Why didn't Honda tune the stock configuration to give us more power?

[Byron Sexton]

Just wondering why Honda didnt give us a Good tune out the gate when these cars came out? the gave it impressive numbers 309Hp 296 TQ. tuners like Hondata and Ktuner are pulling out an extra 30+Hp and 47+ ft TQ on a completely Stock config.

Why didnt Honda do this? they could have given us highter numbers in HP/TQ OUT THE GATE ...Is there a reason why Honda Corp held back on us?

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[Zeffy94]

I would have to assume long term reliability at the current numbers is the reason they chose it.

 

[trucke]

Yes! They need to have reliability to avoid warranty claims. More power equals more chance of something breaking. Manufacturers do reliability testing and calculating to see how far is okay.

 

[Byron Sexton]

I would have to assume long term reliability at the current numbers is the reason they chose it.

? makes sense I guess the tuners don't do this when they program their tuners. I know tuning and reprogramming comes with the risk. just very interesting

 

[Learn2turn]

They did, it is a matter of perspective. Car was gonna come with 250hp.

 

[tinyman392]

Just wondering why Honda didnt give us a Good tune out the gate when these cars came out? the gave it impressive numbers 309Hp 296 TQ. tuners like Hondata and Ktuner are pulling out an extra 30+Hp and 47+ ft TQ on a completely Stock config.

Why didnt Honda do this? they could have given us highter numbers in HP/TQ OUT THE GATE ...Is there a reason why Honda Corp held back on us?

Reliability, fuel economy, emissions.

 

[baldheadracing]

Just wondering why Honda didnt give us a Good tune out the gate when these cars came out? the gave it impressive numbers 309Hp 296 TQ. tuners like Hondata and Ktuner are pulling out an extra 30+Hp and 47+ ft TQ on a completely Stock config.

Why didnt Honda do this? they could have given us highter numbers in HP/TQ OUT THE GATE ...Is there a reason why Honda Corp held back on us?

At launch in 2017, they had a number of options up to 340hp (with 93 octane). Downrating a new model engine about 10% allows for room for growth in future models if competition warrants, and as an added cushion for unforeseen circumstances wih a new-ish engine in new markets. There was also a concern about availability of 93 fuel in North America, and people running the engine on 87 octane.

... and tunes don't have to meet new car emissions specifications, and have to continue to meet those specs for five years. Ditto reliability targets, wear targets, etc.

 

[TheCanadian]

My 2020 Canadian CTR says 87 minimum on the fuel filler door.
I'm assuming the stock tune handles 87, which is why its tuned as such.

 

[TheCanadian]

Also keep in mind, aftermarket tunes (unless CARB'd) do not care about emissions. Honda's factory tune has to follow emission regulations

 

[kefi]

? makes sense I guess the tuners don't do this when they program their tuners. I know tuning and reprogramming comes with the risk. just very interesting

They do. The main thing tuners are watching for and working against is having zero knock, which is the main thing that can rapidly damage an engine. No knock? Keep pushing it.

This has less to do with reliability and more to do with emissions. The CARB (emissions legal) version of Hondata does barely anything but smooth out the response curve.

Honda also knows that their target market, for the most part, wouldn't want more power than 300 horsies. Look at my tuning megathread poll - the mass, mass majority of people are still stock and will remain so.

It also, like baldheadracing said, has to do with fuel availability. Not everybody can get 93, and the biggest power gains on basemaps come from the slight ignition advance on the 93 basemaps.

 

[whytfwontthiswork]

To add to what everyone is saying, power/weight ratio also comes into play and how it puts power down
It's 306hp stock but on the highway I'm hanging with cars in the 330-350hp range depending on the day

 

[CivilciviC]

Honda is a very conservative company. Always has been. Honda has *never* been about huge power numbers. They care about making fun cars that will last 400,000 miles more than maxing out every pony and cutting down reliability. It’s been their M.O. for the last 35+ years.

You buy many other cars if you want big power to go fast in a straight line. No Honda has ever been good at that, save for the current NSX. Even the NSX is way under tuned for what it could do. 3.5L twin turbo V6 with electric motors pushing under 600hp? Lol.

Honda is about throwing a car into a corner at Mach 7. If you don’t like cornering, you won’t like Honda.

Their cars are also built to be accessible to a wide gambit of drivers. You can already spin the wheels into 3rd gear as is. Giving people for more power would mean more pedal throttling and more skill to drive. Once again, not Honda‘s M.O.

I’m kind of disappointed so many people dont get this. No wonder so many buyers end up being disappointed with the CTR.

 

[FK8Guy]

Today with my hondata E25 tune, a 2020 GT350 couldnt pass me o n the highway "traffic" and blew away a G37 modded, 50mph+ pulled away easily. LOL

Taking corners at 75+mph off ramps is ez. and fitting between 2 cars as well "wont say my speed here" I can change lanes at super car speeds, not sure how a boat of camero or mustang would do unless he is a really good driver. These guys will rely on straight line performance vs my CTR agility will most likely win on the road in the end.

 

[FK8Guy]

To add to what everyone is saying, power/weight ratio also comes into play and how it puts power down
It's 306hp stock but on the highway I'm hanging with cars in the 330-350hp range depending on the day

They will have no chance in traffic if you can drive.. Its funny to watch a Tesla in the left lane show off the burst of speed but in the end I still win because they do not want to waste energy. A tesla 300 mile range will drop 50 miles in 5 min trying to keep up with my top speed

although I might retire my 2020 CTR after 2 years and get a Tesla if the range goes up to 500miles. I like the CTR but it would seem the manual transmissions will be going away if the next gen CTR has hybrid motors

 

[dwag0588]

This isn’t going to be a popular opinion here, but I don’t think this car needs significantly more power without going AWD. First gear is already useless and second spins on the factory tires. More power will help on highway pulls but driveability in low gears will suffer.

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