What's all this about?

Honda's going turbo.

Oh no! I thought it was dedicated to normal aspiration?

So did we, but environmental constraints have forced the Japanese marque down the same road that BMW has trodden, with turbocharging replacing the naturally aspirated lumps. Still, if the blown 310hp 2.0-litre engine in the Civic Type R is anything to go by, we shouldn't be too worried by Honda's announcement.

Are the new engines similarly powerful?

Unlikely, as they're 1.0- and 1.5 litres in capacity. They'll be lumped under the Earth Dreams Technology banner and will feature new architecture, a low-inertia turbo and direct injection, all of which should allow them to develop high specific outputs - as befitting of Honda's heritage. Naturally, both turbocharged petrol units will feature VTEC variable valve timing, which is nice.

And what will they be found in?

The all-new, tenth-generation Civic that was announced at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show and will be on sale in Europe in early 2017. All five-door variants of this Civic will be built at Swindon, with Honda investing €270 million (around £195m) to get the plant ready for the car's production.

Does anyone from Honda have anything to say about this?

Yes, Philip Crossman - Honda UK's managing director - simply confirms what we all know; the fashion these days is for diminutive turbo units, rather than large capacity NA lumps: "With the launch of these two new smaller turbo-charged engines, we are responding to the market demand and the rising trend for increased fuel efficiency without compromising on power."

Matt Robinson - 27 Oct 2015