There are typically two types of four-cylinder engines used on the market with the most common engine offered to be the inline style engine. This engine has become the one that small cars use more than any other, but Porsche and Subaru use a boxer style four-cylinder engine, which is completely different. Because of this, we should explore the differences offered that is right for you to enjoy the drive with the engine that you want to have on the road, which can be important for you to have the drive you want to enjoy out on the road.

The Layout

The first and most obvious difference between these two engines is the layout of the cylinders. These are both setup exactly the way they sound with the inline engine offering all four cylinders in one single file line while the boxer engine lays out flat and two cylinders push outward from the center in each direction. There are advantages to each of these styles which can help you decide which engine you want to have under the hood when you’re ready to pick the car with the engine you want to make use of.

Advantages

The inline layout offers you the advantage of being more compact, more widely used and using fewer moving parts. These features make driving a vehicle with this style of engine easier to work on and maintain and certainly more likely to be found in the car you drive, considering the boxer is only offered by two brands. You will enjoy the efficiency and the fact that the engine bay can be smaller and easier for your mechanic to work in, which can save you some money when you need to have your vehicle worked on.

The boxer engine is laid out flat and provides a lower center of gravity because it’s typically placed much lower in the engine bay. This engine sounds more sonorous form the exhaust and is offered to give the vehicle it’s in more balance on the road. With this engine, you have the benefit of a car that can carve up the corners better because of the location of the weight and the overall balance of the vehicle. You can enjoy the drive of this amazing engine when you’re out on the road and this will be an engine that’s built to have the perfect feeling from under the hood.

If you want to learn about some of the drawbacks of each of these two engines, take a look at the video linked below and see what these engines offer that will make them the ones that you might want to avoid. Pick out the right four-cylinder engine for you and figure out which one of the layouts is right for you since you want to drive and experience that will work great for you on the road. As one of the most common sizes of engines on the market, there will be more of these types of engines offered on the market over the next several years.