How much better is gas on a 4 cylinder engine than on a 6 cylinder engine?

Question

I am wondering if it is worth downsizing the engine for fuel economy on the 03 sonata I wish to purchase.

I need to know how many MPG I am going to lose when i Switch from the 4 cylinder sonata to the 6 Cylinder one.

Answer 1

Quite a bit. A car reaches its best efficiency when the throttle is wide open (meaning that the engine isn't using power just to pull the air past the throttle butterfly - this is why diesel engines are so efficient.) Since a 4 cylinder car has less power, you will have the throttle closer to wide open much more often. Also, the engine will be lighter than the V6, meaning that you will have less weight to move.

Answer 2

This is a really hard question to answer. On average the v6 will use more gas. However much depends on the particular vehicle, your driving style, and the load you carry. in some cases a vehicle with a 4 cyl. engine that is too small for the application (ie carrying 5 passengers or a hevier load) may use more gas because the engine has to work harder to get up to speed, go up hill ect. Whereas in that case a larger 6 cyl. engine would not work as hard and be a better choice.

perhaps ask the question again with specific vehicle and application. What do you drive now?

Also many manufacter websites have the L/100Km or MPG listed for both/all engine options, city and highway.. that can give you an idea.

Answer 3

To me, 4 cylinders engine is plenty of power to drive. No need for 6 cylinders, I have both 4, 6, 8 cylinders engine in my life, all I see is the waste of gas if you don't really need power for pulling, pushing or carrying big and heavy stuff as a truck.
These day, 4 cylinder engine was built with high tech plus like fuel injections, electronic timing control, 4 valves per cylinders ,etc.... that why it is way more power than 4 cylinder back then (10 years ago).
Bottom line is, that is a good choice of down size to save money.

Answer 4

Mostly depends on your driving habits, type of equipment, a Conservative driver, 4 to 6 MPG, if you dig out the truth.

I am a fast hard driver, my MPG is figured ever tank of gas, and then yearly. Over the years I have found automatic trannies, cost me more gas mileage than any other thing 3 times I have had 2 cars alike except for the trannies. In all 3 cases the 5 speeds, beat the automatics by 10 to 12 MPG.

To answer you question, if every thing else is equal, I would advise you to double your money, fold it and put it in your pocket.

Answer 5

Look at the window sticker? Google it? why as that easy of a question on here?

ECONOMY: 20 mpg city/30 mpg highway/23.8 mpg test <---V6

equipped with a standard 2.4-liter, I4, 162-horsepower engine that achieves 24-mpg in the city and 34-mpg on the highway. <------that would be a 4 cylinder

only took about 15 seconds!

Answer 6

It's easier to turbocharge a 4 cylinder due to the smaller engine. Then you can kill, out accelerate, and out gurgle a 6 cylinder.

Answer 7

4 cylinder uses less, but accelerates slower than a 6 cyl

Answer 8

You would definitely save gas by switching. Probably a lot too. 6 cylinders suck the gas very quickly.