Top 10 best cars for engine & gearbox / powertrain

• Covering: Acceleration, the quietness of the engine and the smoothness of the gearbox
• Winner: Polestar 2
• Score: 99.46% 

We’re not surprised to see a trio of electric cars taking the top powertrain satisfaction slots this year, and the category win goes to the Polestar 2. The category sub-divisions include scores for acceleration, engine sound (or lack thereof) and gearbox smoothness, and the Polestar 2 aces them all, suggesting that owners really love this aspect of their purchases. 

The runner-up spot in the category goes to the Tesla Model 3 – last year’s winner – which is ranked second for acceleration and fourth for smoothness, but slips to 10th for sound. The Nissan Leaf Mk2 beats the Tesla for a more satisfying ‘engine’ sound, but trails it in eighth and ninth for acceleration and smoothness.

Last year’s second and third places went to the Kia e-Niro and Hyundai Kona, but in 2023 they both slipped down the table, although the e-Niro makes the top 10. The Citroen C4, which won this year’s survey overall, manages a decent eighth here. The category-winning Polestar 2 comes 17th in the overall ranking.

Your view

“The acceleration is stunning and very addictive. It’s very smooth in delivery and progressive while not being too aggressive.”

Engine and gearbox top 10

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