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Many automakers have been stuffing turbocharged four-cylinder engines into their cars over the past decade, which has all but diminished the V6 engine. We can’t blame them, considering many of those turbocharged engines can easily produce the same amount of power at the V6 while achieving better fuel economy.

However, we still have a soft spot for V6 engines as there have been many good ones in the past. Here are five of the best V6 engines that you can find on various platforms.

1. Ford EcoBoost V6

2.7-liter EcoBoost® engine with standard Auto Start-Stop provides best-in-class gas mileage, mid-range V8-like towing capability of 8,500 pounds. It makes 325 horsepower and 375 lb.-ft. of torque.
2.7-liter EcoBoost® engine with standard Auto Start-Stop provides best-in-class gas mileage, mid-range V8-like towing capability of 8,500 pounds. It makes 325 horsepower and 375 lb.-ft. of torque. | Ford

The Ford EcoBoost has seen a number of different variations over the past decade, but the V6 version is the most revered. Hot Cars notes that the EcoBoost V6 comes in three different sizes: 2.7, 3.0, and 3.5-liters. Each of them can be found across different Ford platforms, but the most notable one is the 669-hp version that’s found under the hood of the Ford GT supercar. You can also find an EcoBoost V6 under the hood of the F-150 as it produces the power that the mid-size truck needs without sacrificing fuel economy.

2. Volkswagen VR6

Volkswagen VR6 engine
Volkswagen VR6 engine | Wikimedia Commons

The Volkswagen VR6 engine can be found in many of the previous Golf models as well as the Corrado. The VR6 V6 engine is special even in its design alone as the cylinders are placed in a zig-zag pattern on one cylinder head. This results in V6 power, but in a package small enough to be an inline-four-cylinder engine, reports Road and Track. You can also find the VR6 in newer models like the Volkswagen Atlas, but it’s definitely on its way out.

3. Nissan’s VR38DETT

Nissan VR38DETT
Nissan VR38DETT | Wikimedia Commons

Nissan’s VR38DETT engine can be found in the one and only Godzilla. No, we’re not talking about the old R32 Skyline nor the giant monster in the movies, we’re talking about the venerable R35 GT-R that made its debut back in 2007. This twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 engine originally put out 380 hp, but it keeps getting better as time goes on. In its original form, the Nissan GT-R could go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and down the quarter-mile in 11.7 seconds with this engine under the hood. It’s no wonder that the VR38DETT deserves a spot on this list.

4. Acura NSX 3.2-liter V6

Acura NSX 3.2-liter engine
Acura NSX 3.2-liter engine | Acura

While the current Acura NSX is nothing to sneeze at, we also have a lot of love for the original NSX. We especially love its 3.2-liter V6, which puts out 290 hp and 224 lb-ft of torque. That doesn’t sound like much, but this V6’s high-revving nature and hearty VTEC crossover is what makes it so great.

5. PRV V6

DeLorean DMC engine
DeLorean DMC engine | Wikimedia Commons

The PRV V6 was one of the most successful and prevalent V6 engines of all time, according to Hot Cars. The “PRV” portion of the name stands for Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo as those are the three automakers that came together to develop it.

The PRV V6 was originally used in the Volvo 264, but it also made its way into the Peugeot 504 coupe and the fabled DeLorean DMC-12. In total, this engine spanned 24 years and showed up on a number of different platforms during that time, which is why it’s one of the most successful.

The V6 engine still remains, but for how long?

While there are plenty of other V6 engines current in the market that deserve a spot on this list, these are the five that we like the most. It goes to show that the V6 engine is still prevalent today, but since turbocharged four-cylinder engines are taking over, how long will it last? We’ll have to see what the future holds.

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