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Inline-6 vs V6 Engines: The Clear Winner

Engineering Explained Feb 20, 2026 15:00
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Why are inline six-cylinders better than V6 engines? Well I6s have two major advantages. First, they’re naturally balanced, with no worries of the engine shaking from the pistons' movement. Second, they’re remarkably simple. There’s only a single cylinder head, keeping the part count low. The only real problem? They’re long! This leads to the V6 engine having two advantages over it. First, it’s super compact, and can easily fit in engines bays mounted longitudinally *or* transversely. Second, because it’s so compact, you can move it further back in an engine bay, giving the vehicle a more central center of gravity, improving handling. But it comes at a real cost. Two cylinder banks. That means double the camshafts, double the head gaskets, double the exhaust manifolds, and potentially double the timing chains. And because it isn’t balanced, it requires further complexity to improve vibrations. Sow what’s your pick? Related Videos: Full Video: I6 vs V6 Engines: https://youtu.be/7PkX-NH6bE0 Subscribe to Engineering Explained for more videos! - https://goo.gl/VZstk7 Recommended Books & Car Products - http://amzn.to/2BrekJm Engineering Explained is a participant in the Amazon Influencer Program. Don't forget to check out my other pages below! Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/engineeringexplained Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/engineeringexplained EE Extra: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsrY4q8xGPJQbQ8HPQZn6iA
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