh Goel, Sr. Vice President and Director, Marketing and Sales, Honda Cars India said, "Honda is committed to bringing its latest and advanced environment-friendly technologies to the Indian market. With the introduction of the BS6 Diesel version of our iconic sedan Honda Civic, our entire sedan line-up will offer the choice of both Petrol and Diesel to cater to our esteemed customers. The Diesel Civic is available in Manual Transmission and will appeal to customers looking for sheer driving pleasure."
There are no cosmetic changes to the Civic diesel but the car packs more airbags than before
The Honda Civic Diesel BS6 continues to draw power from the 1.6-litre i-DTEC engine that continues to churn out the same power figures. The oil burner produces 118 bhp at 4000 rpm and 300 Nm of peak torque available at 2000 rpm. The engine is paired with only a 6-speed manual transmission. There is no automatic on offer. The fuel efficiency figure though has taken a hit as a result of the new emissions compliance and the car offers an ARAI certified fuel economy of 23.9 kmpl on the BS6 version, as opposed to 26.8 kmpl on the BS4 model.
Apart from the engine update, the 2020 Honda Civic Diesel VX now comes with additional curtain airbags, while the VX and ZX diesel trims get six airbags as standard. There are no cosmetic upgrades to the sedan that continues to sport a sharp design language and a futuristic interior. The petrol version gets no changes either and draws power from the 1.8-litre i-VTEC petrol engine developing 139 bhp and 174 Nm of peak torque, while paired with only the CVT automatic.
The Honda Civic diesel takes on the Hyundai Elantra facelift in the segment
The 10th generation Honda Civic was launched in March last year and has received a positive response averaging over 170 units month-on-month. The model though has limited competition now with only the Hyundai Elantra. The new-generation Skoda Octavia will arrive in this space by the year-end or early 2021.
