10 LEGENDARY TOYOTA ENGINES THAT REFUSE TO DIE

Most people have come to know Toyota as the leader in automotive reliability through decades of exposure to consistent and high-quality products. The Toyota Corolla remains the best-selling car ever, and we don't think there is any future vehicle that will manage to overcome its accomplishments. What specific detail made the Corolla so successful, above everything else? Well, we believe there is no factor more important than the consistency of its legacy of inline-four engines through decades of generations.

It is specifically the Toyota inline-four engine that allowed this Japanese brand to become the dominant figure in the automotive industry. Over the decades, Toyota has dedicated the most time, resources, and effort to the development of the inline-four engine, more than any other automotive brand. Out of all the great all-time Toyota engines, there are more inline-four examples than any other engine layout, and it's not even close. Thus, in the spirit of Toyota, we present a list of ten different legendary Toyota inline-four engines that laid the foundation for the brand's exceptional reliability. Let's dive in!

8R 1.9-liter Inline-Four

109 Horsepower

In 1959, when Toyota debuted its first North American model, the Toyota Crown, it was an absolute failure. The 1.5-liter R engine that powered the Toyota Crown (the first of the R inline-four family) was unsuitable for the speeds found on North American highways, and it didn't have any efficiency or reliability qualities that made it exceptional.

1971 Toyota Hilux Engine Specifications And Applications

If we fast-forward to the early 1970s, Toyota by then had made critical improvements to the R platform and the 1.9-liter 8R is the first Toyota engine that showed above-average performance and quality. No detail about the 8R was more important to its long-term capability than the introduction of the 2-valve overhead camshaft design, moving Toyota into the modern era and away from the archaic pre-war design of its predecessors.

20R 2.2-liter Inline-Four

90 Horsepower

Development was moving fast with the Toyota inline-four during this period and only five years after the 8R we would see major updates with the introduction of the 2.2-liter 20R.

1975 Toyota Hilux Engine Specifications And Applications

The 8R was a great engine for its time, but the 20R was a shining star that would be the highlight of its generation. Major updates compared to the 8R include an aluminum hemi-style head, strengthened internals, and timing design, along with a lengthened stroke. This made the 20R more reliable than any Toyota engine that came before it while also offering real low-end torque, a first for Toyota SOHC R engines.

22R 2.4-liter Inline-Four

97 Horsepower

The 2.4-liter 22R took the 20R's solid foundation and made smaller improvements by increasing its displacement. You can tell Toyota understood "this is the one" because the 22R would see nearly four times the lifespan of its 20R predecessor, stemming from almost two decades of production.

1981 Toyota Hilux Engine Specifications And Applications

Both horsepower and torque would increase for this generation and by the end of its lifespan in 1995, the carbureted 22R would see further increases to 109 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque.

22R-E 2.4-liter Inline-Four

105 Horsepower

Although the 22R had a rock-solid internal design, Toyota knew there was one area where both efficiency and performance could still be improved: fueling.

1985 Toyota Hilux Engine Specifications And Applications

The 2.4-liter 22R-E would be the first R family inline-four engine offering electronic fuel injection and this made the 22R-E the most efficient and powerful Toyota inline-four at its time. It wasn't until 1985 that a strengthened and improved 22R-E would become the standard available engine in many Toyota models, including the newly introduced Toyota 4Runner.

4A-GE 1.6-liter Inline-Four

Horsepower: 112

Around the same time as the 22R platform was in its prime, Toyota was also cooking up a smaller displacement high-performance inline-four which would be foundational for future success: the legendary 4A-GE.

1984 Toyota MR2 AW11 Engine Specifications And Applications

Yamaha and Toyota have a fabled engineering relationship and the 1.6-liter 4A-GE inline-four is one of their crown jewels. The 4A-GE would be one of the first Japanese dual overhead cam 16-valve engines ever produced, and it was an instant hit because of its compact size, sporty character, and top-tier reliability. By the end of its lifespan in 1991, the 4A-GE would make 123 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque thanks to an increased compression ratio.

3S-GTE 2.0-liter Turbocharged Inline-Four

Horsepower: 190

Another successful collaboration between Yamaha and Toyota in the late 80s brought the introduction of the high-performance 3S-GTE, our first and only turbocharged engine on the list.

1988 Toyota Celica All-Trac Turbo Engine Specifications And Applications

The 3S-GTE offered solid reliability thanks to a lower compression ratio and increased engine oiling system when compared to the non-turbo 3S-GE. By the time this engine was available in the SW20 generation Toyota MR2, it offered 200 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque with a lot more power potential waiting to be unlocked.

2RZ-FE 2.4-liter Inline-Four

Horsepower: 142

If the groundbreaking 22R-E had a spiritual successor, it would be the 2.4-liter 2RZ-FE inline-four found in the first-generation Toyota Tacoma.

1995 Toyota Tacoma Engine Specifications And Applications

The 2RZ-FE was a modernized and updated version of the 22R-E as it kept the same displacement size yet offered dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder (double what was featured in the 22R-E). Despite offering more power, torque, and fuel efficiency than its predecessor, the 2RZ-FE was overbuilt for its output level and this makes its long-term reliability legendary.

3RZ-FE 2.7-liter Inline-Four

Horsepower: 150

The 2.7-liter 3RZ is the successor to the 2.4-liter RZ, and it is found in the first-generation Toyota Tacoma and third-generation Toyota 4Runner.

1997 Toyota 4Runner Engine Specifications And Applications

Despite only receiving a small displacement increase, the 3RZ-FE managed to squeeze out an additional 17 pound-feet of torque and eight horsepower. Both engines feature the same compression ratio and the major difference between them is the 3RZ-FE added twin, chain-driven balance shafts to combat vibration whereas the 2RZ-FE did not offer any balance shaft design. This added balance along with the 3RZ-FE's forged crank and rods create an engine built to outlast the vehicle it's placed in as simple timely timing chain replacements and valve adjustments make this engine last a lifetime.

1ZZ-FE 1.8-liter Inline-Four

Horsepower: 120

By the time Toyota designed the 1.8-liter 1ZZ-FE inline-four, the Japanese brand had already established itself as the dominant force in inline-four engines (Honda was close nearby).

1999 Toyota Corolla Engine Specifications And Applications

This 1ZZ-FE engine is featured in not just one, but three consecutive generations of the Toyota Corolla along with a variety of other Toyota vehicles of the same era. The 1ZZ-FE is known for being dead-reliable because of its overbuilt construction including forged rods and timing chain (as opposed to earlier belt designs) while maintaining a relatively low power output.

If the 1ZZ-FE were to have an Achilles heel, it would be its known oil consumption issues, which are caused by undersized piston rings and insufficient oil drainage efficiency in the pistons. Despite this known hiccup, these engines are still known for remarkable consistency and as long as oil levels are monitored, the 1ZZ-FE's longevity is no question.

1NZ-FXE 1.5-liter Hybrid Inline-Four

Horsepower: 70

Just when you thought that Toyota had gotten bored with their unparalleled inline-four engine success, they revolutionized what was previously thought possible with the 1.5-liter 1NZ-FXE hybrid inline-four.

Engine Specifications And Applications

The 1NZ-FXE powers the first-generation and second-generation Toyota Prius, which led the way for the hybrid revolution alongside the discontinued Honda Insight. The 1NZ-FXE was among the first engines to utilize the efficiency-focused "simulated" Atkinson cycle rather than the conventional Otto cycle found in the majority of engines up to that time. The comparatively low output of this engine is perfectly compensated by the instant power potential of an electric motor, as found in hybrid platforms.

Nowadays, dozens of vehicles across various manufacturers utilize the Atkinson cycle for increased efficiency as it was once pioneered by the first-generation Prius. Few vehicles in history can rival the sheer mileage capability of the Prius, still the choice vehicle for taxi and rideshare drivers. If there is any Toyota engine designed in a way that it refuses to die, it's the 1NZ-FXE. Even Toyota legends like the 22R-E never saw the production longevity of the 1NZ-FXE, which has now seen well over two decades of lifespan with no end in sight.

2025-01-19T13:04:19Z