Fuel Efficiency Based on Engine Cylinder Count

8 Cylinders

The most powerful of the 3 most common engine types. The 8 cylinder engine can be seen in many muscle, sports, and even super cars.

6 Cylinders

An upgrade to the 4 cylinder engine usually found in mid-size sedans and suvs. The 6 cylinder engine has more power than the 4 cylinder engine while having better fuel economy than the 8 cylinder engine.

4 Cylinders

The most common engine cylinder count in most small to mid-size cars today. The 4 cylinder engine has the best fuel economy of the 3 most common engine types while also having the least power.

Generally, an engine with more cylinders can produce more power. Most cars on the road today have 4 or 6 cylinders, but why is this the case? Well, while having more power can be nice, engines that generate more power consume fuel at a higher rate. For this reason and a few others, the 4 cylinder engine as well as the 6 cylinder engine have become the most common in our society today. To illustrate this point, this martini glass narrative visualization will guide you through the fuel efficiency of the 3 most common engine cylinder counts.

Data Source: https://flunky.github.io/cars2017.csv