10 BEST ENGINES OF 2018
WardsAuto has revealed its picks for the 10 best engines of 2018. Now in its 24th year, the list saw a couple of newcomers and no German automakers. The winners were chosen after WardsAuto editors spent October and November evaluating 32 engines and elect
Chevrolet Bolt EV: 150-kW electric propulsion system Last year, WardsAuto wasn’t able to test the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt but that changed this year. WardsAuto found the Bolt “quick and smartly designed,” while torque is more than abundant resulting in thrilling acceleration.
Its 383-kilometre range makes the Bolt attractive to a wider audience compared to other electric vehicles in today’s market that fall shy of the 300-km figure.
Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 PHEV
The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is one of only two returning winners this year, offering a 53-km all-electric range from its plug-in hybrid powertrain. WardsAuto was able to see nearly 6.7L/100 km on the odometer in mixed daily driving that usually exceeded battery range, adding that it finds “the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid to be a stroke of genius.” Ford F-150: 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 Each year, cars have the upper hand in WardsAuto’s competition for best engines, since they’re lighter, quicker off the line and more fuel efficient. That explains why it has been five years since a gasoline engine from a pickup truck has been named to the list.
This year, the Ford F-150’s 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 makes the list with WardsAuto’s staff “blown away by its vibration-free idle, its nearly imperceptible stop/start system and especially its tomblike silence.” Ford Mustang GT: 5.0-litre V8 Joining the F-150 on this year’s list is the Mustang GT’s 5.0-litre V8. The redesigned V8 shares some of its technology with the 5.2-litre V8 found in the Shelby GT350 that made the list two years ago. With 460 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, the engine is paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission that helps the Mustang be surprisingly efficient, returning 9.3 L/100 km.
Honda Clarity: 130-kW fuel cell/ electric propulsion system
Honda’s hydrogen fuel cell Clarity gets a nod, which a 589-km range of driving without stopping. That gives the Clarity the longest range of any zero-emissions vehicle available, while sporting a top speed of 165 km/h. WardsAuto also noted the Clarity’s “Acura-level driving dynamics and delightfully silent operation,” and added that it managed to chirp the tires in sport mode. Who says emissions-free driving had to be boring?
Honda Civic Type R: 2.0-litre VTEC turbo four-cylinder
Honda’s second Wards 10 Best Engines winner couldn’t be more different than its first.
Instead of an emissions-free powertrain, the second winner goes to the 2.0-litre VTEC turbocharged fourcylinder engine found in the Civic Type R.
With 306 hp, the Civic Type R is the most powerful Honda to ever reach the U.S., and its engine represents the Japanese automaker’s 18th trophy for 10 Best Engines.
It is, however, the first with forced induction. WardsAuto went on to say a close derivative of the same engine is used in the new Honda Accord and that power plant “damn near made the list this year as well.” Infiniti Q50: 3.0-litre turbo V6 Another returning winner this year is the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 found in the Infiniti Q50 and Q60 models. Sporting 400 hp and 350 lb.-ft. of torque, its responsive throttle and lack of turbo lag attributed to its trophy, along with electrically variable-valve timing and a weight-saving exhaust manifold design within the cylinder heads. Oh yeah, it probably helps that the engine allows the Q50 and Q60 to go zero-to-100 in less than five seconds.
Jaguar XF: 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder
The first of the two newcomers on the list is Jaguar, with its Ingenium 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. There are two versions of the engine, with WardsAuto testing the low-output variant with 247 hp and 269 lb.-ft. of torque. Although its performance figures are similar to other luxury turbocharged fourcylinder engines, the publication said the powerplant’s unique electrohydraulic valve-train ranks with the best of them. Next year, WardsAuto will be testing the 296-hp version that is found in several Jaguar vehicles. Kia Stinger GT: 3.3-litre turbo V6 Kia earns its first Wards engines trophy thanks to the 3.3-litre turbo V6 engine found in the new Kia Stinger GT.
Generating 365 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque, the engine is quiet and smooth at idle, which is misleading, since as one WardsAuto judge said, “Illegal speeds arrive quickly.” The Korean automaker likes to compare the 3.3-litre mill to BMW’s 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six cylinder engine, which may be a bit unfair considering BMW’s engine is less displacement and only has one turbo. But BMW’s engine was a winner last year and this year it isn’t — instead, Kia is taking home the hardware.
Toyota Camry Hybrid: 2.5-litre Atkinson four-cylinder hybrid
Toyota earns its 13th Wards trophy this year, thanks to the hybrid powertrain found in the Camry Hybrid. The Prius has earned four trophies since 2001, but this time around it isn’t Toyota’s signature hybrid taking home the win. The Camry returned no less than 5.8 L/100 km despite aggressive driving in a vehicle that’s considerably larger than the Prius.
WardsAuto says Toyota has managed to choreograph the interaction between the 2.5-litre gasoline fourcylinder engine and electric motor “into an elegant, seamless, high-tech ballet.”