2016 Camaro V6, 2016 Chevy Volt Make Ward's 10 Best

While the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro and the 2016 Chevrolet Volt didn’t make it into the final balloting for the North American Car of the Year, both of these next gen Chevys have made it onto Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for 2016 – although it isn’t the Camaro that you might expect.

Although the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro seemed like a surefire bet for the 2016 North American Car of the Year after being named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year, the 6th gen Camaro was excluded from the three finalists announced earlier this week. The next generation, 2016 Chevrolet Volt was also cut from the North American Car of the Year short list, but General Motors still has a shot at that award with the new Chevy Malibu. Meanwhile, the Camaro and Volt continue to pile up awards elsewhere, including being included on the 2016 Ward’s 10 Best Engines list.

Ward’s Recognizes the 2016 Camaro V6
The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro is offered with three engines – a new 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder, a new 6.2L LT1 V8 and a refreshed 3.6L V6. There has been a ton of attention paid to the fuel-sipping turbo 4 and the 455hp LT1, but the folks at Ward’s picked the 3.6L V6 as one of their 10 Best engines for 2016.

“The 3.6 delivers the kind of power and lusty exhaust note you associate with a V-8 for the price of a V-6. Plus, it’s loaded with advanced technology, including fuel-saving cylinder deactivation,” said Drew Winter, director, Content at WardsAuto.

The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro V6 delivers 335 horsepower and 284lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful naturally aspirated V6 in the muscle car segment while the pairing with the new 8-speed automatic transmission yields EPA fuel economy ratings of 23mpg in the city and 28 on the highway.

While the turbocharged 4-cylinder mill should offer segment leading fuel economy and the Camaro SS LT V8 offers the big power – the 3.6L V6 delivers the best mix of fuel economy, performance and affordability.

The Next Gen Chevy Volt
Since going on sale back in 2010, the Chevrolet Volt has been one of the bestselling electric propulsion vehicles sold in the US. The 2016 Volt introduces the next generation body and chassis design, but it also introduces the next gen Voltec electric drivetrain. The new Voltec drivetrain, which includes a 1.5L range extending engine, is capable of going 53 miles on pure electric power and 420 miles on a combination of a full electric charge and a full take of regular unleaded gasoline. The new Volt will also be slightly quicker, so in addition to being more capable and more efficient in every way – the next gen Volt should be more fun to drive.

“General Motors has taken what already is the most innovative and disruptive propulsion system in the auto industry and made it lighter, stronger and a lot more fun to drive. In fact, the new Voltec system delivers the impossible: an exciting electric car with zero range anxiety,” Winter said.