Honda D15B
These engines are very reliable, but often begin to consume oil after 150,000 km.
Honda City engines
Honda City is a Japanese car manufactured by Honda Motor Co., Ltd since 1981. Until 2008, a subcompact class car was produced, after – a compact one. The 6th generation of the model has been produced since 2014. The car was assembled in Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines. In Japan, the car was sold as Honda Fit Aria, and in Europe until 1996 under the name Honda Jazz. City can travel about 25 km on 1 liter of fuel.
The Honda City was offered with 13 engines since 1996 (12 petrol, 1 diesel). Displacement ranges from 1.0 to 1.8 liters, power output from 60 to 205 hp. 10 use a timing chain and 3 a timing belt. 3 are turbocharged. The longest rated lifespan belongs to the Honda L12B (about 300,000 km).
Honda City engines by generation
| Engine | Years | Volume | Power | Fuel | Timing | Oil | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda City 3 (SX) 1996–2002 | |||||||
| Honda D15B | 1996–2002 | 1.5 L R4 | 60–130 hp | petrol | belt | 3.3 L | ~290,000 km |
| Honda D13B | 1996–2002 | 1.3 L R4 | 65–95 hp | petrol | belt | 3.3 L | ~250,000 km |
| Honda City 4 (GD) 2002–2008 | |||||||
| Honda L15A | 2002–2008 | 1.5 L R4 | 90–120 hp | petrol | chain | 3.6 L | ~275,000 km |
| Honda L13A | 2002–2008 | 1.3 L R4 | 85–99 hp | petrol | chain | 3.6 L | ~275,000 km |
| Honda L12A | 2002–2008 | 1.2 L R4 | 78 hp | petrol | chain | 3.6 L | |
| Honda City 5 (GM) 2008–2014 | |||||||
| Honda R18A | 2008–2014 | 1.8 L R4 | 140 hp | petrol | chain | 3.7 L | ~280,000 km |
| Honda L13Z | 2008–2014 | 1.3 L R4 | 100 hp | petrol | chain | 3.6 L | ~300,000 km |
| Honda City 6 (GM) 2014–2020 | |||||||
| Honda N15A | 2014–2020 | 1.5 L | 100 hp | diesel, turbo | chain | ||
| Honda City 6 (GM4) 2014–2020 | |||||||
| Honda LEB | 2014–2020 | 1.5 L R4 | 132 hp | petrol | chain | 3.6 L | ~300,000 km |
| Honda City 6 (GM6) 2014–2020 | |||||||
| Honda L15Z | 2014–2020 | 1.5 L R4 | 115–121 hp | petrol | chain | 3.6 L | ~300,000 km |
| Honda City 7 (GN) 2017–present | |||||||
| Honda L15B | 2017–present | 1.5 L R4 | 132–205 hp | petrol, NA / turbo | chain | 3.7 L | ~275,000 km |
| Honda P10A | 2019–present | 1.0 L R3 | 122–130 hp | petrol, turbo | belt | 3.8 L | |
| Honda L12B | 2021–present | 1.2 L R4 | 90 hp | petrol | chain | 3.6 L | ~300,000 km |
Honda City engine FAQ
What engines were used in the Honda City?
Honda City 3 (SX) (1996–2002): Honda D15B and Honda D13B; Honda City 4 (GD) (2002–2008): Honda L15A, Honda L13A and Honda L12A; Honda City 5 (GM) (2008–2014): Honda R18A and Honda L13Z; Honda City 6 (GM) (2014–2020): Honda N15A; Honda City 6 (GM4) (2014–2020): Honda LEB; Honda City 6 (GM6) (2014–2020): Honda L15Z; Honda City 7 (GN) (2017–present): Honda L15B, Honda P10A and Honda L12B.
Which Honda City engine is the most durable?
By rated service life the most durable Honda City engines are: Honda L12B — about 300,000 km; Honda L13Z — about 300,000 km; Honda L15Z — about 300,000 km. Actual lifespan depends heavily on maintenance and oil change intervals.
How much oil does the Honda City engine take?
Engine oil capacity with filter: Honda D13B — 3.3 L (5W-30); Honda D15B — 3.3 L (5W-30); Honda L12A — 3.6 L (5W-30); Honda L12B — 3.6 L (5W-30); Honda L13A — 3.6 L (5W-30); Honda L13Z — 3.6 L (5W-30); Honda L15A — 3.6 L (5W-30); Honda L15B — 3.7 L (5W-30); Honda L15Z — 3.6 L (0W-20); Honda LEB — 3.6 L (5W-20); Honda P10A — 3.8 L (0W-20); Honda R18A — 3.7 L (5W-30).
Does the Honda City have a timing belt or chain?
Timing chain: Honda L12A, Honda L12B, Honda L13A, Honda L13Z, Honda L15A, Honda L15B, Honda L15Z, Honda LEB, Honda N15A and Honda R18A; timing belt: Honda D13B, Honda D15B and Honda P10A. Belts must be replaced on schedule: on many engines a broken belt bends the valves.
Was the Honda City available with a diesel engine?
Yes: Honda N15A.
Engine details
Honda D13B
This engine is famous for its reliability and unpretentiousness in operation.
Honda L13A
The engines of this line are considered reliable and have virtually no weak points.
Honda L15A
The power units of this series are considered very reliable and have no weaknesses.
Honda L12A
A reliable engine with a service life of about 300,000 km that troubles owners only with minor issues.
Honda R18A
The power unit is quite demanding on the quality of the fuel and oil used.
Honda L12B
Overall the engine is reliable and usually runs 300,000 km without serious repairs.
Honda L13Z
A reliable engine with a service life of about 300,000 km that troubles owners only with minor issues.
Honda L15B
These motors are still little produced and characteristic malfunctions have not yet been identified.
Honda L15Z
There are no hydraulic lifters, so valve clearances need periodic adjustment.
Honda LEB
There is little information about failures so far; forums mostly discuss minor noises and vibrations.
Honda N15A
Frequent short trips quickly coke the EGR valve and the intake tract.
Honda P10A
A rather problematic engine: forums are full of complaints about turbocharger failures.
Models with the same engines
- Honda Fit/Jazz 9 shared engines
- Honda Civic 8 shared engines
- Honda HR-V/Vezel 4 shared engines
- Honda BR-V 3 shared engines
- Honda Brio 3 shared engines
- Honda Freed 3 shared engines
- Honda Mobilio 3 shared engines
- Honda Insight 2 shared engines
- Honda Accord 1 shared engine
- Honda Avancier 1 shared engine