2024 Wards Ten Best Engines & Propulsion Systems

Although the auto industry has made commitments to electrifying its models in totality sometime in the future as part of the efforts to prevent severe climate change, production of internal combustion engines (ICE) continues. These are also needed for hybrid electric powertrains which now seem more acceptable to car-buyers.

Volkswagen Group Premium Platform Electric (PPE),
Wards now includes various types of propulsion systems – including fully electric – for its annual Ten Best list as the auto industry moves towards greater electrification of its models.

Wards Auto, the authoritative auto industry media in America, has come out with a list of the Ten Best Engines for the past 30 years and in recent times, has expanded the annual list to cover Propulsion Systems to encompass electrified powertrains.

This year’s list includes 8 electrified vehicles, but four of those are standard hybrids (HEVs) while two more are plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Two widely different battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) also claim awards, along with a pair of equally divergent ICE powertrains.

These ten winners were chosen from 34 nominees for 2024. Most of the HEV models employed 4-cylinder engines although there were some with V6 and V8 engines too.

Since Toyota introduced the first mass-produced hybrid electric sedan in the late 1990s, hybrid electric powertrains have become more common and accepted. As they are self-charging, there is no need to search for a charging station – which motorists feel more comfortable with.

The ICE nominees featured had a variety of engine types – 3-cylinders, 6 cylinders and V8s. Seven of them has forced induction and two were fitted with 6-speed manual transmissions. Displacements ranged from a small turbocharged 1.2-litre  to a monster supercharged 5.2-litre V8.

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The experienced editors assessed each powertrain on power output, torque, NVH management, observed efficiency and new technology. A price cap for nominees that had been in place since 1995 was removed in 2021; value remains part of the criteria, however. While evaluating the vehicles, only powertrains that are all-new or significantly improved were eligible.

“With the electrified market mix shifting to a blend of battery-electrics and hybrids, our list truly reflects – and predicts – where propulsion system development is headed as the industry continues its transition from internal-combustion power to full electrification,” said Bob Gritzinger, WardsAuto editor-in-chief.

“Our judges are equally excited about the wide range of propulsion systems on our 30th annual list, whether in the form of a battery-electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid or internal combustion-powered vehicle,” he said. “It’s truly a fantastic time to be able to sample and appreciate the variety of powertrains the industry has to offer.”

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