Wards Top Engines of 2014

[blackman777]

Includes three diesels, a tiny 3-cyl. turbo and a battery-electric vehicle. To be honest none of these engines really impress me, except the three-cylinder engine (rated 45mpg highway) and the diesel from Chevrolet.

I can't figure out why Ford only gets 45 when Honda's 3 cylinder from 2000-06 got over 60mpg. I guess Ford tuned it for power rather than economy. (I'm not sure why they list Honda's V6 when it has known problems with the VCM design?)

Almost all of these engines are direct injection or turbocharged (or both).

3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi S5)
3.0L Turbodiesel DOHC I-6 (BMW 535d)
3.0L Turbodiesel DOHC V-6 (Ram 1500 EcoDiesel)
83-kW Electric Motor (Fiat 500e)
1.0L EcoBoost DOHC I-3 (Ford Fiesta)
2.0L Turbodiesel DOHC I-4 (Chevrolet Cruze Diesel)
6.2L OHV V-8 (Chevrolet Corvette Stingray)
3.5L SOHC V-6 (Honda Accord)
2.7L DOHC H-6 boxer (Porsche Cayman)
1.8L Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Volkswagen Jetta)

 

[demarpaint]

Wards listed the Pentastar engine a top pick a few years back when it was first introduced. Shortly after they had problems with defective cylinder heads on the left side of the engine. I think they pick their choices by design, specs, and what looks good on paper, not real world testing or actual use. JMO

 

[Pablo]

What makes the Fiat motor so special??

Gotta link?

 

[shDK]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
What makes the Fiat motor so special??

Gotta link?


Good question. The same thing coult be asked about the gm v8 in the corvette.

 

[simple_gifts]

Quote:

What makes the Fiat motor so special??


It runs.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Quote:

What makes the Fiat motor so special??


It runs.


LOL

 

[RamFan]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Quote:

What makes the Fiat motor so special??


It runs.

I'm curious how they make these lists.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Quote:

What makes the Fiat motor so special??


It runs.


Too rich. Great comeback!

 

[JHZR2]

3.5 Honda V6? 1.8 VW? Isnt the BMW diesel kind of old?

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: RamFan
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Quote:

What makes the Fiat motor so special??


It runs.

I'm curious how they make these lists.


Me too. I wonder if $$ changes hands before the list is published. A few of their picks over the years had issues after the list was published leaving me scratching my head.

 

[MrHorspwer]

Originally Posted By: blackman777

I can't figure out why Ford only gets 45 when Honda's 3 cylinder from 2000-06 got over 60mpg.


Maybe it's because Honda's 3 cylinder had an electric motor to help push the car along and Ford's doesn't?

Maybe it's because Honda's 3 cylinder made 67 HP and Ford's makes double that.

Maybe Ford didn't think their customers would put up with a 0-60 time of nearly 13 seconds.

Maybe Ford didn't want it to fail as hard as the Insight did.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: MrHorspwer
Originally Posted By: blackman777

I can't figure out why Ford only gets 45 when Honda's 3 cylinder from 2000-06 got over 60mpg.


Maybe it's because Honda's 3 cylinder had an electric motor to help push the car along and Ford's doesn't?

Maybe it's because Honda's 3 cylinder made 67 HP and Ford's makes double that.

Maybe Ford didn't think their customers would put up with a 0-60 time of nearly 13 seconds.

Maybe Ford didn't want it to fail as hard as the Insight did.


+1 to this entire post

 

[SLCraig]

Odd picks me thinks... But what do I know

 

[hattaresguy]

Nothing really special or ground breaking on that list.

I would have put Tesla's drive train on it, and the V12 in the new F12, or maybe the Porsche 918.

Nothing on that list is really ground breaking or new. I suspect the people who made the list barely know how to open up their hood...

 

[Wampahoofus]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Wards listed the Pentastar engine a top pick a few years back when it was first introduced. Shortly after they had problems with defective cylinder heads on the left side of the engine. I think they pick their choices by design, specs, and what looks good on paper, not real world testing or actual use. JMO

As of mid 2012, all new and replacement heads have phosphor bronze valve guides installed. We haven't seen any of those come back with problems, but time will tell.

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: MrHorspwer
Originally Posted By: blackman777

I can't figure out why Ford only gets 45 when Honda's 3 cylinder from 2000-06 got over 60mpg.


Maybe it's because Honda's 3 cylinder had an electric motor to help push the car along and Ford's doesn't?

Maybe it's because Honda's 3 cylinder made 67 HP and Ford's makes double that.

Maybe Ford didn't think their customers would put up with a 0-60 time of nearly 13 seconds.

Maybe Ford didn't want it to fail as hard as the Insight did.


+1 to this entire post

Quoted for truth.

 

[blackman777]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Wards listed the Pentastar engine a top pick a few years back when it was first introduced. Shortly after they had problems with defective cylinder heads on the left side of the engine. I think they pick their choices by design, specs, and what looks good on paper, not real world testing or actual use. JMO

They test drive all the nominees.
There have been some engines the reviewers predicted would win, but after driving them, they discovered drivability flaws.

 

[blackman777]

Originally Posted By: MrHorspwer

Maybe it's because Honda's 3 cylinder had an electric motor to help push the car along and Ford's doesn't?
Maybe it's because Honda's 3 cylinder made 67 HP and Ford's makes double that.
Maybe Ford didn't think their customers would put up with a 0-60 time of nearly 13 seconds.
Maybe Ford didn't want it to fail as hard as the Insight did.

Maybe maybe maybe
Just one correction: Hondas engine gets over 60 mpg even if I turn off the battery assist. And it still does 0-60 in 11 seconds (slightly slower than Car&Driver's tested 10.5).

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: blackman777
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Wards listed the Pentastar engine a top pick a few years back when it was first introduced. Shortly after they had problems with defective cylinder heads on the left side of the engine. I think they pick their choices by design, specs, and what looks good on paper, not real world testing or actual use. JMO

They test drive all the nominees.
There have been some engines the reviewers predicted would win, but after driving them, they discovered drivability flaws.


How many miles do they drive them for? I think if they'd spend 15,000 or so miles testing them the list might be very different. It would also be ancient news that wouldn't have the sizzle, but would be much more valuable to consumers.

 

[Silverado12]

The Pentastar 3.6 was the reason I chose to buy my used 2010 Challenger 3.5 over a leftover new 2011.
My used one only had 6,000 miles. The 3.5 was a proven good design. It (3.5) did, however, have some earlier problems with rocker arm assemblies, but that was corrected. First year designs will sometimes have issues. Given the Pentastar a couple years, I would have bought one instead.