Drivers typically keep a car for eight years or so before trading it in, which means that any reasonably durable engine will likely outlast its first owner. The rarest of engines is the one that will outlast the car, truck, or SUV it’s packed into.
And we say rarest, not best, for a reason. Durability can play a part in an engine outlasting every other part of a vehicle, but it could just as well have to do with a bad transmission or lousy suspension. Here are 10 power plants that have a good shot at outlasting their vehicles.
10
Toyota 2JZ-GE
The 2JZ-GE Powered Countless Toyotas And Lexus Models, From The Aristo To The Supra
Displacement
3.0-Liter NA 6-Cylinder
Years Made
1991-2007
Base Power
215 hp
The Toyota 2JZ-GE will tend to outlast most of the cars it’s packed into for the simple fact that it’s a 2JZ-GE. Built from a cast-iron block that can withstand countless thermal cycles, with a forged crankshaft that can easily handle the base 215-horsepower output, it’s hard to find a blown 2JZ-GE engine that wasn’t heavily modified.
9
Honda K-Series
The K-Series Powers Countless Family Cars Like The Honda CR-V
Displacement
2.0-2.4-Liter 4-Cylinder
Years Made
2001-Present
Base Power
150 hp
The Honda K-Series is legendary, but so are Hondas in general. Honda’s automatic and manual transmissions are known to last a quarter of a million miles, easy, and Honda is hardly the first name that comes to mind when you think of suspension or chassis problems.
The K-Series makes the list in part because it’s been packed into countless family cars like the Honda CR-V, meaning that they power vehicles that tend to be subjected to neglect and multiple drivers of varying experience levels. But it makes the list mainly because of the poorly regarded CVT found in the 2015 CR-V, which resulted in a class-action lawsuit, and contributed to the already poor reputation held by CVTs.
8
Ford Barra Straight-Six
The Ford Barra Powered The Australian Falcon FG
Displacement
4.0-Liter 6-Cylinder
Years Made
2002-2016
Base Power
244 hp
The Ford Barra, a series of engines built by Ford Australia, covered a range of straight-six and V8 powerplants. The engine is a proven performer, but the Ford Falcon FG was known for a range of suspension issues.
Front ball joints were prone to wearing out early, as were control arm bushings and differentials. This could have your car bottoming out on every bump and crack in the road. This is an engine that can outlast not only the car it’s powering, but also the patience of anyone who keeps driving on worn suspension.
7
Honda L15BE
The Honda L15BE Powered Countless Honda Accords
Displacement
1.5-Liter Turbocharged 4-Cylinder
Years Made
2017-2022
Base Power
192 hp
The Honda L15BE makes the list for an admittedly dubious reason. The 1.5-liter turbocharged Earth Dreams powerplant is reliable enough, but the Honda Accord frequently ranks among the nameplates most likely to be involved in a car accident on an American road.
The Accord is a solid compact car, but affordable daily drivers tend to pack on more miles than any other type of vehicle, and your odds of getting into an accident go up with every mile you put on the odometer. It’s not Honda’s fault, it’s just the law of averages. You can extend this argument to engines found in other affordable sedans like the Nissan Altima and the Hyundai Elantra, as well.
6
Subaru EJ Series
The Subaru EJ Series Has Powered Everything From The Impreza To The Outback
Displacement
1.5-2.5-Liter 4-Cylinder
Years Made
1988-2021
Base Power
94 hp
You can take your pick of nearly any Subaru EJ from 2010 to 2017 if you want to find an engine that will outlast its car. With proper maintenance, you could easily put half a million miles on the flat-four, but the CVT will be fortunate to make a third of that journey before it needs replacement.
Not all CVTs are poorly regarded, but the Lineartronic CVT is widely regarded as a notable example of flawed engineering. The transmission has generated countless complaints for shudder, rough acceleration, grinding noises, and total transmission failure, sometimes at well under 100,000 miles.
5
Toyota 1MZ-FE
The 1MZ-FE Powered The Toyota Sienna Through The Late 90s And Early 00s
Displacement
3.0-Liter 6-Cylinder
Years Made
1993-2006
Base Power
184 hp
The 1MZ-FE was Toyota’s go-to for daily drivers and family cars for over a decade. We already covered how the Honda 1.5-liter turbo-four outlived many of its Accords, simply because commonplace daily drivers are more prone to auto accidents. The same goes for the V6-powered Toyota Camry.
Additionally, the 1MZ-FE powered theToyota Sienna from 1998 to 2003, a frequently abused family car that was prone to serious corrosion at the rear of the chassis.
4
Mazda 2.0 MZR
The 2.0 MZR Powered The First-Generation Mazda 3
Displacement
2.0-Liter 4-Cylinder
Years Made
2001-2015
Base Power
123 hp
The 2.0 MZR four-pot is a fine engine, providing a decent bit of get-up-and-go for compact cars. The problem with the first-gen Mazda 3 was that it was prone to corrosion from nose to tail. Components like the rocker panels weren’t properly sealed, road salt tended to get trapped in the rear wheel arches, and the subframe was poorly galvanized. Don’t buy an early Mazda 3 without a thorough inspection, and a generous coating of anti-corrosion spray.
3
Toyota 2GR-FKS
The 2GR-FKS Powered The Toyota Tacoma From 2015
Displacement
3.5-Liter 6-Cylinder
Years Made
2015-Present
Base Power
278 hp
Older Toyota Tacoma engines have a tendency to outlive their trucks for a few reasons. First, they’re Toyota engines, and some of them are exceptionally long-lived. Second, some Toyotas are prone to corrosion in rust-belt climates if they’re not treated with regular undercarriage washing.
Third-gen Tacomas aren’t as susceptible to rust as earlier versions of the truck, but owners have reported corrosion creeping in without proper cleaning during winter months.
2
1.5 EcoBoost
The 1.5-Liter EcoBoost Was Paired To A Lousy Transmission In The Second-Gen Focus
Displacement
1.5-Liter 4-Cylinder
Years Made
2014-2020
Base Power
181 hp
The 2014 Ford Focus is notorious for failing PowerShift transmissions, which were susceptible to premature clutch wear and total failure. The 1.5-liter EcoBoost isn’t even the most reliable turbo-four ever built, but it’s almost guaranteed to outlast a PowerShift six-speed.
You can include the 1.0-liter EcoBoost here, too. The 1.0 powered the 2015 Focus, and was paired to the same PowerShift transmission as the 1.5.
1
3.6-Liter PentaStar V6
A PentaStar V6 Can Easily Outlast The JK Jeep Wrangler
Displacement
3.6-Liter 6-Cylinder
Years Made
2010-Present
Base Power
280 hp
The 3.6-liter PentaStar V6 makes the list primarily because it goes in a Jeep Wrangler. Jeeps are sometimes regarded as inherently reliable, but that reputation isn’t entirely fair. They have their issues, but their biggest problem is that they tend to attract a type of driver who’s not afraid to install a lift kit on an already-towering off-roader, and then bounce the SUV over tree stumps and rocks at unsafe speeds, before spending their maintenance budget on accessories instead of repairing the suspension.
We’re not saying the stereotype applies to all Jeep drivers, but every vehicle tends to attract its own particular type of abuse and neglect. Hatchbacks and performance-oriented vehicles are frequently tuned to their absolute limit, budget-conscious Mitsubishi owners tend to skip routine maintenance, and Jeeps are put to the test off the beaten path.
The JK generation (2007–2018) in particular was notorious for death wobble and a whole host of suspension problems, usually stemming from oversized aftermarket tires and modifications. A well-kept Jeep Wrangler can easily last just as long as the 3.6-liter PentaStar V6 that powers it, but if there’s a single vehicle segment that’s likely to be driven into the ground before it’s even put 100,000 miles on the odometer, it’s off-roaders.
Sources: Toyota, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Subaru.
