Motul HYBRID 0W-12

Worth knowing

At 100 °C this oil has 6.2 mm²/s, while the range of grade 16 already starts at 6.1 mm²/s, so kinematic viscosity alone does not tell 0W-12 from 0W-16. HTHS decides: 2.1 mPa·s is above the minimum of grade 12 (2.0) but below the 2.3 mPa·s required for grade 16; these limits are given in the table of SAE viscosity values. The Motul data sheet prints this figure with the unit mm²/s, although for HTHS it is mPa·s, as in the data sheets of HYBRID 0W-16 and 0W-20.

The only other Motul 0W-12 in the catalogue, NGEN HYBRID 0W-12, likewise lists no industry classes in its data sheet, and both documents present Honda and Toyota as recommendations, so the codes cannot settle the choice between them. The difference lies in the base and the figures: NGEN HYBRID is described as a synthetic blend with 25 % re-refined base oils, whereas this one is declared 100 % synthetic; NGEN HYBRID also has HTHS 2.0 mPa·s, sulphated ash of 0.72 % against 0.89 % here, and a base number of 7.2 against 8.5 mg KOH/g.