What is the difference (in performance) between a car with 4 cylinders and one with 6 cylinders?

Question

I've always heard my dad say that he wouldn't take a 4 cylinder car if it was free but I never got a clear answer on what is so bad about a 4 cylinder car.

Answer 1

A four-cylinder car has four combustion chambers, and a six-cylinder car has (you guessed it) 6.

The difference in performance is that 6-cylinder engines put out more power than four-cylinder engines, and are therefore faster and better uphill.

Four-cylinder cars, however, get better gas mileage, and in this era of 3-dollar gasoline, that doesn't sound so bad.

I have a 4-cylinder Elantra, and it's got quite a bit of get up and go. I can't imagine what it would be like with a six-cylinder engine under the hood.

Answer 2

I just know the basics. 6-cylinder has more pick up than a 4-cylinder. 9 times out of 10, people who have V-6 egines tend to go faster, and they use more gas. There are more V-6 egines because they have different liters. My Jeep is a 4.0 V-6 high output, and my mother's Taurus is a 3.0 liter V-6. My old car was a 3.3 V-6. Sorry I can't help you more

Answer 3

Your dad probably had problems with an older model 4-cylinder car. Back in "the day", some small engines made by domestic (and foreign) makers just didn't have any power, or had some real problems with reliability. Most 4-cylinders today aren't too bad, and some will haul some serious posterior.

6-cylinders generally have more power, but get less miles per gallon on the road.
Which is better? It depends on you, the driver.

Answer 4

that's because some of the older cars with 4 cylinder motors were pretty weak in power,,but now some of the newer 4 cylinder cars will keep up with the newer v-6,s and the v-8,s,,this is because of better technology,,and the newer transmissions also help out with speed and power also,,i own a 1998 dodge stratus that runs as good if not better than my chevy truck,,and it has a v-6 in it,,and the stratus will run off and leave it,,technology now has made the 4 cylinder cars much better,i own a repair shop,,and the most of my customers now own 4 cylinder cars,,i hope this helps.

Answer 5

Usually about 10MPG!!!

4 cylinder cars are typically less powerful and consequently use less gass. The horsepower differential for a 4 cylinder is between 30-50 less than a 6.

With gas over $3/gallon, i'd take a 4 cylinder any day.

Answer 6

It's a matter of geometry. A four banger only uses 90 degrees of the power stroke. A six can utilize about 135 degrees. That gives better performance and economy. A few cars have been designed with 3 cylinders, which gives great economy and adequate power. I remember one that used a Kubota engine on a Triumph-like chassis that looked like a miniature DeLorean. Homebuilt, of course.

Answer 7

In driving a car, you can't tell the difference between four, six, or eight cylinders.
I have owned, and driven many of each. One of the finest cars that I ever owned was a four cylinder Honda.
When I was transportation officer in the military government of Bavaria, I had access to hundreds of Germany's finest cars. My favorite was the Opal Olympia, a four cylinder beauty.

Answer 8

4 cylinders are easy on gas, and some of them will go like a scared cat.
BUT
if you do any amount of high speed or highway driving, a 6 cylinder would run at lower RPMs at those speeds.
for example, my 4 cylinder runs at about 4000 rpms at 130 kmph, a 6 cylinder car would probably run at 2500-3000 rpms.

6 cylinders are harder on gas, but struggle alot less on hills as well.

Answer 9

Depends on the car. I've taken V6s with an inline 4 before. And you're dad's stupid..I'd rather have an inline 4 than a V6 any day. But, he probably drives a Buick...


...and as far as rpm's go...my 4 runs at 2700 rpm at 65mph.

Answer 10

4 cylinders are weak as hell. I've had to drive one before, and honestly, Its hard to keep up with traffic on the freeway.