BMW's 717-HP Hybrid V8 Headlines a Mostly Electrified Wards' 10 Best Engines List

The 2025 Wards' 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems list marks a major shift, with only one pure combustion engine making the cut. That lone ICE holdout is Chevy's 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8, the 1,064-horsepower powerhouse in the Corvette ZR1.

Everything else on the list is either a hybrid or fully electric. The breakdown shows five hybrids, four electric systems, and that single combustion engine. 4-liter twin-turbo hybrid V8, found in the M5, stands out with a combined 717 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. The combustion portion alone produces 577 hp, while the electric motor adds 194 hp.

Looking back, the list has been heavily electrified for years: 80% EV/hybrid in 2021, 70% in both 2022 and 2023, and 80% in 2024. Wards does not rank the winners from one to ten, so it's a ten-way tie. The selection process isn't quota-based; it simply lists the best powerplants available that year, and electrification keeps winning out.

The Chevy V8 is notable for proving internal combustion can still compete, but only with extreme effort, no electric assist is needed. BMW shows the future of high-end performance, where adding a motor boosts power without extra fuel consumption. The ZR1's engine starts at $197,700, while more powerful combustion engines are mostly hand-built one-offs costing a million or more.

This list doesn't reflect the average parking lot, though. In 2025, only about 20% of new US vehicle sales were electrified, far from the list's 90% ratio. Mainstream top sellers like the Ford F-150 and Chevy Equinox remain combustion-based. Still, the Honda CR-V took fourth place with over half its sales being hybrids, suggesting gradual but steady progress toward electrification.