Most drivers have no idea what’s under their hood, or how many cylinders their engine has. We drive our cars every single day, but it seems that people know less and less about them. There’s no shame in not knowing more about your car, but there are some important benefits to understanding the basics of your car and its engine. To help you learn more about your car, here are some differences between 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder car engines.

Car Cylinders

When looking to purchase a new car, or better understand the one you own, the first thing is to learn a bit about car engine cylinders. Cylinders help car engines perform. Inside each cylinder is a piston that connects to the crankshaft to turn it. The gas in your car causes a combustive event that pushes the piston to the crankshaft; the more cylinders there are, the more power your car can generate and the more power your engine has. 4-cylinder engines have 4 pistons that connect to the crankshaft, and 6-cylinder engines have 6 pistons that connect.

4 and 6-Cylinder Differences

Here are some of the main differences between 4 and 6 cylinder engine types.

4-Cylinder Car Engines

  • 4-cylinder engines are fuel efficient and are a great buy if you are looking for a small and reliable car
  • 4-cylinder engines have less of an impact on your carbon footprint than the 6-cylinder engine
  • 4-cylinder engines are commonly found in smaller, compact cars

6-Cylinder Car Engines

  • 6-cylinder engines are higher performing engines and are usually found in sports cars and automobiles that need to perform with more power
  • 6-cylinder engines are best used in vehicles with large engines
  • 6-cylinder engines in older cars are often outperformed by newer 4-cylinder models, so it’s best to check the horsepower before you purchase.
Automobiles might seem complicated, but by learning just a little bit about your car you can learn better ways to take care of it. That’s why Cascade Collision is here to help! If you are ever in a car crash in Utah County, be sure to contact Cascade Collision. We specialize in auto repair and can help your car look just like new.