Very soon American consumers will be presented a new choice when they go to their Honda dealers to spec out an Accord: a diesel power plant. Honda has confirmed, reports AutoSavant, that its 2009 Accord will be available with its all-new 2.2 liter 4-cylinder diesel motor.
With a possible power output of at least 150 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque (final spec has yet to be determined), the motor should prove to be more economical than the Hybrid Accord ever was, and maybe even more so than the current Toyota Camry hybrid. Its performance numbers should be better than both as well.
More remarkable is that where other manufactures have resorted to extreme measures to create clean diesels (Mercedes injects urea into its exhaust, it has to be refilled too…eww), Honda has instead devised a system using bespoke catalytic converters. They work through an internal chemical reaction, creating their own ammonia (that’s why Mercedes needs urea) to react with the exhaust creating nothing more than nitrogen and water. Oh, and where others systems have failed to meet all 50 states’ emissions requirements, this one does.
Our take? Leave it to the Japanese to come up with a system (their catalytic converters) that can do everything the Germans can, but simpler and more economically to the consumer.
It’s about time for a diesel option. It seems like diesel has been a bad word in America for years. I’m not totally sure I understand though. There are a number of advantages to diesel. It seems like we need an open and honest debate about both the strengths and weaknesses.