Wards Announces 10 Best Engines For 2015 - Is This The Best They Can Come Up With?

From a 707-hp fire-breathing V-8 to a hydrogen-powered fuel cell emitting nothing but water vapor, the 2015 Ward’s 10 Best Engines list is by far the most diverse and technically advanced pool of honorees in 21 years of recognizing powertrain excellence.

WardsAuto editors spent October and November evaluating 37 all-new or improved powertrains, including four battery-electrics before settling on the winners. In alphabetical order, they are:

127-kW Electric Motor (BMW i3 electric vehicle)
6.2L OHV V-8 (Chevrolet Corvette Stingray)
6.2L Supercharged OHV V-8 (Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat)
1.0L Turbocharged DOHC 3-cyl. (Ford Fiesta)
100-kW Fuel Cell (Hyundai Tucson FCV)
1.5L Turbocharged DOHC 3-cyl. (Mini Cooper)
3.0L Turbodiesel DOHC V-6 (Ram 1500 EcoDiesel)
2.0L Turbocharged DOHC H-4 (Subaru WRX)
1.8L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Volkswagen Golf)
2.0L Turbocharged  DOHC 4-cyl. (Volvo S60)

MrEE - 12/10/2014 6:59:31 PM

+1 Boost

All of last year's car 6 cyl (Audi, BMW, Honda, Porsche), are knocked out by 4 cyl. How about picking one or two in each category to represent the entire market. Good to see electric and hydrogen but still needs hybrid and yes a 6 cyl.

Car4Life - 12/10/2014 7:09:47 PM

+1 Boost

Someone at Wards got reaaaaaaally lazy or has a serious small displacement fetish and slapped 2 6.2 liter v-8's on to make it less obvious

valhallakey - 12/10/2014 7:31:10 PM

+2 Boost

I would have thought the Cadillac V6 turbo and the i8 turbo 3 might have made it. In the case of the i8 it's engine should replace the mini 3 nominee (or is there some price barrier there?).

Sciros - 12/10/2014 10:33:40 PM

+1 Boost

Hah, two of my engines are on there! Granted I have an FXT rather than a WRX, but it's close enough to the same engine.

The Hellcat engine is definitely the most fun one on there... but what about the hypercars (918/P1/LaFerrari)? I guess the individual internal combustion engines or electric motors they have aren't that interesting on their own? Hmm... And the Tucson won probably because the Mirai isn't out yet?

quizz - 12/12/2014 3:22:11 AM

+1 Boost

I bet the GT350's flat plank V8 will be next year's big hit.