downsizing

  • 2014 Ford Fiesta: EcoBoost (European version)

    Back in November, we asked whether tinier, turbocharged engines were really the best way to get good gas mileage. Our assertion was that with the latest generation of small turbocharged engines replacing larger variants, the real-world gas mileage improvement is nowhere near that of the on-paper advantage in official economy tests. Unsurprisingly, we've not been the only ones to notice. Thorough testing by Consumer Reports has revealed the same issues with downsized, turbocharged engines across the automotive spectrum. Downsizing = little efficiency gain In CR's hands, Ecoboost Ford Fusions...

  • Mercedes-Benz E300 Bluetec Hybrid sedan
    Mercedes-Benz Doubles Down On Diesels For U.S.

    Several automakers are finally realising that customers in the U.S. are warming to diesel--and Mercedes-Benz is one of those ready to bring even more models to North America. The E-Class executive sedan and ML SUV are the latest to be granted diesel options. Both, as you may be aware, are already...

  • 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
    Smaller Vehicles Getting More Popular, JD Power Survey Says

    Will your next car be smaller than your current one? If you answered yes, then you're in good company, as a recent JD Power survey shows that 27 percent of new car buyers have downsized in the last year. The 2012 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study, showed that only 13...

  • 2012 Volvo S60 Polestar
    Four-Cylinder Volvos Return To U.S. In Fall 2013

    It's been eight years since Volvo offered a four-cylinder car in the United States--in the S40 sedan and V40 wagon--but come fall 2013 the four-pot drought will be over. Volvo has announced that the new 2.0-liter four-cylinder will be used in the front-wheel drive versions of the S60 and S80...

  • Ferrari Enzo
    Ferrari Developing V12 Hybrid, Downsized V6s Possible

    Even supercar makers take the environment into account when designing a car these days. Modern Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches have to meet the same regulations as regular passenger cars, even if ultimately they still use more gasoline and pump out more emissions. Ferrari is hoping to cut its...

  • 2012 Ford Fiesta customization pack
    Three-Cylinder Ford Fiesta Coming To U.S.: Report

    If you thought the 40 mpg highway fuel economy rating of the 2011 Ford Fiesta SFE model was impressive, just wait until the reveal of the three-cylinder version, which is reportedly destined to land in the U.S. The car will come powered by a turbocharged 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine that should...

  • MINI Rocketman Concept

    If you, like us, think the modern-day MINIs are simply getting too big to be called a mini, then never fear as the automaker is reportedly set to launch its smallest model yet. MINI showed off a new concept car the recent 2011 Geneva Motor Show called the Rocketman, which is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a modern-day version of the iconic Minis of the 1960s. Positioned as a curious "3+1" seater with three doors and a scant 11-foot overall length, the Rocketman is currently only a design study though as BMW Group marketing boss Ian Robertson previously hinted, MINI has a...

  • 2011 Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class
    Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class Previews New U.S.-Bound Compact

    Mercedes-Benz is working on a family of new small cars, several of which will be heading to the U.S., possibly by the end of next year. Designed to compete with BMW’s 1-Series range, the new Lexus CT 200h and even the Audi A3, the new family of small cars will serve as the replacements for...

  • BMW ActiveE Concept
    BMW Looking To Boost MPGs With TwinPower Turbo Three-Cylinder Engines

    Expect to see smaller engines for BMW’s future models, as high fuel prices and greater environmental concerns push automakers towards engines with lower displacements. We’ve already seen this trend with the recent announcement of BMW’s new TwinPower Turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder...

  • 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco
    Buyers Seeking Better Gas Mileage Flock To Four-Cylinders In Droves

    While many Americans may still scoff at the idea of driving a reasonably sized car with an engine not much bigger than that found on a motorbike, sales numbers are showing that the tide is starting to turn and this archaic negative perception towards smaller engines may soon alleviate altogether...

  • 2011 Honda CR-Z
    Report: Honda CR-Z Model To Drop Hybrid Motor, Pick Up Turbo

    The 2011 Honda CR-Z hybrid hot-hatch was meant to be the car that showed hybrids could be sporty as well as green, but its paltry 122 horsepower and dismal 0-60 times were never going to excite anyone. And don’t think its fuel economy is anything to write home about; the CR-Z returns 36/38...

  • Toyota logo
    Toyota Hops On the Direct Injection And Turbocharging Bandwagon

    Toyota is the latest automaker to announce it’s headed down the downsized engine path as it strives for improved fuel economy, following the likes of Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai, all of which have announced similar plans in the recent past. Toyota has long been the champion of hybrid...

  • 2006 Dodge Hornet concept

    Ford has the Fiesta, Chevrolet the new Cruze Eco and soon the next-generation Aveo but what car does Dodge have for customers looking for something affordable that also gets more than 40 mpg in fuel economy? Some would say that Chrysler will be offering the new Fiat 500 but this model is likely to be pricey for a compact car because of its cool Italian flair. Then there's the Dodge Caliber but the best numbers it can muster is 31 mpg on the highway. There is light at the end of the tunnel for Dodge fans but unfortunately it is a very long tunnel. According to Dodge CEO Ralph Gilles, there is...

  • Fiat 500 TwinAir two-cylinder engine
    Volkswagen Won’t Follow Fiat’s Lead With Two-Cylinder Engine

    In Europe Fiat sells its funky 500 minicar with an optional 0.9-liter two-cylinder engine that when equipped with an automatic transmission returns an impressive fuel economy of 57.4 mpg for the European combined cycle. With Volkswagen now working on a similar sized vehicle, the upcoming Up...

  • Mazda SKY-G gasoline direct injection engine
    Mazda Claims Sky Engine Range Will Match Hybrids In Fuel Economy

    While many of its rivals have flocked to hybrid technology for fuel efficiency gains, Mazda is relatively unique in that it plans to further develop existing internal combustion technologies in order to maximize the fuel efficiency of its engines. Mazda previewed its next-generation of powertrain...

  • GM and SAIC transmission
    GM To Develop Compact Engine And Dual Clutch Transmission With SAIC

    General Motors is calling on Chinese partner SAIC to help develop a new downsized gasoline engine family and an advanced dual clutch transmission, one of the first major developments between the two automotive giants and surely not the last. The new engines, which will be offered in displacements...

  • 2010 Fiat 500 BEV
    Chrysler Pares Back EV And Hybrid Plans

    A few years back Chrysler showed off all manner of hybrid, range-extended and all-electric concepts in the hope that these vehicles would eventually see production, thus catapulting the automaker to the forefront of the electrification revolution. Unfortunately, a global economic downturn and...

  • Fiat 500 TwinAir two-cylinder engine
    Fiat 500 Gets Two-Cylinder Engine In Europe, U.S. Arrival Unlikely

    Europeans fans of the Fiat 500 will soon be able to opt for what the automaker is claiming to be the world's most fuel-efficient gasoline engine, a tiny two-cylinder engine displacing just 0.9-liters. It will be launched in European versions of the 500 and 500C convertible this September but...

  • 2009 BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

    Expect to see smaller engines for BMW’s future models, as high fuel prices and greater environmental concerns push buyers towards engines with lower displacements. Automakers, even the luxury marques, would be foolish to ignore the trend, which is why BMW's working on a new three-cylinder engine that could appear in the next-generation 1-Series as early as the end of next year. The future of the three-cylinder engine for the 1-Series looks optimistic, with insiders revealing to Autocar that the new engine under development won’t be a low-performing...

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