Most current Honda gasoline engines still use VTEC, now typically marketed as i-VTEC, across a wide range of models.
In today’s lineup, VTEC continues to appear in compact cars, sedans, SUVs, and even some hybrid powertrains. The technology remains a core part of Honda’s approach to balancing efficiency and performance, while electrification adds new twists to how it’s implemented.
What VTEC means for Honda today
VTEC, or variable valve timing and lift electronic control, has evolved into i-VTEC in most markets. It allows Honda engines to optimize valve timing and lift for different RPM ranges, delivering efficiency at low speeds and power at higher speeds. While some hybrid systems blend VTEC with Atkinson-cycle operation, the basic principle—adjustable valve timing for better performance and efficiency—remains central to Honda’s gasoline engines.
Current Honda models that still use VTEC
Below are examples of Honda models that continue to rely on VTEC-based gasoline engines in their powertrains. This list focuses on models you can buy today with traditional gasoline variants or hybrids that still use a VTEC-enabled engine.
- Civic — gasoline variants continue to use Honda’s i-VTEC technology, with both naturally aspirated and turbocharged options in the lineup.
- Accord — available with i-VTEC engines in multiple configurations, including turbocharged and naturally aspirated choices.
- CR-V — a core Honda SUV that uses i-VTEC in its gasoline powertrains.
- HR-V — practical compact SUV with i-VTEC-based gasoline engines in its lineup.
- Pilot — family SUV that relies on i-VTEC for its V6 powertrain variants.
- Ridgeline — pickup with a V6 i-VTEC-based engine in its gasoline lineup.
- Insight — hybrid model that pairs a VTEC-based gasoline engine with an electric motor for improved efficiency.
- Odyssey — minivan that uses a V6 i-VTEC-powered gasoline engine in its propulsion system.
In short, if you’re looking for a modern Honda with VTEC under the hood, these models represent the core lineup that continues to use VTEC-based technology in various forms.
VTEC in hybrids and the electric strategy
Honda’s hybrid models keep VTEC as part of the gasoline engine, typically in an i-VTEC configuration that works alongside electric motors. The company’s electrification push emphasizes hybrid systems (gasoline engine + electric motor) before full battery-electric vehicles become the sole power source for more models. Even within hybrids, the gasoline side of the drivetrain often still relies on VTEC to optimize performance and efficiency across driving scenarios.
- Civic Hybrid — a gasoline engine with i-VTEC working in concert with an electric motor.
- CR-V Hybrid — combines a VTEC-enabled gasoline engine with electric propulsion.
- Accord Hybrid — uses an i-VTEC gasoline engine alongside electric motors for a balance of power and efficiency.
- Insight — a dedicated hybrid that maintains a VTEC-based gasoline core paired with electric propulsion.
As Honda continues its electrification trajectory, the role of VTEC is likely to adapt, but the underlying principle—variable valve timing to improve performance and efficiency—remains a hallmark of the gasoline portion of Honda’s powertrains.
Bottom line for buyers
If you want a Honda that still uses VTEC technology, you’ll find it across most of the brand’s gasoline-powered lineup and in its hybrid models. The exact implementation may vary (i-VTEC, Atkinson-cycle operation in hybrids, etc.), but the fundamental concept persists. When shopping, look for models with i-VTEC labeling in their technical specifications or ask a dealer to confirm which variant of VTEC is used in a given engine and trim level.
Summary
VTEC remains a enduring feature of Honda’s gasoline and hybrid engines. Across the Civic, Accord, CR-V, HR-V, Pilot, Ridgeline, Insight, and Odyssey, Honda continues to rely on VTEC-based technology to deliver a blend of efficiency and performance. As electrification expands, the role of VTEC adapts, but it continues to be a defining element of Honda’s powertrain strategy.