Eli5: 2 cars have the same Horsepower but different engine in terms of displacement (2.0L TDI vs 3.0L TDI) but what difference does it make and which one is better?

Question

Eli5: 2 cars have the same Horsepower but different engine in terms of displacement (2.0L TDI vs 3.0L TDI) but what difference does it make and which one is better?

In: 87

Answer 1

Which is “better” depends on how you define that. The smaller displacement engine is likely more responsive and weighs less and so is likely to be the “sportier” of the two. On the other hand, the larger displacement is likely to be more reliable over the long term for the same level of power output. This is why we’re seeing a trend towards larger displacement engines with lower specific power output in trucks. A large-displacement engine with low power tends to be incredibly durable.