A direct-injected compression ignition internal combustion engine includes an engine housing having a cylinder and a piston movable within the cylinder and including a piston end face forming a combustion bowl. The piston end face has an annular piston rim with a rounded inner rim surface that extends radially inward and axially downward from a planar outer rim surface to a combustion bowl edge. An antebowl is defined by the rounded inner rim surface and has an antebowl volume that is about 0.8% or greater of a total volume of the combustion bowl and the antebowl together. A configuration and dimensional attributes of the antebowl is associated with reduced smoke production during operation, particularly for low to mid-load transients.