The Greatest 3-Cylinder Engines Ever Made

They might have tiny capacities, and sure, they're more akin to bike engines, but there have been some truly epic 3-cylinder, production powertrains over the years that deserve recognition...
The Greatest 3-Cylinder Engines Ever Made

1. Honda E07A

Featured in the most epic of Kei Cars - the RWD Honda Beat - this 656cc was a 90s Japanese legend
Featured in the most epic of Kei Cars - the RWD Honda Beat - this 656cc…

2. Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost

Winning countless awards on release, this turbocharged Ford three-pot was perfect for the Fiesta. It produces up to 140hp and feels as powerful as a 1.6.
Winning countless awards on release, this turbocharged Ford three-pot was…

3. Alfa Romeo 33 1.8 D

The turbodiesel powertrain in this little slice of Italy was a perfect break from the unreliable boxer petrol alternative
The turbodiesel powertrain in this little slice of Italy was a perfect…

4. Daihatsu Copen KF I3

Another Kei car great, the Daihatsu Copen featured a revvy little 659cc triple that produced an impressive 86bhp!
Another Kei car great, the Daihatsu Copen featured a revvy little 659cc…

6. Honda ‎S07A‎

Featured most prominently in the Honda S660, the S07A was placed in the middle of the Japanese sports car. Had it been sold in Europe, it would have made for a great MX-5 alternative
Featured most prominently in the Honda S660, the S07A was placed in the…

7. Suzuki F6A

Despite being a Suzuki engine, the 657cc unit was most famous for its mid-engined placement in the Mazda AZ-1. It was good for 63hp at 6500rpm and 63lb/ft at 4000rpm.
Despite being a Suzuki engine, the 657cc unit was most famous for its mid…

Have we missed any other great production three-cylinder engines out from our list? Comment below if you have any suggestions!

Also, click here for our list of the greatest 6-cylinder engines of all time!

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Comments

Anonymous

What about about the nissan DIG-T R race engine that has the highest output per litre i believe 400 hp 1,5 litre

08/26/2016 - 21:47 |
2 | 2
Black Phillip

3 cylinder. Thats less than half of my engine.

08/26/2016 - 22:06 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

[DELETED]

08/26/2016 - 22:10 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

The vw up never gets any love

08/26/2016 - 22:14 |
0 | 0
Muhammad Haqy Aunoora

Engines from Daihatsu is quite good in reliability and have a lot of potential even though you need to “poke” it to get maximum powaaa

08/27/2016 - 00:02 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Daihatsu charade gtti 3 cylinder 1.0 liter and turbo combine that with the fact that It weights less than a ton and you got yourself a mini rocket track car

08/27/2016 - 00:09 |
6 | 0
Skriv0in0navN

What about the Current gen Nissan micra 1.2 dig-s (supercharged 3-pot 98bhp)

08/27/2016 - 01:06 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Every time i read a Car Throttle post, i like to read it in Alex’s voice, it’s just more fun :)

08/27/2016 - 03:01 |
0 | 0
Worlds Slowest Race

Wat!? No Combat Geo engine!? This ole boy has seen over 280 thousand miles of combat and still runs like a champ! For real I’ll fight you IRL m8 for not putting the almighty soul of the Combat Geo! All hail it’s glory for when it dies it is reborn from the ashes to conquer again, for the streets of Valhalla are not yet ready for the might of the Combat Geo!!!!

08/27/2016 - 03:37 |
2 | 0