Does Honda have a 5 cylinder engine?
No. Honda has not produced a five-cylinder engine for its road-going cars, focusing instead on four-cylinder engines and V6 configurations, with hybrids built around four-cylinders paired with electric motors.
In this report, we examine whether Honda offers a five-cylinder option, summarize what engines are in Honda’s current lineup, and compare this with rivals that have used five-cylinder layouts in the past.
Current Honda engine configurations
Key components of Honda’s present powertrains include the following configurations.
- Inline-4 engines: The backbone of Honda’s lineup, including turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinders used in mainstream models (Civic, CR-V, HR-V) and a larger 2.0-liter turbo used in high-performance variants such as the Civic Type R.
- Hybrid powertrains: Most Honda hybrids rely on a four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine paired with electric motors, typically via an e-CVT transmission (examples include Civic Hybrid, CR-V Hybrid, and Accord Hybrid).
- V6 engines: A 3.5-liter V6 is used in larger Honda vehicles (and in various Acura models), providing more power for family SUVs and minivans.
- No production five-cylinder option: Honda’s current production lineup does not include a five-cylinder engine in any mainstream model.
Conclusion: Honda’s engine strategy centers on four-cylinder powertrains, supplemented by a V6 for larger vehicles, and electrified variants; there is no five-cylinder option in today’s production cars.
Industry context and historical notes
Five-cylinder engines have appeared in the broader industry history but are now rare in production cars. Here is the wider context relevant to Honda’s approach.
- Historical use by other brands: Five-cylinder layouts were once popular with brands such as Audi and Volvo, offering a balance of smoothness and power in certain models during the 1980s and 1990s.
- Why they faded: Advances in turbocharged four-cylinders and the efficiency benefits of fewer moving parts made five-cylinder designs less attractive from a cost and emissions standpoint.
- Honda’s path: Honda has consistently favored four-cylinder engineering (and later electrification) and has not pursued a production five-cylinder platform for its road cars.
Bottom line: In today’s market, Honda does not offer a production five-cylinder engine, aligning with the industry trend toward four-cylinder efficiency and electrification.
Summary
Honda does not currently offer a five-cylinder engine in any production model. Its lineup relies on four-cylinder engines—both turbocharged and hybrid forms—and a 3.5-liter V6 for larger vehicles. This approach reflects broader industry shifts toward compact, efficient powertrains and electrification, with Honda continuing to prioritize efficiency and performance within those frameworks.
