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

The smaller displacement engine will be smaller and thus lighter, giving more power per weight. But for the same power the smaller engine needs to rev higher and/or have a higher compression ratio, both of which might have an effect on the durability / running costs of the engine.

Larger displacement engine might also have a less steep power curve, i.e. more power at lower rpm than on the smaller engine, which could be better in something like offroad or towing applications.