The Honda Turbo Lag: Why It Took So Long.

This is a question people bring up a lot: for the past few decades, Honda hasn't really seemed interested in building turbocharged engines—they've always preferred naturally aspirated setups. Just look at some of their cars, like Civics and Accords—turbochargers were either rare or nonexistent for a long time. Even their sports cars mostly avoided forced induction. The early S2000 and NSX, for example, came with high-revving NA engines and never had turbos, while other brands like Toyota or Mitsubishi slowly started embracing them. So it kind of makes you wonder—what's up with Honda?

It seems like Honda just didn’t really buy into forced induction until more recently. They’ve always had a lot of faith in their VTEC system and probably didn’t feel the need to slap on a turbo. Up until the last few years, Honda was mainly known for making really solid NA engines that could still move. In fact, they've held the record for the fastest NA engine from a Japanese manufacturer several times. That probably explains why they've been a bit slow or hesitant to dive deeper into the turbo game.

But the trend finally forced Honda to turn to forced induction. Naturally aspirated engines just couldn’t produce enough power without relying on bigger engine sizes, and now manufacturers are being pushed to use smaller motors. Maybe that’s why Honda finally gave in and went with turbocharging.

Honestly, it’s not that surprising—today’s carmakers are in a tight race with EVs, and there’s a lot of pressure to make more environmentally friendly cars. One way to do that is by using forced induction. NA engines are seen as unprofitable now, and development on them has kind of stalled. I mean, could Honda squeeze more than 230 hp out of the K20R? Sure, probably—but then durability becomes a problem, and that affects everything. I think Honda finally realized that and didn’t have much choice but to go turbo on their newer models. At least this way, they can make cars that are both more powerful and greener.

You can see it in some of Honda's latest engines—take the K20C1, for example. It still uses the same 2.0-liter base as the older models, but now it cranks out up to 320 hp at 6500 RPM. That’s basically impossible with a naturally aspirated engine. As far as I remember, the most power a K20 NA engine could produce was around 220 hp. So we’re talking about a 100 hp jump without increasing engine size. That’s exactly what a lot of manufacturers are chasing right now, and Honda clearly gets it. They can’t keep clinging to the NA ideal anymore—not in today’s market. If they did, they’d risk being left behind.

The same thing’s happening with their smaller cars. Not too long ago, Honda gave their L15 engine—normally found in economy cars—a nice upgrade with a turbocharger. That little L15B can now push out up to 220 hp. That’s wild, considering it matches the output of the older, bigger K20R NA engine. The benefits are obvious, and it’s no surprise Honda’s leaning into forced induction. The times are changing, and they know it—it’s just where the industry is heading. You can’t ignore it anymore, and Honda isn’t.

Back in the day—from the early '80s to the late '90s—Honda didn’t really face pressure from other automakers to make cleaner or more efficient engines. If anything, Japan went wild with engine tech in the '90s. They were dropping high-powered NA engines left and right, with no real push to downsize. But now, things have changed. Honda has to face the fact that NA engines just don’t cut it anymore—not when the world is demanding more eco-friendly options. One way to meet that demand is by using small turbocharged engines that still pack a punch. That way, they can keep up with tightening regulations and stay competitive.

That kind of pressure didn’t exist a few decades ago. Back then, Honda could afford to be stubborn and stick to their ideals. But now? They either adapt or fall behind.