The engine available on the base model. Engines currently come in three types, which refer to cylinder configuration. An inline engine has vertical cylinders lined up one right after the other. A V-type engine has two rows of cylinders lined up one right after the other with each row set at an angle in relation to the other row. A horizontally opposed engine is also known as a flat, or boxer, engine.
Cylinders are horizontal rather than vertical and point in the opposite of two directions.
Now that the Mazda RX-7 is no longer sold in the U.S., a rotary engine is no longer available in any new cars. A rotary engine consists of a single compact circular chamber containing a multi-faceted peg that spins, creating individual chambers for combustion. A cylinder is where air and fuel are blended and combusted to create the power that moves a car. Generally speaking, the more cylinders you have, the more gas you use, and the more power your engine can create. We tell you how many cylinders a car has in this section.