Chevrolet Volt’s 1.4L Engine Generator Makes Ward’s 10 Best Engines List
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Eh?
When folks bring up the Chevrolet Volt, they usually want to talk about the electrical aspect of the revolutionary vehicle and not the seemingly traditional details, like its gasoline-powered 84 hp 1.4L four cylinder engine that starts up when the vehicle’s lithium-ion battery pack loses its charge at 50 miles or less. Regardless, the engine was the only one representing General Motors on the latest list of Ward’s 10 Best Engines.
It’s quite surprising that even some of GM’s most outstanding engines didn’t make the list: not the Duramax diesel seen in the HD pickups, not the 312 hp 3.6L LLT V6 seen in the Camaro, not even the turbocharged 1.4L seen in the Cruze… but the Volt’s premium gasoline powered engine – which is more or less used as a backup source of energy.
It just goes to show that sometimes it doesn’t matter at all just how powerful or how efficient an engine is, but instead how it’s used.
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I think it’s the electrical aspect of the engine thats of interest. The integration of engine and generator.
Again, as was stated before “how it is used”.
The engine in the Cruze is a 1.4 turbo…Same engine as the one in the Volt, just turbo charged.
It’s NOT the same engine. The 1.4 liter in the Volt, while related to the 1.4 ECOTEC in the Cruze and Astra, has a completely different calibration, RPM band, and power rating.
Alex Luft
Founder, GM Authority
Just wanted to add that I have the 1.4T in the Sonic and it is the most buttery-smooth 4 I have ever driven.
I am in my 50`s and have had dozens of cars in my lifetime , many of them 4`s.
My good friend is a 30 yr Honda mechanic , and after he rode in it he indicated it is smoother and better feeling build-wise than the Fit.
I routinely get over 36 MPG combined and hit 48 HWY on level ground , no wind , 62 MPH.
I am guessing GM got this design from the failed merger with Fiat years back.
Imagine the MPG if they ever go DI on this engine !
As it is , I prefer port-injection as it is quieter and more reliable in the long term and MUCH less costly to fix compared to a mechanical DI fuel pump setup.