The automotive landscape in the United States is shifting gears, and it's not just about the cars themselves—it's what's under the hood. Recent data unveils an interesting trend: the ascendancy of three-cylinder engines, while the reign of the six- and eight-cylinder powerhouses is facing a slowdown. Prior to 2019, the share of new car sales in the U.S. for vehicles with three-cylinder engines was essentially zero.
reached 589,026 through July compared to 123,033 registrations for new subcompact vehicles. On average, consumers looking to get into a subcompact-plus vehicle will have monthly payments averaging around $462, a $40 increase from average subcompact monthly payments. Read: BMW M Says It Won’t Downsize To 4-Cylinder Engines Like Mercedes-AMG Did Four-cylinder engines remain the most popular powertrain in the U.S. In fact, their share of the market has increased to 57.2% over the past year.