Four-cylinder engines really became a thing across Europe and even North America when the Euro 6 carbon emissions regulation was issued. Car manufacturers swiftly began to downsize larger vehicle engines and also introduced smaller engines in their subsequent model years. The engine downsizing race made four-cylinder engines increasingly popular for powering family cars, sports cars, and even pickup trucks.

Related: Here Are The Best Four-Cylinder Engines Ever BuiltWhat makes a car engine reliable depends on how the manufacturer designed it to handle stress while working. A reliable engine should last up to hundreds of thousands of miles, with regular maintenance, of course. If you desire a balance between power and fuel efficiency, going for a vehicle with a four-cylinder engine should do the trick. Without further ado, here are the 10 most reliable four-cylinder engines ever built.

10 Toyota 4A-GE

Toyota 4A-GE
Via Peter Santiago

Toyota's 4A-GE engine is a 1.6L four-cylinder powerplant that was built in the first-generation Toyota MR2 in the 80s. The supercharged version gave an output of 145 hp and torque of 140 lb-ft, which was enough for an engine of that size during that era.

White 1986 Toyota MR2
Via Pinterest

The most powerful version of the 4A-GE engine is known as the "Blacktop", which delivered up to 160 hp. Car and Driver did a 30,000-mile durability test for the Toyota MR2, which was powered by the 4A-GE engine. After a year of enthusiastic driving, no unscheduled maintenance was needed.

9 Nissan SR20DET

Nissan SR20DET
Via YouTube (Hayai DemoN Channel)

In a world where we have been conditioned to believe that more is always better, the Nissan SR20DET engine disproves that claim. The Japanese four-cylinder powerhouse can attain 300 horsepower with ease, but you may need to beef up internal components if you want it to get to 400 horsepower.

White 1990 Nissan Bluebird 2000SSS
Via Goo-net Exchange

Nissan first featured the SR20DET in the Bluebird 2000SSS, and later went to fit it into popular cars like the Nissan Silvia S14, Pulsar GTI-R, and Nissan NX Coupe. To get a sense of how reliable the SR20 engines are, a reviewer on Nico Club pointed out he has never had any problems with the engine using his vehicle as a daily commuter for more than six years.

Related: 5 Four-Cylinder Engines That Can Be Tuned To Ridiculous Levels (5 V8s That Are Nothing But Trouble)

8 Subaru EJ20

Subaru EJ20
Via B-Parts

Another 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that has stood the test of time is the Subaru EJ20, which was first introduced in 1989, as a replacement for the EA82 1.8-liter engine. Subaru planted the EJ20 in the WRX STi to compete with fast car giants like Mitsubishi and it has performed admirably well.

Blue Subaru WRX STi
Via Cars & Bids

The naturally aspirated EJ20 has a distinctive sound that is easily recognizable to anyone who has used Subaru products for some time. Of course, there's no perfect engine, but if you think of a powerplant that will serve you for up to 150,000 miles, the Subaru EJ20 is definitely one to consider.

7 Kia Soul 1.6-Liter

Kia Soul 2.0-Liter
Via Motoring Rumpus

The 2018 model year of this Korean compact multi-purpose vehicle has a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine that gushes out 201 hp at 6,000 RPM. Owners of the 2018 Kia Soul seem to be impressed with the performance of the relatively small 1.6-liter engine.

Silver 2018 Kia Soul
Via NY Daily News

J.D. Power believes that the 2018 Soul is very much reliable, scoring it 84 out of 100. There has been no recall of the 2018 Kia Soul, going by the data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

6 SAAB B234R

SAAB B234R
Via SAAB Planet

The B234R, which was released in 1993, was SAAB's ticket to the engine hall of fame. The B234R worked with the Trionic engine management system to make the right adjustments for fuel and air mixture. Pairing the B234R with a manual transmission resulted in almost 225 horsepower and torque of 300 ft-lbs, which was unprecedented at the time.

SAAB 9000
Via SAAB Planet

SAAB was among the few brands that were able to squeeze out such an amount of power from a four-cylinder engine. The only brand that could outpower the SAAB B234R during that era was the Porsche 993, which gave an output of about 275 horsepower. As far as reliability and durability go, 84.2% of SAAB cars lasted for 100,000 KM, without much maintenance requirement.

Related: 5 Best Four-Cylinder Engines On The Market In 2021 (And 5 Worst)

5 Volvo Redblock B230FT

Volvo Redblock B230FT
Via eEuroparts.com

Many of the boxy Volvo wagons produced in the 80s that you see around today still work with the original Redblock B230FT, which is a 2.3-liter, 4-cylinder engine.

Yellow Volvo 244 DL
Via Volvo Cars

The B230FT powers the Volvo 240, and owners of this car are of the opinion that it is super reliable and durable. According to a reviewer on Cars.com, the B230FT-powered Volvo 240 is a prime example of what a safe and reliable car should be.

4 Ford Focus ST EcoBoost

Ford Focus ST 2.0L EcoBoost
Via YouTube (exoroxx channel)

Ford took its engine downsizing game to the next level by introducing the 2.0L EcoBoost in its Focus ST. The 2.0L EcoBoost engine is a four-cylinder gasoline turbocharged workhorse with a power output of 252 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque.

Yellow 2013 Focus ST
Via Salvage Reseller

The 2013 Focus ST gets its power from the 2.0L EcoBoost engine. Even though this Ford Focus has been recalled 10 times, none of them have to do with the EcoBoost engine. After analyzing reviews from online forums dedicated to Ford such as Ford Flex and Ford Edge Forum, it's safe to say that the 2.0L EcoBoost engine would hit the 150,000 miles mark if routine maintenance is taken seriously.

3 BMW S14

BMW S14
Via Pixabay

The Bavarian carmaker, BMW has a reputation for building some of the most powerful six-cylinder engines out there, but it had to downsize its powerhouse for the E30 M3. As a race car, BMW wanted to make the E30 M3 as light as possible, so the S14 came to being. The four-cylinder petrol engine more than served its purpose, as it stood the test of time and helped race car drivers win many titles including a world title in 1987 and BTCC victories in 1988 and 1991.

Via Hypebeast

Although by modern standards, the S14 is not exactly the best road-going powerplant, its 197 horsepower, 177lb-ft of torque, and individual throttle bodies were enough to produce a noiseless, high-performance sports car. The BMW E30 M3 powered by the S14 engine has a life expectancy of 150,000 miles, with regular upkeep needed.

Related: 14 Four-Cylinder Engines That Will Embarrass A V8

2 Volkswagen 1.9 TDI ARL

Volkswagen 1.9 TDI ARL
Via B-Parts

The 1.9 TDI engine was produced in the early 90s and has gained legendary status in the United States and Germany. The red marking on the 1.9 TDI ARL engine distinguishes it from the BPX and BUK models, which were almost as powerful.

Blue 2003 Volkswagen Golf
Via SellMyRide

The 2003 Volkswagen Golf is a great example of a car powered by the 1.9 TDI ARL engine. Cars.com reviewers seem to agree that the 2003 Volkswagen Golf is a pretty reliable small family car, go by the 4.4 out of 5 reliability score they gave it.

1 Honda K-Series

Honda K-Series
Via EngineLabs

The K20, K23, and K24 are the engines that make up the Honda K-Series family. Any discussion about a reliable, high-revving engine will not be complete without these engines. The K20 should be able to last for over 200,000 miles, with proper maintenance. That means carrying out filter replacements, oil changes, and other related activities at the right time.

Silver 2005 Acura RSX
Via Honda Newsroom

The K20 powers the 2006 Acura RSX, which has no recall due to engine issues. You can also find the K-Series engine in models like 2002-2009 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Honda Element, and 2004-2008 Acura TSX.