Every year for the past twenty-five years, WardsAuto has released a list of their editors’ top ten picks for what they feel comprise the most outstanding automotive powerplants of that particular model-year. This particular year was interesting, in that the diversity of the list is greater than ever before.
“I never thought I’d live to see the day when a fuel-cell car and a battery EV would make the list the same year as two burly V-8s and a sophisticated 4-cyl. engine with variable compression,” says Drew Winter, senior content director at WardsAuto.
The 2019 list, in its entirety, with engines listed alphabetically:
- 3.0L (B58) DOHC Turbocharged I-6 (BMW X5)
- 6.2L OHV V-8 with DFM (Chevrolet Silverado)
- 5.0L DOHC V-8 (Ford Mustang GT/Bullitt)
- 3.0L DOHC TurboDiesel V-6 (Ford F-150)
- 2.0L DOHC Atkinson i-VTEC 4-Cyl./HEV (Honda Accord Hybrid)
- 120-kW Fuel Cell/Electric Propulsion System (Hyundai Nexo)
- 150-kW Propulsion System (Hyundai Kona EV)
- 2.0L DOHC VC-Turbo 4-Cyl. (Infiniti QX50)
- 2.0L DOHC Atkinson 4-Cyl./HEV (Lexus UX 250h)
- 3.6L DOHC Pentastar eTorque V-6 (Ram 1500)
Interestingly, the LS/LT vs Coyote rivalry is kept in a stalemate, as both a Gen-V LT engine and Gen-3 Coyote (specifically the Bullitt configuration) made the list, while the Infiniti Variable Compression engine which we’ve reported on several times (HERE and HERE)
If you read into the choices, it seems as though, the technology of tomorrow is performing well with the WardsAuto editors, they still appreciate the rumble of a good ol’ V8, along with the associated power. That Chevrolet and Ford have managed to refine their offerings to compete with the likes of that list is truly impressive, in our book.
Overall, if this list is any indication of the direction of the marketplace, while the hybrid and full-electric EVs are coming, there is still an appreciation of, and a place for, traditional naturally aspirated V8 engines.