Jeep’s Hurricane Inline-Six Is a Worthy Alternative for the V-8

Welcome to Automotive and Driver’s Testing Hub, the place we zoom in on the take a look at numbers. We have been pushing autos to their limits since 1956 to offer goal knowledge to bolster our subjective impressions (you may see how we take a look at right here).

Stellantis’ new twin-turbocharged “Hurricane” inline-six engine is proving its price in our testing, beating the outdated Hemi V-8 in each acceleration and gasoline financial system. Take a look at outcomes for the 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L with the brand new 510-horsepower model of the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six present that it’s each faster and extra environment friendly than the 2022 Grand Wagoneer with the 6.4-liter V-8—despite the fact that the six-cylinder SUV we examined was the larger, heavier long-wheelbase L mannequin.

We received the 6428-pound Grand Wagoneer L to 60 mph in a scant 4.7 seconds, beating the outdated, 102-pound-lighter V-8 mannequin by 0.7 second. That benefit shrunk to 0.4 second and a pair of mph within the quarter mile, because the off-the-line benefit of the turbo’s 3500-rpm brake torque launch wears off. That’s fast for a full-size, truck-based SUV, beating out the Ford Expedition Stealth Efficiency mannequin’s 4.9-second run to 60 mph and coming nearer than we might have anticipated to the supercharged, 682-horsepower Cadillac Escalade-V’s 4.3-second dash.

It isn’t all upside for the inline-six, nevertheless, because the Wagoneer L’s rolling-start 5-to-60-mph time of 5.9 seconds is a tenth behind the 5.8-second run from the V-8-powered barge. The passing occasions aren’t any higher both, with the 30–50-mph time a lifeless warmth at 3.2 seconds, and the 50–70-mph time a tenth worse for the inline-six at 3.9 seconds. Though we might categorize the Jeep’s boosted six as fairly responsive, turbocharged engines’ energy supply is rarely as instantaneous as that of a naturally aspirated engine.

In our 75-mph freeway gasoline financial system take a look at, the smaller-displacement turbo-six received out, too. It achieved a results of 20 mpg to the V-8’s 19 mpg; not precisely an enormous distinction, however spectacular contemplating the additional grunt the smaller engine additionally supplies.

The addition of the inline-six has difficult the Wagoneer’s powertrain lineup considerably. The inline-six is commonplace on all long-wheelbase L variations, though the Wagoneer L has the 420-horsepower standard-output model and the Grand Wagoneer L has the 510-horsepower high-output model. Amongst short-wheelbase variants, the three.0-liter six is optionally available, as the bottom Wagoneer continues with its commonplace 5.7-liter V-8 and the bottom Grand Wagoneer with its 6.4-liter V-8. However primarily based on the brand new engine’s sturdy efficiency, it appears a worthy improve in the event you’re searching for one in every of these behemoths.