The mechanical approach of the car is already not the favorite choice of many buyers, but with all the changes in emissions and fuel taxation, choosing an engine has become even more complicated. Here are some of the essential aspects you will need to refer to in order to choose your engine correctly.
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The order we have chosen to list them is not random: it is actually the same order you will find on the configurator of our site Autoreduc.com. It is also the most logical order to understand your needs.
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Petrol or diesel engine
The petrol engine is generally more reliable and more comfortable, as it offers a more pleasant driving experience, with very low vibration levels and therefore less noise than a diesel engine of similar power. In terms of both purchase and maintenance (especially in the long term), the economic advantage goes to petrol, while at the pump the advantage is reversed in favor of diesel.
The diesel engine, for its part, is more economical as it consumes less fuel and remains, for now and despite recent increases, cheaper than petrol. Many improvements now allow it to claim the same performance as a petrol engine, even if it faces more difficulties in meeting the new environmental standards imposed (notably the Euro 6 standard). Moreover, it suffers more from urban driving at low speeds and is therefore particularly preferable for drivers traveling more than 15,000 km per year.
Manual or automatic transmission
Although most French people choose, unlike Americans, a manual transmission, we have recently seen a growing demand for automatic transmissions, even with petrol engines!
This phenomenon can be explained, according to our experts, for four reasons:
1. The growing enthusiasm for SUVs (sport utility vehicles), these faux 4×4 urban vehicles with their “cooler” driving style because of their height, makes their followers interested in the automatic transmission.
2. French manufacturers have caught up with the delay they had in the quality of “car gearboxes,” especially compared to the Germans, and have almost nothing to envy from the number one, the Bavarian BMW.
3. Changes in the perception of diesel as a more “eco-friendly” fuel than petrol (recent studies show that while emitting less CO2, the particles, including NOx, are more harmful than petrol and emit more than what has been announced by manufacturers).
4. The evolution of taxation on diesel, which will inevitably become as taxed as petrol (this is already the case in Belgium), makes it much less interesting, especially for a normal driver. Consequently, these changes will lead to greater depreciation of used diesel vehicles compared to petrol, as the demand for petrol vehicles will increase significantly.
Engine power
If, in the majority of cases, it is simply a passionate choice, the power of the engine offers your car useful potential that can be essential, for example, to climb certain mountain passes with a well-loaded vehicle, or simply if you often travel with the whole family. If, therefore, you need one, be aware that it will cost you more for purchase and maintenance, but it will last longer than an overstrained engine.
Start and stop
The S&S is a device that automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stopped for a few seconds, for example, at red lights. Note that manufacturers have introduced this standard device in most of their new models to reduce emissions in order to meet the targets set by the European Community, but it is not appreciated by all drivers.
How many cylinders for your engine?
As the number of cylinders increases, less vibrations and better performance are reduced. However, be careful, as consumption will increase accordingly.
The three-cylinder engine reduces fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and the fiscal power of the vehicles it equips. It meets the Euro 6 standard. Most of the flaws that hindered its success are now corrected. It proudly equips the following cars: Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost (an engine that has received numerous accolades), Kia Rio and Picanto, Smart ForTwo, Peugeot 107 and 208, Renault Clio 4 and Captur.
The four-cylinder engines are the most common as they represent a good compromise between vibrations/flexibility/size/weight/efficiency/complexity/cost.
Beyond 4 cylinders implies a considerable expense and a marked increase in fuel consumption.
In conclusion: reflecting on the characteristics of the engine could go well beyond these few points which, however, constitute the essence of the concerns of common buyers. Then, if you want to know more, you can document the arrangement of the cylinders, the number of valves, the construction of the engine in steel or aluminum, with a timing belt or chain, with or without a Start/Stop button, etc. You will discover, for example, the legendary American V12 engines and the no less powerful German 6-cylinder and 8-cylinder engines…
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