---
title: "Will V-TEC Kick In (Yo) In Reverse?"
description: "An experiment for the ages to answer the question we've all been asking."
date: "2017-08-04"
modified: "2017-08-04"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/13159/will-v-tec-kick-in-yo-in-reverse"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Accord"
  - "honda"
  - "Honda Accord"
  - "reverse"
  - "sedan"
  - "test"
  - "vtec"
---

# Will V-TEC Kick In (Yo) In Reverse?

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/08/vtec.png>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

V-TEC, or Variable Valve Timing & Lift Electronic Control, is the secret sauce behind every Honda's alleged claim to [performance fame.](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/9600/the-2017-honda-civic-type-r-break-the-fwd-nurburgring-record>) But what exactly *is* this magic go-fast mode that kicks in (yo) when you really floor it? And more importantly, can you activate it in reverse?

*CarThrottle* got their hands on a 1999 European-spec [Honda Accord](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/12474/say-hello-to-the-2018-honda-accord>) 5-Door and set out on an abandoned airfield to answer both questions. Before the reverse experiment, they put together a pretty neat animation that clearly shows the brilliant engineering that went into designing the first mass-market variable valve system.

At its core, V-TEC is about balancing performance and efficiency. We all know that an engine needs more air to work harder and faster, and that too much oxygen at low speeds and RPMs leads to a rough, inefficient ride. Conversely, an engine with a camshaft (or two) and valves that are timed to let in less air will run smoother on the low end but won’t generate that delicious top-end power - you know, like the kind you want when you just need to teach someone a lesson.

To solve this problem, Honda's engineers figured out how to insert a second set of larger cam lobes and self-adjusting rocker arms into the existing architecture, essentially creating a Hi-Lo setting for the engine. When you mash the gas and zoom past 4,500 RPM, a hydraulically-driven pin locks the rocker arms together and allows the larger cam lobes to lift the valves higher and deliver more power. The engine note also changes dramatically. V-TEC has officially kicked in.

And while there are [countless videos](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdkySCBVBys>) of people on YouTube flooring it in their Honda Civic and marveling that the engine is responding like it's supposed to, *CarThrottle* question of the reverse V-TEC has gone unanswered thus far. So does it work? Watch and find out:

https://youtube.com/embed/vzMU3aLsZ-A

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)