Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I read reviews that say "the V6 has plenty of power" or "this car doesn't need a V8" and other reviews for the same car will say "the V6 leaves you wanting..." or "we prefer the V8."
Or 4 vs V6 - e.g. the Honda Accord is better off with the VTEC 4 than with the added weight of the V6 with VCM.
What cars do you think need the bigger engine option? Does the added weight with worse MPG negate the added power? Is a smaller engine a better choice because of agility and MPG? Is the low end torque with a smooth curve just too nice to pass up with a V8?
I hear the Benz E350 is over-worked and E500 would the one to get. I hear the Hyundai Genesis is less agile with a V8 and the V6 is plenty without the extra weight.
I don't care to hear what car you think is better than which. I'd love to hear your opinion or experience on what engine option is best for any given model. Infinity M37 or M45? Acura TSX 4cyl or V6? ...etc.
It depends on the purpose of the car and what you want it to do.
From a raw power perspective, bigger is always better. However, the smaller engine options may provide enough power for the car while providing better MPG and having lower weight which can improve handling (generally it's not that lower weight equals better handling...it does, but those comments are usually focused on FWD and AWD cars that have a forward weight bias and the smaller, lighter engine means that there is overall better weight distribution making the car feel more balanced).
So, there is no clear answer here. Generally to me if you are buying car for performance, buy the highest power/biggest engine available. If you are into modding sometimes you can have more fun with the smaller engines (think turbo 4 vs. a V6 like in Volkswagens), but that is dependent upon the cars you are considering.
In this day and age with ever higher gas prices buying the larger engine option, like Accord V6 vs. I4 is really just a waste. No matter how you dice it's not a performance car and you are better off saving the money on purchase and fuel and sticking with the 4 cylinder. If we were talking about a Mustang or something, then I would want the V8 regardless of how good the V6 was.
Bigger is better when the car is designed for it. Such doesn't always mean worse fuel economy either - it's all in the tuning and gearing (aka the design).
I had a Volvo 760GLE ... mid-size car, 2.8L V6/145hp/173 ft.lb of torque. It got 15 in the city, 20 on the highway. Shorter gearing of that 4-speed made the most of that power, at the expense of fuel consumption.
Replacement car is a Buick Roadmaster ... large car, 5.7L V8/260hp/330 ft.lbs of torque ... 16 city, 24 highway. Still a 4-speed, but a tall rear end means that at 60mph, the engine is at like 1300 rpm.
It depends on the purpose of the car and what you want it to do.
From a raw power perspective, bigger is always better. However, the smaller engine options may provide enough power for the car while providing better MPG and having lower weight which can improve handling (generally it's not that lower weight equals better handling...it does, but those comments are usually focused on FWD and AWD cars that have a forward weight bias and the smaller, lighter engine means that there is overall better weight distribution making the car feel more balanced).
So, there is no clear answer here. Generally to me if you are buying car for performance, buy the highest power/biggest engine available. If you are into modding sometimes you can have more fun with the smaller engines (think turbo 4 vs. a V6 like in Volkswagens), but that is dependent upon the cars you are considering.
In this day and age with ever higher gas prices buying the larger engine option, like Accord V6 vs. I4 is really just a waste. No matter how you dice it's not a performance car and you are better off saving the money on purchase and fuel and sticking with the 4 cylinder. If we were talking about a Mustang or something, then I would want the V8 regardless of how good the V6 was.
What kind of answer does the OP realistically expect?
The fact that manufacturers often offer a choice of engines says it all. Buyers have different needs vs. wants and of course budgets.
I don't know of any case where the more powerful engine is cheaper - so that is an immediate tradeoff to be considered.
The more powerful engine doesn't always have more cylinders - and isn't always "bigger." Sometimes the "bigger" engine with more power is turbocharged yet actually a smaller engine.
In some cases, the less powerful engine may be preferred - for example buying a car for a teenage driver. You might want a slower car, even if you can afford the more powerful engine.
What kind of answer does the OP realistically expect?
Sorry if I wasn't clear. I hoped to hear some stories about specific cars, like "I own the new [make] [model] and when I'm merging into traffic with three adults in the car, it feels underpowered." Or maybe "I test drove the [any car] in both trims, and found the V6 had oodles of power considering the $5K difference in price and premium gas required."
I never thought about what difference it makes in a FWD vs. RWD car, that was a great post, NJGOAT. And thanks to everyone else.
Assume that more power is better, but only if the trade off is worth it. I know there are a lot of "cylindar snobs" who just think more is better, but I know there's more to it than that, like the HP/weight ratio. And I'd like to hear about the value of getting the more expensive engine option.
Last edited by Eastern Roamer; 05-27-2010 at 11:08 AM..
I own a 1.3L 4-pot Corolla Hatch, it's got a perky 86hp when new, and it does everything I ask of it.
For obvious reasons acceleration is hindered some when the car is filled with people, but I've never gotten into anything resembling a dangerous situation because of it. Yes, it feels underpowered if there's 2+ people in it, but not in any way dangerously so. I drive it like I stole it, which gives me about 36.5 mpg, combined (about the same on city, it's hard to get it much over that), on pure highway stints I've gotten it down to as little as 48-50 mpg.
As an everyday A to B vehicle it certainly does the job, it even proves a little fun at times, if you get into it, but it doesn't cater very well to the car enthusiast in me.
Not much to add to Narfcake's post. A couple specific anecdotal takes, however:
My SVT Contour had a 200hp 2.5 liter V6 in a 3200 lb car. Quick, fun, agile, basically a homolgated race car for the street. Never felt like it was lacking in power. 22-25mpg tops on the highway, however.
My 740iL has a 300 hp 4.4 liter V8 in a 4200 lb car. Relatively quick, fun, agile for a big car, etc. Sometimes I wish it had more power, though. But it'll pull 27-30 mpg on the highway at 75 mph due to the gearing (1900 rpm at 70).
My old 2nd gen RX7 had 145 hp in 2700lbs. Reasonably peppy and fun. Got 25 mpg highway. I put a 400 hp Ford 5.0 V8 in it. Still weightd 2700 lbs. VERY quick, VERY fast, and with the same exact rear end ratios, still got 25 mpg highway.
So yeah, it depends. Is the engine working too hard to move the car and it's load around? If it's not, it'll be happy and should be long lived.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
