Ward Auto Announces 10 Best Engines of 2015

The good folks over at Ward Auto just issued their annual list of the year’s 10 best engines, a list that immediately jumps off of the page because of its diversity. Featuring the most eclectic selection in the award’s 21 year history, the list includes six turbocharged bad boys, one supercharged, one internal combustion beast, one fuel cell, and one electric.

To be eligible, Ward Auto says, “A new or significantly improved engine or propulsion system must be on sale in a production vehicle during the first quarter of 2014. Base price is capped at $60,000, up from $55,000 last year.”

This year’s list includes:

3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi S5)
3.0L Turbodiesel DOHC I-6 (BMW 535d)
3.0L Turbodiesel DOHC V-6 (Ram 1500 EcoDiesel)
83-kW Electric Motor (Fiat 500e)
1.0L EcoBoost DOHC I-3 (Ford Fiesta)
2.0L Turbodiesel DOHC I-4 (Chevrolet Cruze Diesel)
6.2L OHV V-8 (Chevrolet Corvette Stingray)
3.5L SOHC V-6 (Honda Accord)
2.7L DOHC H-6 boxer (Porsche Cayman)
1.8L Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Volkswagen Jetta)

This list was narrowed down from 37 different nominees, including last year’s 10 winners, which were eligible for the award once again this year. In the end, there were 8 new winners and two returning winners: Honda’s 3.5L V-6 and Audi’s 3.0L supercharged V-6.

In choosing the winners, editors scored each engine based on power, torque, technology, observed fuel economy, relative competitiveness and noise, vibration and harshness characteristics.

“We spend a lot of time reading the powertrain tea leaves throughout the auto industry, and we’re proud that this year’s list is a microcosm of all the latest innovation coming from automakers,” said WardsAuto World Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter. “It’s not just a list for enthusiasts or for environmentalists. There’s something for every vehicle shopper and every budget. All the powertrains on this list deliver a first-rate driving experience.”