Toyota produces some of the best and most reliable engines in the world, we list the most iconic.
Whenever we think of the word Toyota, we can't help but relate the brand to quality cars. Toyota produces reliable cars that run for years; to an extent, some have been dubbed "indestructible." Of course, underneath every Toyota's reliable car lies an equally reliable engine. The Japanese automaker's engine durability is unmatched, from the base Toyota Camry to the high-performance Lexus LFA supercar. Analysis from the Long-Term Quality Index ranks Toyota (and the Lexus luxury subdivision) as the top car brands.
And hat's off to the brand for producing some of the best engines since the 1980s. Toyota has a hand in almost every engine configuration, from the tiny but potent turbocharged three-pot engines in the GR Corolla and the GR Yaris to the big V12 in the ultra-luxurious Toyota Century. Regardless of the engine configuration, Toyota engines are unmatched when it comes to power and reliability. However, some of their engines stand out more than others. From the familiar MKIV Supra mill to the rare Lexus LFA V10 engine, here are the 10 greatest and most iconic engines made by Toyota.
10 1LR-GUE Dual VVT-i V10 Engine
Unlike many Toyota engines, the 1LR-GUE was exclusively fitted in one car : the 2010-2013 Lexus LFA. The LFA was Toyota's answer to high-end, high-performance sports cars from brands like Acura, Infiniti, Mercedes, and BMW. Like Toyota's many high-performance engines, its 4.8-liter naturally-aspirated V10 was co-developed with Yamaha.
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The ten-cylinder masterpiece was made from magnesium, aluminum, and titanium alloy. Designed to race, the motor puts down a respectable 552hp and 354lb-ft of torque. With a 9,000 rpm redline, the 1LR-GUE is one of the fastest revving engines in a production car and does so with an F1-like sound.
9 2ZZ-GE Inline-4
The 2ZZ-GE is another product from the little marriage between Toyota and Yamaha during the 1990s. When the auto industry shifted towards smaller, fuel-efficient, and performance-oriented engines, Toyota enlisted Yamaha in molding the iconic 2ZZ-GE.
The ZZ engine family was Toyota's first four-barrel made from a lighter aluminum block replacing the old cast iron unit. Featuring the innovative VVTL-I system, the 2ZZ-GE could now withstand high revs. The 1.8-liter engine was fitted in several Toyota models, such as the iconic Celica GT-S, producing 180hp and 133lb-of torque. The 2ZZ-GE was so good that it caught Lotus' attention. The British Sports car maker borrowed and slapped it with a supercharger, thus sucking up to 240hp from the inline-four engine.
8 1UZ-FE V8 Engine
The 1UZ-FE helped put Lexus on the map as one of the best luxury brands in the world. It was introduced in 1998, hidden under the hood of the Lexus LS 400. In standard form, the 4.0-liter V8 produced 256hp and 260lb-ft of torque. It was revised in 1995 and 1997, receiving a host of upgrades – the most significant being the VVT-I technology.
The result was a power boost to 261hp and 269lb-ft of torque. But regardless of the engine version, the 1UZ-FE stood out with its unparalleled reliability and smoothness – so smooth that Top Gear's Chris Goffey placed a water-filled glass on the engine, revved it close to the redline, and surprisingly, the glass barely moved. The FV2400-2TC derivative of the 1UZ-FE engine was one of the few production engines to receive approval from the FAA (US Federal Aviation Administration) to propel an aircraft in 1997.
7 4A-GE Inline-4 Engine
While Honda is arguably the best Japanese automaker with high-performance small-displacement and high-revving engines, Toyota can lay a claim with the iconic 1.6-liter 4A-GE four-banger. Co-developed by Yamaha, the 4A-GE is one of the longest-running engines produced between 1980 and 2002
The first-generation 4A-GE, dubbed "blue top," was introduced in 1983 and produced 112hp and 97lb-ft of torque. It was updated in 1987 for the second generation and renamed "red & black top," but this time, it produced 115hp. The 4A-GE was found in many models, including the legendary AE86. Nearly three decades later, the punchy little engine is still popular among gearheads.
6 2GR-FE V6 Engine
Introduced in 2004, the 2GR-FE has maintained a positive track record for its reliability and indestructible nature – a modern-day bulletproof engine. The all-aluminum design keeps the engine's weight to a bare minimum, thus its popular application in many Toyota and Lexus cars like the Tacoma, Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, and many more.
Even in its natural state, the 3.5-liter V6 engine can still generate between 270hp and 314hp, depending on the car application. The engine utilizes Toyota's dual VVT-I system that helps generate enough power while maintaining ideal fuel efficiency. And as the engine uses a timing chain, owners are saved the hassle of frequent timing belt replacement.
5 4U-GSE Flat-Four Engine
The 4U-GSE is a product of the joint effort between Toyota and Subaru. It, therefore, boasts of Subaru's proven reliable "boxer" configuration and Toyota's innovative D4-S direct injection system. While it isn't the brand's most powerful four-cylinder motor, the engine powering the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ produces 197hp and 151lb-ft of torque.
In 2016, the 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated flat-four saw power increased to 205hp when mated to a manual transmission. The engine features aluminum cylinder heads and a block with dual overhead camshafts and 16 valves (four valves per cylinder).
4 7M-GTE Inline-6 Engine
While the 7M-GTE doesn't attract the type of reputation in the JZ engine family, it's still prevalent in the tuning industry. Produced from 1986 to 1992, it was Toyota's best-performance engine before being replaced by the JZ-series.
Powering the MK3 Supra, the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 produced 232hp and 254lb-ft of torque. It doesn't sound so powerful by today's standards, but it's pretty impressive for a mid-80s engine. A special 7M-GTEU variant – that powered the racing homologation Supra Turbo A cars – was equipped with a modified C26 turbo and pushed out 267hp and 264lb-ft of torque.
3 3S-GTE Inline-4 Engine
The turbocharged 3S-GTE is based on the 3S-GE, featuring a cast iron block, lightweight aluminum pistons, plus forged crankshaft and con rods. But unlike the 3S-GE, it has piston oil squirters and a lower compression ratio to put up with the turbocharger.
The 2.0-liter 3S-GTE was produced for four generations from 1986 to 2007 and saw a power increase with each generation that peaked at 256hp and 239lb-ft of torque. The second generation that powered the Toyota MR2 Turbo and the Celica GT-Four was the most popular in North America and produced between 200hp and 232hp.
2 1JZ-GTE Inline-6 Engine
We can't deny that Toyota's 2JZ engine is the holy grail of engines from Japan, but the 1JZ is a close second. Before the engine's introduction in 1990, no production inline-six was specced enough to compete with the 1JZ engine. In stock form, the turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-six produced 276hp and 268lb-ft of torque.
But this was due to the gentleman's agreement that restricted power to a maximum of 276hp. With the 1JZ-GTE, Toyota exploited a loophole by engineering an engine that could withstand more power while on stock internals. Even today, enthusiasts can get more than 500hp from the 1JZ-GTE with just a few mods.
1 2JZ-GTE Inline-6 Engine
The Supra MKIV owes all its success to the legendary 2JZ-GTE inline-six under its hood. The 2JZ-GTE was Toyota's reaction to Nissan's then-successful RB26DETT engine – it achieved an unprecedented triumph in the FIA Group N and Group A touring car championships. The 2JZ-GTE turned out to be one of the best six-cylinder engines ever produced
But unlike the 1JZ engine it replaced, the 2JZ-GTE featured a larger displacement – the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six produced 320hp. Today, more than two decades since its last production, the engine's nearly-indestructible nature lives on, pushing the value of the fourth-generation Supra into the stratosphere. The brute strength of the cast iron block makes it possible to draw more than 750hp with hardly any mods.