List Continues To Expand Beyond Gas & Diesel Engines
Names are catching up with content. Since 1995 Wards has annually picked through all of the engines available in the American market and named 10 best. For years V8s and high-performance engines dominated the listing, but fuel efficiency and alternatives to petroleum fuel have been more and more of a presence in recent years, prompting the publication to rename it to include “propulsion systems,” recognizing that engines are not the only system vehicles are using to get around.
The 2020 list, which was honed down from 26 nominees, includes four electrified powertrains, including Hyundai’s 150-kilowatt electric drive for the Kona EV and the Honda Accord Hybrid’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine that delivers 48 city mpg and 47 highway. It utilizes Honda’s two-motor hybrid system, paired with an e-CVT transmission, to deliver 212 total system horsepower.
The “alternative” part of the Top 10 was rounded out with two 48-volt mild hybrid systems, one from Daimler and one from FCA. The former is the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine found in the Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 SUV. The latter is the Ram 1500 pickup’s 3.6-liter V6.
The Mercedes turbocharged powerplant delivers 362 net horsepower as well as the best acceleration for the midsize luxury short of its AMG model. Its fuel economy is EPA-rated at 19 mpg city/24 highway/21 combined.
The Ram 1500 pickup’s 48-volt system, in its 2WD form, returns EPA numbers of 20 mpg city/26 highway/23 combined.
The Best of the ICE
Of the remaining straight internal combustion engines (ICE), all but the firebreathing Corvette V8 came in with more than 30 mpg highway and one, the Hyundai Sonata’s 1.6-liter turbocharged four delivered 31 mpg combined (while reviewers commented that it felt like a much more powerful V6 on the road).
One of ICE engines (the Altima’s 2.0-liter four) featured variable compression technology, reinforcing Wards conclusion that all propulsion systems are advancing and becoming more sophisticated in their technology. We experienced this technology when it first appeared in the Infiniti QX50 and were impressed as well.
Another mark of the advances among the 26 all-new or significantly improved engines/propulsion systems was that while four “alternative” systems made the final cut, only three non-ICE systems missed the final cut—the improved Chevrolet Bolt EV motor, Hyundai’s fuel cell system found in the Nexo and Toyota’s hybrid powertrain that appears in the Lexus UX.
The criteria for the test were that the propulsion systems should be new or significantly improved and available in vehicles with a base price of no more than $65,000. Editors based their scores on horsepower, torque, comparative specs, NVH (noise-vibration-harshness) management, observed fuel economy and the application of new technology.
The winners, in alphabetical order were:
- BMW 3.0L DOHC Turbocharged I-6 (BMW M340i)
- Daimler 3.0L DOHC 48V Turbo I-6 (Mercedes-Benz GLE450)
- FCA 3.6L DOHC 48V eTorque V-6 (Ram 1500)
- Ford 2.3L DOHC High Performance Turbo 4-Cyl. (Mustang)
- GM 3.0L DOHC Turbodiesel I-6 (GMC Sierra)
- GM 6.2L OHV V-8 (Chevrolet Corvette Stingray)
- Honda 2.0L DOHC Atkinson i-VTEC 4-Cyl./HEV (Accord Hybrid)
- Hyundai 150-kW Propulsion System (Kona EV)
- Hyundai 1.6L DOHC Turbocharged 4-Cyl. (Sonata)
- Nissan 2.0L DOHC VC-Turbo 4-Cyl. (Altima)
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