Have you ever seen a Honda 5-cylinder engine?

📝 Original – Honda Magazine – Japanese Car Enthusiast Magazine – 2025-03-24

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💬 Speaking of engine cylinder counts, have you ever noticed that most engines we commonly see have an even number of cylinders, while odd-numbered engines are usually limited to three cylinders, with others being quite rare?

Some might argue against this, saying it's not just three cylinders—there are inline 5-cylinder engines, like those used in Audi's TTRS and RS3 models, which are indeed powerful. 💪 That's true. I'm merely saying they are rare, not nonexistent. But think about it—how many manufacturers are still using 5-cylinder engines today? 🤔

🛠️ Honda grouped its 5-cylinder engine into the G-series, which includes the G20A, G25A, G25A1, and G25A4.

The reason it’s no longer used, in my opinion, is because a 5-cylinder engine is like a 🐔 chicken rib—its displacement is not as small as a 3-cylinder, and its power output can easily be matched by a 4-cylinder engine.

In fact, 5-cylinder engines did exist, but only a few manufacturers researched and produced them. Most of these engines have now ended up in 🚗 museums. It's not surprising that 5-cylinder engines have been phased out, because like 3-cylinder engines, they also have inherent imbalance issues. ⚙️ While they can offer better smoothness than a 4-cylinder, this smoothness only exists within a specific RPM range. Outside of that, the engine experiences intense vibrations, which is detrimental to both component durability and overall comfort. 🙈

So why haven't 3-cylinder engines been phased out?

The reason is quite obvious—it's a matter of displacement. While 3-cylinder engines also vibrate, having one less cylinder enables ultra-small engines, like 660cc ones. However, 5-cylinder engines don’t offer such an advantage, and the extra cylinder becomes a burden, making it more practical to just use a 4-cylinder engine.

Although rare, production of these engines continued throughout the 1990s. 📅

As mentioned earlier, only a few manufacturers produced 5-cylinder engines, and Honda was one of them. 🙌

Honda launched its 5-cylinder engine series in the early 1990s, known as the G-series. These longitudinal SOHC engines were available in 2.0L and 2.5L naturally aspirated formats, with four subtypes: G20A, G25A, G25A1, and G25A4, all installed in various vehicles.

🔍 Let's take a look at the engine specs:

G20A
📏 Displacement: 1996cc | Bore x Stroke: 82mm x 75.6mm | Compression Ratio: 9.7:1
Power: 155–160 hp @ 6,700 rpm | Torque: 19kgm @ 4,000 rpm
🚗 Vehicle Models: Inspire/Vigor (CB5, CC3), Ascot/Rafaga (CE4), Inspire/Saber (UA1)

G25A
📏 Displacement: 2,451cc | Bore x Stroke: 85mm x 86.4mm | Compression Ratio: 10.0:1
Power: 190 hp @ 6,500 rpm | Torque: 24.2kgm @ 3,800 rpm
🚗 Vehicle Models: Inspire/Vigor (CC2), Ascot/Rafaga (CE5), Inspire/Saber (UA2)

G25A1 & G25A4
🆚 Main difference is compression ratio:

• G25A1: 9.0:1 – Used in Acura Vigor (CC2)
• G25A4: 9.6:1 – Used in Acura TL (UA2) – 176 hp