logo
Toyota's New Engine Family: Here's Why Rivals Should Worry

Toyota's New Engine Family: Here's Why Rivals Should Worry

Miami Heralda day ago
Many of today's powertrain developments are in the electric vehicle (EV) realm, but Toyota is expanding the limits of gas-powered engines. The automaker's next-gen engine lineup includes 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter sizes, which are entirely different from its previous internal combustion engines (ICE), leveraging more lightweight and compact designs. Toyota's new 1.5-liter achieves a 10% weight and volume reduction compared to the company's current 1.5-liter, while the new 2.0-liter offers similar gains to the existing 2.4-liter. In turn, Toyota is able to increase fuel economy and lower emissions without sacrificing power. Still, this next-gen engine family's efficiency extends beyond increased mileage and reduced emissions into areas like vehicle segment versatility. Let's take a closer look at how Toyota is giving its rivals increased competition with the innovation of its latest engine lineup.
Flexibility is a focal point of Toyota's next-gen engine family, with the ability to mount longitudinally or transversely and be placed at a vehicle's front or rear. This flexibility supports the development of future, sportier Toyotas, plus the seamless implementation of all-wheel drive (AWD), RWD, and FWD layouts. Toyota can utilize the 1.5-liter engine to suit classes such as compact cars and hybrids, while the 2.0-liter turbo could fit larger trucks, SUVs, and sports models.
"With these engines, each of the three companies [Toyota, Subaru, Mazda] will aim to optimize the integration with motors, batteries, and other electric drive units," Toyota said in a statement, according to The Daily Star. Toyota, which owns about a fifth of Subaru and roughly 5% of Mazda, added that its next-generation ICE engine lineup will help decarbonize ICEs by making them compatible with alternative fuel sources, such as e-fuels (synthetic fuels) and biofuels.
While smaller engines often evoke thoughts of slower cars, their installation in upcoming Toyotas enables lower hoods, which enhances crucial performance factors such as aerodynamics and contributes to improved fuel economy. The engines' design flexibility also opens the door to Toyota reviving fan-favorite performance vehicles like the MR2 and streamlining the development of the upcoming Celica. American drivers could even see the engines in Gazoo Racing models like the GR Corolla and GR86. According to Toyota engineers who spoke with German publication Auto Motor und Sport, the 2.0-liter is easily capable of exceeding the 400-450-horsepower figure of the mid-engine GR Yaris M concept, or over 600 horsepower with a larger turbocharger.
Toyota's desire to expand the limits of ICEs arrives at a time when many automakers are reducing their investment in the technology. This decision from Toyota, along with its collaborators Subaru and Mazda, could pay off in a significant way by appealing to drivers who are not yet ready for full electrification, whether for reasons like lack of charging infrastructure or personal taste, but still seek improved efficiency. Drivers can also look forward to this ICE technology offering the ability to increase sports car mileage and reduce emissions while enhancing power. Many automakers have decided to stretch ICE production into the 2030s, but Toyota and its partners appear to have a leg up on competitors with this next-gen engine lineup offering innovation in the areas that matter most.
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

What Is An E-CVT And How Is It Different From A CVT?
What Is An E-CVT And How Is It Different From A CVT?

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

What Is An E-CVT And How Is It Different From A CVT?

The term "CVT", short for Continuously Variable Transmission, already confuses plenty of drivers, so naturally, automakers had to go and add a new twist. Enter the e-CVT or electronic-Continuously Variable Transmission. You've seen it in hybrid specs and maybe even heard it buzzing away under the hood of a Toyota Prius or a Honda Accord Hybrid. But here's the catch: it's not really a CVT in the traditional sense at all. A conventional CVT, uses belts or pulleys to offer an infinite number of gear ratios between low and high. The idea is smooth, efficient power delivery without any hard shifts. You rev up, and the car just, well, goes. No gear hunting, no shift shock, just a seamless ride. There are plenty of cars making use of it, and even some you may not know came with a CVT. An e-CVT, though, doesn't have pulleys or belts at all. It's an entirely different beast that lives mostly in hybrids, and instead of shifting physical gears with hardware, it blends the output of electric motors and a gas engine through software and planetary gears. Sounds fake? It isn't. But it's definitely different. Read more: These Are The Worst Transmission Recalls Of The Last 5 Years The biggest difference between a traditional CVT and an e-CVT is how they go about their job. Regular CVTs mechanically change the gear ratio using pulleys that expand and contract with a belt running between them. That's how they keep the engine in its ideal power band, balanced for fuel efficiency and smooth acceleration. Think of it like a very smart, infinitely variable bicycle gear. e-CVTs don't do any of that. Instead, they use a planetary gearset paired with two electric motors and an internal combustion engine. The system constantly analyses speed, driver input, engine power to select an optimal gear ratio for the conditions. The result is a setup with no belts or chains, thus greatly improving durability and reliability while being lightweight, although the system does require additional cooling. In Toyota's hybrid systems, for example, the internal combustion engine and electric motor work through a Power Split Device that determines where the power goes and when. It's Toyota's version of the e-CVT. If the e-CVT isn't even a CVT in the traditional sense, why does it act like one? The answer comes down to driving feel. Both deliver seamless acceleration and keep the engine at an optimal rev range to either improve efficiency or more power under load. To the average driver, it still feels like a CVT because that dreaded rubber band effect is still there since there are no traditional shift points of a conventional gearbox. So the revs may sound disconnected from road speed. But here's the kicker; because e-CVTs rely on electric motors and computer control, they're often more responsive than pulley-based CVTs. They're more fuel efficient, quicker accelerating, and better at mimicking the feel of a conventional transmission when they need to, with the possibility of built-in sequential shifting function. So the next time you hear someone dismiss an e-CVT as just another buzzkill transmission, you'll know better. It's not just a CVT, it's a whole different drivetrain game. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.

What Is An E-CVT And How Is It Different From A CVT?
What Is An E-CVT And How Is It Different From A CVT?

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

What Is An E-CVT And How Is It Different From A CVT?

The term "CVT", short for Continuously Variable Transmission, already confuses plenty of drivers, so naturally, automakers had to go and add a new twist. Enter the e-CVT or electronic-Continuously Variable Transmission. You've seen it in hybrid specs and maybe even heard it buzzing away under the hood of a Toyota Prius or a Honda Accord Hybrid. But here's the catch: it's not really a CVT in the traditional sense at all. A conventional CVT, uses belts or pulleys to offer an infinite number of gear ratios between low and high. The idea is smooth, efficient power delivery without any hard shifts. You rev up, and the car just, well, goes. No gear hunting, no shift shock, just a seamless ride. There are plenty of cars making use of it, and even some you may not know came with a CVT. An e-CVT, though, doesn't have pulleys or belts at all. It's an entirely different beast that lives mostly in hybrids, and instead of shifting physical gears with hardware, it blends the output of electric motors and a gas engine through software and planetary gears. Sounds fake? It isn't. But it's definitely different. Read more: These Are The Worst Transmission Recalls Of The Last 5 Years The biggest difference between a traditional CVT and an e-CVT is how they go about their job. Regular CVTs mechanically change the gear ratio using pulleys that expand and contract with a belt running between them. That's how they keep the engine in its ideal power band, balanced for fuel efficiency and smooth acceleration. Think of it like a very smart, infinitely variable bicycle gear. e-CVTs don't do any of that. Instead, they use a planetary gearset paired with two electric motors and an internal combustion engine. The system constantly analyses speed, driver input, engine power to select an optimal gear ratio for the conditions. The result is a setup with no belts or chains, thus greatly improving durability and reliability while being lightweight, although the system does require additional cooling. In Toyota's hybrid systems, for example, the internal combustion engine and electric motor work through a Power Split Device that determines where the power goes and when. It's Toyota's version of the e-CVT. If the e-CVT isn't even a CVT in the traditional sense, why does it act like one? The answer comes down to driving feel. Both deliver seamless acceleration and keep the engine at an optimal rev range to either improve efficiency or more power under load. To the average driver, it still feels like a CVT because that dreaded rubber band effect is still there since there are no traditional shift points of a conventional gearbox. So the revs may sound disconnected from road speed. But here's the kicker; because e-CVTs rely on electric motors and computer control, they're often more responsive than pulley-based CVTs. They're more fuel efficient, quicker accelerating, and better at mimicking the feel of a conventional transmission when they need to, with the possibility of built-in sequential shifting function. So the next time you hear someone dismiss an e-CVT as just another buzzkill transmission, you'll know better. It's not just a CVT, it's a whole different drivetrain game. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.

Toyota Features Its Electric Car In Superman Movie
Toyota Features Its Electric Car In Superman Movie

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Toyota Features Its Electric Car In Superman Movie

Read the full story on Backfire News As excitement builds for the release of the new Superman movie, Toyota is using the film to promote its electric car. That might sound ridiculous, and in a way it is, but it's also an established industry marketing technique. We do question just how effective it vehicle in question is the Toyota bZ, which used to be the bZX4. If you still don't know what that is, you're not even close to alone. That might be why Toyota is putting the thing in a movie, because most people don't even know it exists. But the bZ doesn't look sexy, not even a little. We learn from a new promotional piece put out by Toyota that the little EV is owned by Lois Lane. Two employees of the Daily Planet, which is where Lois works, are using her car to drive around and gather info about an ongoing monster attack. It's a dumb premise, but boy some people on YouTube are just showering the cheesy commercial with praise. 'Best Toyota Ad and glad that they are supporting evs,' wrote one. 'This is definitely my favorite commercial of all time,' said another. 'Toyota is Back (sic),' said another. We wonder where he thought the automaker went. Our favorite comment is this one: 'Wait up Godzilla. I gotta charge my car lol.' Like we said before, other automakers have done this sort of thing plenty of times. For example, in Batman Vs Superman, Bruce Wayne drives a Jeep Renegade as he tries saving people in the early part of that movie. Many of the early Marvel movies featured SHIELD agents driving Acuras. Black Widow shows up in a new C7 Corvette Stingray in Captain America: Winter Soldier. We could go on, but you probably get the idea. Will anyone actually buy a Toyota bZ because they saw it in the Superman movie? We think this sort of thing might work when the car is really cool, but with a ride like the bZ we just don't see it helping much, if at all. Remember, the Renegade still flopped after Bruce Wayne drove it. Check out the Toyota commercial here. Image via Toyota

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store