Each autumn, Wards Auto names the powertrains it rates the best of the year, and the winners span gasoline, hybrid and fully electric designs. The 2023, 2024 and 2025 lists include everything from a small turbocharged triple to a twin-turbo V-8 with four-digit horsepower. Here are twelve of the cars behind those award-winning engines and motors.
1. Chevrolet Corvette ZR1: The Four-Digit V-8
The Corvette ZR1 earned a place on the 2025 Wards 10 Best list with a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 that, in Wards’ words, makes 1,064 hp. That figure is the highest on this list, and the ZR1 was the only standard internal-combustion winner that year.
For a buyer, the unusual part is the context rather than the number alone. In a field dominated by hybrids and electric systems, a conventional gasoline engine took a spot, which suggests the judges rewarded outright engineering ambition as much as efficiency.
2. Dodge Charger Daytona: Muscle Goes Electric
Wards gave its 2025 award to the Charger Daytona for its electric propulsion system, which is rated at 670 hp. The recognition covers the motors and drivetrain, not the styling or the badge.
The result matters for anyone who associates the Charger name only with combustion V-8s. A judging panel that evaluates powertrains on their own merits placed this electric version among the year’s ten best, so the nameplate’s new direction has at least one independent endorsement.
3. Honda Civic Hybrid: Three Straight Wins
Honda’s two-motor hybrid system, built around a 2.0-liter engine, won again in 2025, which Wards described as a third straight win for the system. The Civic Hybrid is one of the cars carrying it.
Repeat recognition is the useful signal here. One award can reflect a single strong year, while three in a row point to a design the judges kept finding hard to beat. Shoppers weighing a compact hybrid can treat that consistency as a reasonable sign of maturity.
4. BMW M5: The Lone V-8 Hybrid
The M5 won in 2025 with a 4.4-liter turbocharged V-8 plug-in hybrid, a combination Wards singled out as the only V-8 among the nominated hybrids. That distinction set it apart from a field of smaller engines.
The pairing of a large eight-cylinder with plug-in electrification is rare, and the award shows judges were willing to credit it. Owners considering a performance sedan with a battery should note that this honor applies to the powertrain package, which is what the panel actually tested.
5. Nissan Leaf: Single Motor, Wide Appeal
The 2026 Leaf made the 2025 Wards 10 Best list on the strength of a single electric motor producing up to 214 hp, according to The Car Guide’s summary of the winners.
A one-motor layout is the simplest electric configuration, so the recognition speaks to execution rather than complexity. Buyers cross-shopping electric hatchbacks can read it as a sign that a straightforward drivetrain can still impress a panel of engineering-minded judges, while treating the 214 hp number as a maximum.
6. Mercedes-AMG E 53: Inline-Six Plug-In
Another 2025 winner, the E 53 pairs a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with plug-in hybrid hardware for up to 604 hp, according to The Car Guide’s list of the winners.
The phrase up to matters, since output depends on how the electric and combustion sides are working together at a given moment. Prospective owners should read the figure as a ceiling for the system, and check which operating mode produces it before comparing the car with rivals.
7. Toyota GR Corolla: Small Engine, Big Output
The GR Corolla won in 2024 with a turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder rated at 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It is the small-displacement end of this gallery’s range.
Few three-cylinder engines are mentioned in the same breath as 300 hp, which is why this one stands out. For a hot-hatch buyer, the takeaway is that displacement is a poor guide to output, and a panel of judges evidently found the result compelling.
8. Toyota Camry: Hybrid Family Sedan
In 2024, Wards honored the Camry XSE AWD for a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and two electric motors that together produce 232 hp. The all-wheel-drive layout relies on the second motor.
This is the most mainstream entry here, a family sedan rather than a performance car. For a shopper who values commuting efficiency over lap times, the award is a reminder that the judges evaluated everyday hybrid systems alongside the headline-grabbing ones.
9. Mercedes-AMG C 43: Four Cylinders, 402 Horsepower
The C 43 appeared on the 2023 list with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 402 hp. That is a high output from only four cylinders.
Buyers used to larger AMG engines may find the figure instructive. A compact turbo four reaching this level shows how far forced induction has moved the performance ceiling, and the Wards recognition suggests the engineering held up under independent scrutiny. Anyone comparing it with six- and eight-cylinder rivals should weigh the horsepower figure alongside the car’s price and running costs.
10. Hyundai Ioniq 6: One Motor or Two
Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 was a 2023 winner, with single or dual motors delivering between 225 and 320 hp depending on the configuration.
The spread is the practical detail. Shoppers choosing between the versions are effectively picking a point on a nearly hundred-horsepower range, so the award is best read as covering the family of motors, not one fixed specification. Before ordering, a buyer should confirm which motor layout a given trim actually uses and compare its output against the 225 hp entry point.
11. Lucid Air: Dual Motors, Long Range
The Air Touring took a 2023 award for dual motors producing 620 hp, paired with 684 km of range in The Car Guide’s summary.
Power and range are often a trade-off, so seeing both in one listing is notable. Owners weighing a long-distance electric sedan should remember that the range figure is a stated rating, and real-world results will vary with conditions, temperature and driving style. The 620 hp number, by contrast, describes the motors themselves.
12. BMW M2: Compact Six-Cylinder
The M2 rounds out the list with a turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine that makes 453 hp, recognized by Wards in 2023.
Enthusiasts should note that the award recognizes the engine itself, so it speaks to the powertrain’s quality, independent of how the chassis around it drives. A buyer comparing the M2 with other performance coupes can use the 453 hp figure as a baseline, then test-drive to judge how the car delivers it.
More from Morning Overview
- Two passengers died at an Ohio toll plaza, and the NTSB now wants the cash lanes shut
- Long use of a common prostate pill is tied to a higher chance of glaucoma
- Ford is recalling 223,472 F-150 pickups because the fuel tank can leak or detach
- Hybrids have 15% fewer problems than gas cars, while EVs and plug-in hybrids have about 80% more, Consumer Reports finds
