NewUsed

Find by category:

Exhaust Notes

Small, Powerful Engines are the Wave of the Future

The 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine is becoming carmakers' favorite in the midsize sedan and SUV categories.

By Claire_Martin Apr 16, 2012 11:37AM
Buick Regal photo by Buick.
The 270 horsepower in the Buick Regal GS does not come courtesy of a V8 or even a V6. Rather, it's powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. Diminutive engines like this, which used to be the domain of small economy cars, have become increasingly powerful -- and popular -- in recent years. 
"The trend to two-liter engines is a phenomenon," Tom Murphy, executive editor of Ward's AutoWorld magazine, told USA Today. "This is a huge transformation in the industry."

General Motors and Ford have embraced the trend, along with Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Kia and Hyundai. According to research done by IHS Automotive, 4-cylinder engines will blossom in North America over the next 10 years, from 6.9 million to 12.2 million units -- an increase of 74 percent. At the same time, IHS Automotive predicts, the number of V6 and V8 engines will drop by 17 percent, to 6 million.

The new engines are more fuel-efficient and less polluting -- a combination that comes courtesy of turbocharging, new transmissions, electronic controls and the high-pressure injection of fuel directly into the cylinders, according to the article. They're becoming so popular that some automakers are pulling V6s from their midsize sedan lines altogether.


"The new four-cylinder engines can power the vast majority of passenger cars and crossovers," Murphy said. "This is the next generation of muscle cars."

According to IHS Automotive analyst Aaron Bragman, "This is where the industry is headed."

Ford, for one, is planning to go even smaller in the future. The 2013 Escape and Fusion will feature a 170-horsepower 1.6-liter engine.
< Back to Exhaust Notes
User Picture
Write a comment...
0Comments

EXPLORE NEW CARS

MORE ON MSN AUTOS

Wheels of car-crazy celebsWheels of car-crazy celebs

The cars that celebrities choose to buy sometimes border on the eccentric.

ABOUT EXHAUST NOTES

Cars are cool, and here at MSN Autos we love everything about them, but we also know they're more than simply speed and style: a car is an essential tool, a much-needed accessory to help you get through your day-to-day life. What you drive is also one of the most important investments you can make, so we'll help you navigate your way through the car buying and ownership experiences. We strive to be your daily destination for news, notes, tips and tricks from across the automotive world. So whether it's through original content from our world-class journalists or the latest buzz from the far corners of the Web, Exhaust Notes helps you make sense of your automotive world.

Have a story idea? Tip us off at exhaustnotes@live.com.