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What do different car engines sizes mean?

geek84
geek84 Posts: 1,126 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
Hi Folks


Could someone please explain the difference between engine sizes and what they mean. i.e. How is a (say) 1.4 litre engine car different to (say) a 1.6 litre engine car? Which would be the more economical on petrol?


Thanks in advance for your responses.

Comments

  • attila_
    attila_ Posts: 462 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Why don't you download the autotrader app and have a look at the specs for a nunber of cars. Better to learn that way.

    For like for like fuels bigger engine size generally means lower fuel economy but more power, unless you stick a turbo or newer models with more refined...blah blah...

    As u said download the app and have a play if you are interested.
  • 4743hudsonj
    4743hudsonj Posts: 3,298 Forumite
    geek84 wrote: »
    Hi Folks


    Could someone please explain the difference between engine sizes and what they mean. i.e. How is a (say) 1.4 litre engine car different to (say) a 1.6 litre engine car? Which would be the more economical on petrol?


    Thanks in advance for your responses.

    Pre 00's engine capacity had a prety direct impact on power.

    So a 2.0L engine would/should have made more power than a 1.8L etc.....

    These days, engine technologies have become so advanced that 1.0L engines can be more powerful than 1.6L engines from other manufacturers.

    Im not going to bore you with the specifics of why as i thinks its irrelevant.

    In short ignore the engine capacity. Instead look at the claimed MPG and power/torque figures.

    For a small runaround 75-100bhp/150nm torque) is perfect. For a family saloon a little more at 150-170bhp/230nm torque would suffice.

    Go a little lower and you could have a more frugal car but it may lack some of the get up and go for merging with major A/M roads. A little more and you could have some fun.
    Back by no demand whatsoever.
  • geek84
    geek84 Posts: 1,126 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for your reply.
  • force_ten
    force_ten Posts: 1,931 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    the 1.4 and the 1.6 is the displacement of the cylinders in the engine and could also be seen as a 1400cc or 1600cc so a 1600cc four cylinder engine will have a displacement of 400cc per cylinder and is a figure which is measured by the bore diameter of the cylinder and the length of the piston stroke

    in the old day it was always assumed the bigger the engine the more powerful it was, but this wasn't then and isn't now the case and the addition of turbo s and advancements in technology can produce a lot of power from a small engine

    from my experience of owning a 2.0L ford Mondeo zetec and then changing it to a 1.8L ford mondeo zetec I found the 2.0l to be more powerful and more economical on fuel, in my experience the fuel consumption was fairly similar between the two but my driving style favoured the bigger engine

    the 1.8L had to work harder especially when towing and you really felt the engine working harder especially on hills where the 2.0L took it more in its stride

    so to sum it up is a smaller engined car more economical? no not always and you have to look at each car and then compare them side by side
  • geek84
    geek84 Posts: 1,126 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for your advice.

    Any further advice greatly appreciated.
  • vansboy
    vansboy Posts: 6,483 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Have a look at the car by car reviews in http://www.honestjohn.co.uk quite often he will say something like go for the (example) 1.4 instead of the 1.6, as it's more nippy, quiet, reliable, etc etc.

    Some models have a big insurance group change, for just what seems a small increase in engine size.

    VB
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