Engine of the Year 2004

Honda engines continue to pick up awards

2004 is the fifth year in a row that the 2.0 litre Honda S2000 and 1.0 litre Insight IMA engines win their respective size categories. Similarly, Honda's IMA system found in the Civic, picks up its award for its size category 1.0 to 1.4 litre for the third year in a row.

This is the 9th award for the 1.0 litre Insight IMA engine which makes it the most successful engine since the awards started. With nearly twice as many points as the second placed engine in this category, judges continue to give this engine the utmost praise with quotes like "…sophisticated engineering shines out…" and "…smart, high tech engine with stellar economy."

The Honda S2000 2.0 litre engine continues to outperform all of its 1.8 to 2.0 litre competitors and words like immortal, absolute legend and phenomenal specific output are used to describe this engine.

Ever since the IMA system has been incorporated into the roomy Civic 4 door, the overall package continues to dominate its class of 1.0 to 1.4 litre engines. Since its launch in 2002, over 40,000 Civic IMA have been sold globally.

Honda is once again recognised as being amongst the best engine manufacturers in the world winning 19 out of 72 possible awards in the 6 year history of this annual ceremony. The judges are made up of 56 leading motoring journalists from 24 different countries. Engines are awarded points based on their characteristics of fuel economy, noise, smoothness, performance and driveability.

Judges Quotes

Sub 1-litre: Honda Hybrid 1-litre IMA (Insight (68bhp))

"Its sophisticated engineering shines out among an otherwise conservative group"

Brian Cowan, freelance

"The Honda IMA hybrid is a very smart, high tech engine with stellar economy"

Peter Nunn, freelance

"Does most things well and in the green economy stakes, it looks down on the others"

Paidraic Deane, Irish Auto Trade Journal

1-litre to 1.4-litre: Honda Hybrid 1.3-litre IMA (Civic (93bhp))

"Hybrids the simple – but very effective – way. Honda improves on a very clever idea"

Brian Cowan, freelance

"Honda continues to lead in small displacement hybrids, bringing excellent mpg to a very affordable class of cars"

Van Tune, NBS and ESPN TV channels

"It is still the most advanced small unit"

Yu Ohkawa, NAVI

"Civic Hybrid equals simple, fast, economical, ecological. The rest of the world just follow"

Mikail Podorozhansky, Autoreview

1.8-litre to 2-litre: Honda 2-litre 4 cylinder (S2000 (Europe/Asia) (240bhp))

"An immortal; there is nothing under 2-litres that can match it. Power and tractability are absolutely awesome"

Arturo de Andres, Autovia

"People will still be raving about this engine in decades to come – an absolute legend"

Graham Johnson, UK & International Press Automotive Magazines

"I love the Honda S2000 because of its race engine-like high-revving characteristics"

Thomas Hyan, Automobil Revue

"Phenomenal specific output, a relentless charge to 9,000 revs and the clever VTEC system which gives you great driveability and top-end whack. It gives drivers the best of both worlds – what more could you want?"

Hormazd Sorabjee, Autocar India