Electrification dominates Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems for 2021

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For the very first time, electrified powertrains have dominated the Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems list. The 2021 edition, judged by editors of the industry publication, included only two engines that run solely on gasoline alone.

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The list, now in its 27 ^th year, recognizes powertrains that are “all-new or significantly improved.” Winners from the 2020 list were eligible, but only one, the Hyundai Kona EV, also appears among the 2021 winners — and it’s the third time for it, since it also made the top-ten in 2019.

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For 2021, the list includes four battery-electric vehicles (BEV), two plug-in hybrids (PHEV), one hybrid, and a fuel-cell vehicle (FCEV). Both of the gasoline-only winners are turbocharged. The list is the 10 Best and stops there, as Wards doesn’t rank them in order, nor crown a supreme winner.

The list of ten was winnowed down from 39 contenders, 18 of them electrified. Those that didn’t make the final list included the Chevrolet Corvette’s 6.2L V8, the supercharged V8 in the Ram TRX, and 3.8L six-cylinder in the Porsche 911 Turbo. Wards defended not choosing some obvious fan favourites by saying that while it has “thoroughly recognized powertrain teams for their ability to dial up more power, more torque, better efficiency,” engineers are “being made to embrace electrification” even though “very few automakers have pockets deep enough” to plow resources equally into both electrified systems and all-new internal-combustion engines. “Do we give less weight to electrified nominees because they sell in small numbers compared with popular gasoline entries that fuel the bottom line? With this year’s list, we believe we’ve been even-handed…” in the choices it made.

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The scores are based on horsepower, torque, NVH (noise vibration harshness) management, observed fuel economy, and new technology. Winning engines must “truly sell the car, (be) thrilling to drive and technologically relevant.” Previously Wards had put a price cap of US$65,000 on vehicles, but removed it starting this year.

In alphabetical order, here are the ten that made the 2021 list. The links will take to you to our Driving.ca reviews to see what we think of them!

BMW 330e Plug-In Hybrid

The 330e uses a 2.0L four-cylinder with electric motor and 12-kWh lithium-ion battery, producing a total of 288 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It can drive approximately 32 km on its battery.

BMW’s turbocharged 3.0L six-cylinder, used in the M440i xDrive, was also among the finalists, and made the 10 Best list in 2019 and 2020. Wards said there was “little debate” in choosing the hybrid, due to its performance and fuel efficiency. The judges also noted that BMW is heading toward electrification, and that the plug-in hybrid is a “happy middle ground” between gasoline and electric.

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Chevrolet Trailblazer 1.3L Turbo 3-Cylinder

This tiny engine, an option over the Trailblazer’s base 1.2L, was named over the Corvette’s 6.2L V8, and the Suburban’s 3.0L six-cylinder diesel. Wards challenged potential buyers to test-drive it “and then tell us how many cylinders are under the hood.” It makes 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque, and made the list for its combination of “technology, tidy sizing and torquey response.” Wards noted it makes 116 hp per litre, which is 37 hp-per-litre more than the Corvette.

Ford F-150 Hybrid 3.5L Turbo V6

Although the F-150’s hybrid option is pricey, Wards said buyers should get the difference back quickly. Dubbed “PowerBoost” by Ford, it’s a full hybrid system, capable of running on its battery alone, and makes 430 horsepower and 570 lb-ft of torque. The truck can tow 12,700 lbs and includes an on-board generator that can run power tools and small appliances.

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Ford Mustang Mach-E

The debate over whether it should be called a “Mustang” lives on, but there’s no arguing over the Mach-E’s performance, which ranges from 266 to 346 horsepower, depending on the trim, along with 317 lb-ft of torque in rear-wheel, and 428 lb-ft in AWD models. Battery options include range from 340 to 483 kilometres.

Wards praised its performance, especially its midrange thrust, when you’ll “be glad there’s a head restraint to prevent whiplash,” although “it’s a perfectly fine daily driver” as well. One judge said Ford “has done a terrific job of creating a fast and fun EV without being a Tesla knockoff.” Other Fords on the shortlist were the Bronco Sport’s 1.5L turbo three-cylinder, and the Mustang’s 2.3L turbo four-cylinder.

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Hyundai Kona EV

Hyundai’s two 10 Best wins were from five of its powerplants on the shortlist. It was the Kona EV’s third consecutive win, and judges praised its generous 415 km of estimated range, and what they got in real-world driving last spring. The Kona makes 201 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque, with “exhilarating acceleration.” Wards also noted that while there are a lot of excellent electrics entering the market, most are expensive; and affordable, fun-to-drive and long-range models like the Kona will help electrics gain market share.

Hyundai Santa Fe 2.5L Turbo 4-cylinder

One of two gas-only winners, the Santa Fe impressed the judges with its “quickness, refinement and overall value equation.” The engine makes 277 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, and averages 9.4 L/100 km. Other Hyundai powertrains on the shortlist were the Elantra Hybrid 1.6L four-cylinder, Santa Fe Hybrid 1.6 turbo four-cylinder, and the 1.6L turbo four-cylinder in the Hyundai Sonata and Kia K5.

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Jeep Wrangler 4xe PHEV 2.0L Turbo 4-cylinder

The Wranger 4xe mates its twin-scroll turbocharged engine with a 400-volt plug-in hybrid system. The system produces a combined 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, and can travel 34 km in all-electric mode. Some judges thought the engine was “a bit loud when it cycled on,” but still found it wasn’t as gruff as a regular Wrangler. Also on the shortlist, but falling short of the 10 Best, was the 6.4L V8 in the Wrangler 392.

Polestar 2 BEV

The all-electric Polestar , from Volvo’s performance electrified brand, won for its “near-perfect blend of the BEV formulation,” and while it doesn’t have the longest range or highest output, “it’s still ‘shockingly fast’ and a blast to drive.”

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The Polestar 2 has an electric motor on each axle, producing a combined 408 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque, and its 78-kWh battery has a range of 375 km. The system is also used in the Volvo XC40 Recharge, also on the shortlist, but the judges preferred that the Polestar has two settings for one-pedal driving; it has a “creep mode” for nudging into a parking space; and they felt it accelerated quicker than the XC40.

Porsche Taycan 4S BEV

The expensive but “lightning-quick” Taycan won as a “singular joy to drive” and was the quickest EV the judges drove, going from zero to 97 km/h in 3.8 seconds. Electric motors on each axle produce 562 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, while its range of 365 km is aided by “an especially robust regenerative braking system” that can capture up to 265 kW of power, which Porsche says is three times the usual rate of most BEVs. Porsche’s other shortlisted engine was the 3.8L six-cylinder boxer engine in the 911 Turbo.

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Toyota Mirai FCEV

The Mirai fuel-cell made the list, despite being sold in a limited number of markets, mostly due to lack of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. It’s not the first for a fuel cell, as the Hyundai Nexo and Honda Clarity FCEVs are previous winners.

An FCEV is an electric vehicle that makes its own electricity from an onboard supply of hydrogen. The Mirai makes 182 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, and is “fun to drive and extremely quiet,” the judges said. After refuelling, it has a range of 647 km. Toyota’s other contenders on the shortlist were the RAV4 Prime PHEV 2.5L four-cylinder, and Venza Hybrid 2.5L four-cylinder.

In addition to the non-winning finalists noted above, these automakers also had vehicles in the final round of judging.

• Acura TLX Type S 3.0L Turbo V6
• Audi e-tron Sportback BEV
• Audi SQ5 3.0L Turbo V6
• Genesis G80 3.5L Turbo V6
• Honda Accord Hybrid 2.0L I4
• Infiniti QX55 2.0L Variable-Compression Turbo I4
• Land Rover Defender 90 3.0L I6 MHEV
• Lexus LC 500h Hybrid 3.5L V6
• Mazda CX-30 2.5L Turbo I4
• Mercedes-Benz GLA 35 2.0L Turbo I4
• Mercedes-Benz GLE 53 3.0L Turbo I6
• Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 4.0L Bi-Turbo V8
• Ram Rebel 1500 3.6L V6 eTorque
• Ram TRX 1500 6.2L Supercharged V8
• Volkswagen ID.4 BEV
• Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge BEV