Why would engine designers opt to include more cylinders in an engine instead of increasing the displacement?

Question

For example, why would a car manufacturer opt to to use a 2.0L in line six instead of a 2.0L in line four in a vehicle. Are the benefits of including more cylinders in an engine worth the added complexity?

In: Engineering

Answer 1

Since no one has mentioend this yet, car manufacturers want to sell cars and trucks rather than make the most efficient car or truck.

See this truck I can barely get into… I want that one. I don’t want the four cylinder which can go three times as far on the same amount of gas.

Oh, this one has two more cylinders… it must be better because it costs more.

Signed “the vast majority of Americans”