WardsAuto has been covering the auto industry since it began in America over 100 years ago, and over the past 29 years, it has picked the best powerplants each year. It used to be just ‘Wards 10 Best Engines’ but the advent of electric vehicles and fully electric powertrains brought a change to the title to become ’10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems’, which is a bit more ‘future-proof’.
Each year, Wards’ experienced team selects the most promising powertrains, with scoring based on output (horsepower and torque), observed efficiency and new technology. NVH management is also considered. A price cap for nominees that had been in place since 1995 was removed in 2021 but value remains part of the criteria.
While evaluating the vehicles, only powertrains that are all-new or significantly improved are eligible for testing. The winners of the previous year are eligible to be considered again, and for 2023, only two made it to the Top 10 again. These were the Lucid Air Touring BEV and the Hyundai IONIQ 6 BEV (in place of the IONIQ 5 with the same system).
For the 2023 list, 32 models were evaluated. These were made up of 13 vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE), 10 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 9 with hybrid powertrains. The latter had 5 plug-in hybrid systems (PHEV), while the remainder were self-charging hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).
Of the 13 ICE models, five had 4-cylinder engines; four 6-cylinder engines (all inline), three V8s; and one 3-cylinder engine. All except two of the V8s were turbocharged.
“Clearly, with the pace of electrification and advances in internal combustion, it’s a rare propulsion system that can impress our judges for more than a year or two. Turnover in powertrains is at a peak moment, exemplified not only by the rush of electric propulsion systems coming to market, but also in internal-combustion development,” said Bob Gritzinger, WardsAuto Editor-in-chief.
However, it’s clear that electrification is trending steadily as Wards’ latest list has 6 electrified vehicles. “The market may be starting to cool when it comes to BEV adoption, but automakers are forging ahead with constant innovation in BEVs that promise increased range and efficiency and ever-quicker charging systems,” Gritzinger said.
“At the same time, no one is lifting off the internal-combustion pedal, with more than a dozen all-new or significantly upgraded ICEs on our nominee list, and two big, naturally aspirated V8s making our winners’ list,” he noted. “We’re seeing the end of the ICE era, but those engines aren’t going out without making some noise.”
2023 Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems Winners
(listed alphabetically):
BMW M2 – 3.0 litres, 6 cylinders, turbocharged
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 – 5.5 litres, V8
Dodge Hornet R/T – 1.3 litres, 4 cylinders, turbocharged, PHEV
Ford Mustang Dark Horse – 5.0 litres, V8
Honda Accord Hybrid – 2.0 litres, 4 cylinders, HEV
Hyundai IONIQ 6 – Electric Propulsion System
Lucid Air Touring – Electric Propulsion System
Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 – 2.0 litres, 4 cylinders, turbocharged
Nissan Ariya – Electric Propulsion System
Toyota Prius Prime – 2.0 litres, 4 cylinders, PHEV