Jim Gorzelany, Contributor

There’s a (not so) quiet revolution going on under the hoods of today’s cars, trucks and crossovers if the latest list of best engines
compiled by the experts at WardsAuto is any indication. Turbocharged, supercharged and diesel engines – and even one electric motor – dominate the 20th annual 10 Best Engines awards, which, according to Wards, “recognize outstanding powertrain achievement, world-class technologies and those rare engines or electric propulsion systems that are so compelling they help sell the vehicle.”
No matter what the inherent method of momentum, all of these engines leverage the
latest engine technology to maximize both their power and fuel economy, and run the gamut from the tiny and efficient 1.0-liter
turbocharged three-cylinder unit offered in the Ford Fiesta to the Chevrolet Corvette
Stingray’s mammoth 6.2-liter V8 that proves there’s no substitute for sheer displacement.


Audi S5: 3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6
Audi secures its fifth consecutive spot among WardsAuto’s annual Top 10 Engine awards for 2014 with the lively 333-hp 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that was tested under the hood of the sporty S5 midsize coupe; it’s likewise offered in other Audi models.





While at least four engines tend to repeat
from one year’s 10 best list to the next, only
two of last year’s powerplants remain
recognized for 2014, the Honda Accord’s
peppy and fuel-efficient 3.5-liter V6 and the
powerful supercharged 3.0-liter V6 featured
in the Audi S5.

“We weren’t looking to throw the bums out, as they might say about an election. We were just really impressed with a flood of new powertrains,” says Drew Winter, WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief. “What was great yesterday might be less impressive tomorrow because engine technology is changing so rapidly.”

The inclusion of three turbodiesel engines this year could be considered controversial especially as diesels remain far less popular In the U.S. than in Europe, where they tend to dominate the discussion. This is the first year in which more than two diesel-powered mills made the top 10 list and ironically two of them come from domestic automakers, including the only current full-size domestic half-ton pickup to offer one, the Ram 1500.
What’s more, a Fiat engine not only places among Wards’ top 10 for the first time, it’s for an electric motor, the 83-kW unit found
under the hood of the diminutive 500e. Unfortunately the car is only sold in California, though market forces might convince the automaker to send it into wider distribution should gas prices gain spike up to the $4.00/gallon mark or above.

Other engines cited among 2014’s best include turbodiesels in the BMW 5 Series luxury sedan and the compact Chevrolet Cruze, the horizontally opposed 2.7-liter six-cylinder in the Porsche Cayman two-seat sports coupe and the 1.8-liter turbo-four in the compact Volkswagen Jetta sedan.

A panel of eight WardsAuto editors evaluated 44 engines among all vehicle types during October and November in the course of their daily commutes and weekend activities in and around the Detroit metro area. Engines were rated according to a wide range of characteristics including horsepower and torque, fuel economy, noise, vibration and harshness characteristics, technology and how they fared against competing powerplants.

WardsAuto will present its Top 10 Engines awards on Jan. 15 at a ceremony held in conjunction with the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.