5 4-Cylinder Engines That Deliver V6 Power

There are quite a few four-cylinder engines, made for today's high-performance vehicles, that can produce either the same or more power than the V6 engines that have been in use up to this point. We can chalk this up to both the relentless pursuit on the part of the automakers for improved fuel economy, as well as their desire to continuously upgrade the performance of the vehicles they offer for sale. 

This has driven the trend toward turbocharged, lower-displacement four-cylinder engines, which can produce great fuel economy numbers on the test cycle and also generate tremendous performance once the boost kicks in. This level of technological development, when applied to a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, can give the four as much or more power than a naturally aspirated, or non-turbocharged, V6 with a 3.0-liter displacement — plus the extra bonus of better fuel efficiency for the four. It's a win-win in the eyes of the vehicle manufacturers, who can promote both aspects of these turbo fours, which have their pros and cons, in their marketing materials.

As a reference point, let's look at some 0-60 mph acceleration times put up by some currently-available naturally aspirated V6 engines. The V6 in the Acura MDX gets there in 6.4 seconds, the Cadillac XT5 does it in 6.1 seconds, the Chrysler Pacifica manages 7.3 seconds, and the compact Lexus IS makes it in 5.6 seconds. Now let's take a closer look at some of these high-output turbo fours that produce the type of power that you would normally expect from a V6 engine. 

The 2026 Toyota Tacoma's turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine produces 278 horsepower in its higher-powered, non-hybrid version. It is available in all versions of the Tacoma pickup truck, with the exception of the base model. Our review of the Toyota Tacoma found its turbo-four engine to be smooth and plenty powerful.

The Toyota Tacoma's turbo four sends its power through your choice of either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. Another choice you can make is whether to send that power to the rear wheels only or to all four. The performance stats of the Tacoma, as performed by Car and Driver, revealed a 0-60 mph that took 7.9 seconds with the manual and 7.0 with the automatic, while the quicker automatic did the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 91 mph. Skidpad roadholding comes out to 0.77g, appropriate for a pickup truck. EPA-estimated fuel economy ranges from a high of 21 MPG City and 26 MPG Highway for the 2WD automatic versions down to 18 MPG City and 23 MPG Highway for the manual 4WD models. 

As a midsize pickup truck, the Tacoma offers plenty of room inside and in the bed. Standard equipment inside the Tacoma includes an eight-inch multimedia touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, smart key with push-button start, tilt and telescopic steering wheel with audio controls, adaptive cruise control, overhead console, single-zone air conditioning, and trip computer. Outside, you get 17-inch steel wheels with all-season tires, four-wheel disc brakes, and rear-wheel drive.

The 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is Chevy's full-size pickup truck. Many of its trims come standard with its TurboMax engine, a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four that makes 310 horsepower, which compares favorably with the V6 engines offered by competitors Ford and Ram. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 also turned out to be Chevrolet's number one selling vehicle in 2025. This engine is also available in Chevrolet's Colorado midsize pickup, as well as in those trucks' siblings, the GMC Sierra 1500 and the Canyon midsize.

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with the TurboMax engine is able to send its power through an eight-speed automatic transmission to either the rear wheels of all four, when four-wheel drive is checked on the order form. Performance stats compiled by Fastestlaps.com showed that the Silverado 1500 with the TurboMax could do 0-60 mph in 7.0 seconds, with the quarter-mile going by in 15.3 seconds at 90.8 mph. The Silverado 1500 pulled 0.81g in lateral acceleration. EPA-estimated fuel economy for the Silverado 1500 with the TurboMax is 18 MPG City and 21 MPG Highway.

As a full-size pickup, the Silverado 1500 has plenty of space, both inside and out, for people and the stuff you need to bring along. The list of standard equipment inside the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 includes push-button start, solar glass, vinyl seats, six-gauge instrument cluster with compass, tilt-wheel steering column, single-zone air conditioning, remote keyless entry, steering wheel-mounted cruise control, and power windows. Outside, there's heavy-duty battery, recovery hooks, four-wheel disc brakes, and 17-inch steel wheels with 255/70 all-season tires.

The Honda Civic Type R put its marker down on April 19, 2023, when a lighter, European version of the Type R set a lap record for front-wheel drive cars of 7 minutes 44.881 seconds at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Our review of the Civic Type R revealed that it isn't cheap, but it's still a bargain. 

The 2026 Honda Civic Type R is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 315 horsepower, for a prodigious output of 157.5 horsepower per liter. As tested by Car and Driver, this gives the Type R a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds, a 0-100 mph time of 12.1 seconds, and a quarter-mile time of 13.5 seconds at 106 mph. Combined with a slick six-speed manual (the only transmission option), adaptive dampers, and a huge rear wing, the Civic Type R is ready for the Nürburgring, or any track of your choice, with a roadholding number of 1.02g on the skidpad. The Type R's EPA-estimated fuel economy is 22 MPG City and 28 MPG Highway. 

The Honda Civic Type R is packaged in a practical, five-door hatchback body that offers 25.7 cu. ft. of cargo space with the rear seat up and 46.2 cu. ft. with the rear seat folded down. Standard equipment inside the Civic Type R includes a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9.0-inch color touchscreen, a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, bolstered sport seats, and dual-zone climate control. Outside, there's LED lighting all around, aluminum hood, triple-outlet exhaust, 19-inch wheels, helical limited-slip diff, and Brembo front brakes. 

The 2026 Audi S3 is a compact sedan from the Volkswagen Group's upscale luxury marque. It is a performance-oriented sedan with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes a plentiful 328 horsepower. Our review of the Audi S3 showed that its punchy turbo engine is right-sized for power. It should be noted that the identical engine and drivetrain can be found in the Volkswagen Golf R at a slightly lower price.

The Audi S3's engine sends its 328 horsepower through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that provides power to all four wheels. In performance testing by Car and Driver, the S3 went from 0-60 mph in just 4.2 seconds, while the quarter-mile whizzed by in 12.8 seconds at 109 mph. Roadholding on the 300-foot skidpad was measured at 0.95g. For those interested in the Audi S3's fuel economy, the EPA has estimated that the car gets 23 MPG City and 31 MPG Highway. 

In terms of space utilization, the Audi S3 is a four-door sedan with a trunk that provides a fairly small eight cu. ft. of cargo volume. But as the performance version of the basic Audi A3 sedan, the Audi S3 comes with a decent level of standard equipment. Inside the car, this includes a Bang & Olufsen sound system, heated front seats, leather-wrapped multifunction sports steering wheel and gear selector, ambient lighting, three-zone climate control, panoramic sunroof, and stainless steel pedal caps. The exterior comes with LED headlights and taillights, 18-inch 10-spoke wheels with 225/40 all-season tires, progressive steering, and a body-colored rear spoiler. 

The 2026 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S "Final Edition" could be the most powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged engine offered in a current production vehicle. Our review of the CLA 45 called it AMG's most powerful turbo-four. It produces a staggering 416 horsepower and is built in AMG's famed Affalterbach, Germany engine factory by a single engine builder. 

Channelling its power through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission before sending it to all four wheels, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S should do a bit better than its 382-horsepower predecessor did when tested by Car and Driver. Those results showed that the CLA 45 pulled a 0-60 mph run in just 3.7 seconds, extremely quick for a four-cylinder. With all this performance, it still gets EPA-estimated fuel economy of 20 MPG City and 28 MPG Highway.

The 2026 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S "Final Edition" is somewhat compromised in terms of its interior accommodations, considering that it is a subcompact sedan with a sloping roofline and only 12 cu. ft. of trunk space in the rear. Standard equipment on the "Final Edition" model is the Mountain Grey Magno exterior finish, along with black and yellow graphic treatments on the doors and outside mirrors. You also get matching 19-inch AMG forged alloy wheels, as well as an AMG aero package that provides a larger front splitter, a large rear spoiler, and gloss black "flics" to further mange the airflow. Inside, there are yellow-accented microfiber AMG performance seats with 45 S branding throughout the interior and a matching Nappa leather and microfiber steering wheel.