WardsAuto has announced the top 10 best engines of 2017, and it sees a few glaring trend changes along the way. First, three electrified powertrains joined the list and downsized-boosted engines dominated the list. For the first time in 23 years, there’s no V8 mill in the top 10 list.
The judging criteria for the powertrain is not quite based on power. Instead, focus was put into a few areas such as comparative specs, noise attenuation, fuel economy and the application of new technologies. Below are the 10 best engines of the year:
- 3.0L Turbocharged DOHC I-6 (BMW M240i)
- 1.5L DOHC 4-cyl./Dual Motor EREV (Chevrolet Volt)
- 3.6L DOHC V-6/Dual Motor PHEV (Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid)
- 2.3L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Ford Focus RS)
- 2.0L DOHC 4-cyl./Dual Motor HEV (Honda Accord Hybrid)
- 1.4L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Hyundai Elantra Eco)
- 3.0L Turbocharged DOHC V-6 (Infiniti Q50)
- 2.5L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Mazda CX-9)
- 2.0L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Mercedes-Benz C300)
- 2.0L Turbo/Supercharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Volvo V60 Polestar)
Out of the 10, two are returnees and seven of them are turbocharged. The latter is a sign that manufacturers are embracing forced induction and direct fuel injection over outright displacement.
Closer to home, Malaysians get to enjoy two engines from the top ten list. First, we have Mazda’s 2.5-litre SkyActiv turbocharged engine which made its debut in the CX-9 SUV. The engine is the first turbocharged unit of the excellent SkyActiv family, which develops a healthy 227 hp at 5,000 rpm and 420 Nm of torque. The mill replaces the 3.7-litre naturally aspirated Cyclone V6 from the previous model.
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz’s 2.0-litre banger from the list also powers the C-Class’s coupe and cabriolet variants introduced this year. The mill makes 245 hp at 5,500 rpm and 370 Nm of torque. The same M274 engine also powers the remaining variants of the current C-Class sold in Malaysia, albeit with detuned configurations.
It seems the good old adage of “there’s no replacement for displacement” may be irrelevant in the coming years.
