From turbocharged Hurricane I6s to small-block hybrid V8s, there’s a little something for every car enthusiast among the winners of Ward’s 10 Best Engines and Propulsion Systems of 2024. And it’s not just the diversity of powertrain configurations that makes the 2024 list remarkable, but the broad cross-section of manufacturers represented. On the other side of the same coin, we note some conspicuous absences. Let’s dive in.
V8
Yes, in the year of our electrons, 2024, there’s a V8 on Ward’s 10 Best list – and a American V8 then. It is the 6.2-liter V8 that is under the hood of the engine 2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray. OK, so in this case it happens to be part of a hybrid powertrain, but the fact that GM pulled off such a well-executed hybridization of its iconic performance model in the first round is still impressive. Now, speaking of hybrids…
Hybrids
Technically, the E-Ray’s V8 should be here too. It’s no wonder Wards called 2024 “the year of the hybrid.” Six of the 10 winners are battery-powered models, although we note that the mix still dramatically favors standard hybrid configurations over heavier and more expensive plug-ins. Only BMW’s I6 PHEV made the cut in the latter category. This category is also home to the two most affordable cars on this list: Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Camry XSE.
Turbos
Like the Hybrid category, this one is bigger than our list suggests. Three of this year’s hybrid choices are based on turbocharged gasoline engines. Stellanti’s “Hurricane” I6 is one of two 3.0-liter inline-sixes on the winner’s list this year, joining Porsche’s 3.0-liter V6. The 3.0-litre turbo six seems to be the sweet spot for premium petrol engines in 2024. Shout-out to Toyota for GR Corolla’s 1.3-liter turbo-three. That car is an absolute gem.
Electrical
Korea managed to sweep this year’s all-electric awards. Of the 11 eligible nominees, only two battery-powered electric cars made it to the winners’ list in 2024.
Conspicuous absence
Count them: zero.
All four of these manufacturers had at least one qualifying finalist in 2024 (Nissan’s in the form of the 2024 Infiniti QX80), but everyone ended up with goose eggs. Both VW nominees were battery-electric offerings; Audi was nowhere to be found.
You may also like