Diversity Marks Ward’s 2014 Best-Engine List

Three diesels, a 3-cylinder gasoline engine and an all-electric system highlight the 2014 Ward's 10 Best Engines list from wardsauto.com.

The awards, now in their 20th year, honor new or significantly improved propulsion systems sold in the U.S. during the first quarter of the new year. The 2014 winners were selected from a field of 44 entries.

Only two engines Audi's 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 and Honda's 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V-6 were repeat winners. The Audi powerplant has made the list for the past four years.

The trio of turbodiesels on this year's roster represents the largest penetration for oil burners ever. The engines include the 3.0-liter I-6 in the BMW 535d sedan, the 3.0-liter V-6 in the Ram 1500 large pickup truck and the 2.0-liter I-4 offered in Chevrolet's Cruze small sedan.

Among high-performance winners this year are the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray's 6.2-liter V-8 and the Porsche Cayman's 6-cylinder "boxer" engine.

The contest's smallest-displacement winner ever is the turbocharged 1.0-liter 3-cylinder engine available in Ford's Fiesta small car. Ward's editors also chose the peppy 83-kW electric motor in Fiat's 500e electric city car, marking Fiat's first win.

Rounding out the top-10 list is Volkswagen's redesigned 1.8-liter turbocharged I-4 engine, which Ward's describes as the new benchmark for four-bangers.