Consumers Take Another Look at 4 Cylinders

Washington DC July 6, 2007; The AIADA newsletter reported that the percentage of four-cylinder engines in U.S. vehicles has been rising since 2002, but it still was only 25.4 percent of the U.S. engine mix in 2006.

Still, the Associated Press reports that in midsize vehicles where consumers have a choice, the majority has picked four-cylinder engines so far this year in nearly all of the best-selling models made by the top five U.S. auto sellers.

Four-cylinder engines generally get better gas mileage and pollute less than their larger counterparts, although they often are noisier and don't accelerate as well.

Before the recent spike in gas prices, buyers of midsize cars made by the Detroit Three typically went for more powerful and quieter V-6 engines, while those who bought the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord generally bought more four-cylinder engines.

For Toyota and other automakers, computerized six-speed transmissions and other technology advancements have made V-6 engines almost as efficient as fours. On the Camry, the nation's top-selling car, the four-cylinder engine with a manual transmission gets an estimated 34 mpg on the highway, while the six, with a six-speed automatic, can get 31.