Engine Competition Reinforces Downsizing

The 2009 pool of engines being evaluated in Ward’s 10 Best Engines competition reflects a global industry that recognizes America’s conspicuous consumption of petroleum must stop.

For proof, let’s go back a decade – when the SUV craze was in full swing – to see what new powertrains had arrived in the U.S. for the ‘99 model year.

This comparison is worthwhile because the annual 10 Best Engines competition, since it began in 1995, always has focused on powertrains that are ...