The Volkswagen EA 888 1.8-liter four-cylinder TSI® engine has been named to WardsAuto World magazine’s “2015 10 Best Engines” list.
Powering the all-new 2015 Golf 1.8T, Volkswagen’s turbocharged and direct-injection engine was selected from among 37 competitors, and won over the WardsAuto editors for the second consecutive year with its exceptional torque output, value and fuel economy.
This latest generation EA 888 engine made its debut in the 2014 Jetta, Passat and Beetle models.
“Volkswagen’s 1.8-liter TSI four cylinder is a tremendous engine in an affordable, extremely capable compact car,” said Tom Murphy, executive editor, WardsAuto World digital magazine.
“In the all-new Golf, this turbo-four makes more torque than it did last year in the heavier Jetta. More torque at a lower price in a car that routinely topped 33 mpg (7.1 L/100 km) in our testing? Keeping this engine on the list was a no-brainer.”
“Earning recognition on WardsAuto’s ‘10 Best Engines’ list for two consecutive years is solid validation of Volkswagen’s unrivaled formula for power, value and fuel economy in the EA 888 engine,” said Joerg Sommer, vice president, Product Marketing and Strategy, Volkswagen of America.
“The intelligently-downsized1.8-liter engine sets a higher standard in the market and uniquely distinguishes the performance and efficiency of the Golf, Passat, Jetta and Beetle.”
Built in Volkswagen’s state-of-the-art engine plant in Silao, Mexico, the EA 888 1.8-liter engine is designed to be lighter and more efficient than the previous 2.5-liter five cylinder, while delivering comparable power and torque.
In the 2015 Golf TSI, the 1.8-liter engine enables an EPA estimated highway fuel economy of 37 mpg for the manual transmission model, which is 6 mpg, or 20 percent higher than the previous 2.5-liter-engine. At just 290 pounds, the new engine is also lighter than the five-cylinder unit, yet produces 170 horsepower at 4,500 rpm, the same maximum output as the engine it replaces. It also offers an increased torque peak of 200 pound-feet at 1,600 rpm.
WardsAuto editors evaluate engines over a two-month testing period for its annual “10 Best Engines” list. Engines are selected according to a number of objective and subjective criteria in everyday driving situations, including power; torque; noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels; affordability; drivability; and other basic comparative numbers.
Eligible engines must be all-new or significantly improved and be available in a production vehicle by the first-quarter of 2015. Each engine competes against all others.
