These Are The 10 Most Reliable Turbocharged Engines Ever Made

Forced induction is one of the best methods of cranking out impressive power figures for high-performance applications. That’s why most automakers have dumped naturally-aspirated V8s in favor of turbocharged inline-six engines, like the 2025 Ram 1500 range, or even boosted inline-fours, such as what you’ll find motivating much of the current Mercedes-AMG range.

However, boosted engines do carry a reputation for being less reliable than naturally aspirated engines. While this may be true in many instances, there are, in fact, a number of turbocharged engines that seem to last forever if well-maintained. We’ve highlighted 10 of the very best, which are guaranteed to prove dependable so long as they’re cared for in the right manner.

Toyota 2JZ-GTE

Where You’ll Find It: Toyota Mk IV Supra

The 2JZ-GTE is part of the popular Toyota JZ series of 24-valve inline-six engines, which were built from 1990 to 2007. It is the most powerful engine of the series and was built for the performance-based Toyota Supra, although it also found other homes too, such as under the hood of the Toyota Aristo. It is made of a strong and durable cast iron engine block with oil jet sprayers for cooling the pistons, and is topped with an aluminum cylinder head that is forced fed with sequential twin-turbochargers and an air intercooler. The engine is well known for its tuning capabilities, achieving figures around 1,000 hp without changing the hot forged internal components of the engine. Any engine that can take that amount of abuse is surely deserving of a spot on a list like this.

BMW S63 V8 Twin Turbo

Where You’ll Find It: BMW M5 Competition

The S63 is an M-performance version of the more troublesome BMW N63 4.4L V8. While early iterations of the N63 didn’t sport forged rods, the S63 always has, which makes it a more reliable option when seeking out a powerful sight-cylinder BMW. It first found its way under the M5’s hood in 2011, but had previously powered both the X5 and X6 M. The V8 engine features two twin-scroll turbochargers and a pulse-tuned, cross-engine exhaust manifold that constantly feeds exhaust pulses to the turbos at every 180-degree rotation. Later versions of the engine (S63TU) included Valvtronic – variable valve lift – that worked together with the Vanos and also had a higher compression ratio with higher bar boost for the turbo, resulting in the red line being increased from 6,750 rpm to 7,200 rpm.

Chevrolet LTG 2.0L Turbo

Where You’ll Find It: Chevrolet Camaro

The LTG is a 2.0-liter inline-four, twin-scroll turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engine from GM’s third-generation Ecotec family, introduced in 2013. Features of the hot ‘four’ include an electronically controlled wastegate, an air-to-air intercooler, an integrated stainless-steel dual-scroll exhaust manifold within the cylinder head, and a rotacast aluminum head equipped with sodium-filled exhaust valves for improved thermal conductivity. That’s a whole heap of tech for an entry-level GM engine, but it all helps the LTG in delivering reliable power. You can find it motivating a wide range of GM vehicles, including the Chevrolet Camaro, Cadillac ATS, and Buick Regal, with the Camaro version delivering the highest factory output of the lineup at 275 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The Camaro may be discontinued now, and best had with a thumping V8, but for those on a budget – or for anyone who just wants muscle car style without tire-shredding performance – this punchy inline-four will prove to be a solid and dependable option to rely on.

VW EA888

Where You’ll Find It: Various VAG models

The EA888 is a family of 2.0-liter inline-four turbocharged engines developed by the Volkswagen Group and used across numerous models, including the VW Golf R, Audi TTS, and even the Porsche Macan – although the Porsche uses it longitudinally, which is interesting. The powerful ‘four’ first arrived on the scene in 2007, and is now in its fourth generation. Later iterations of the EA888 sport a thin-walled cast iron block for weight reduction, lightweight internal components, direct fuel injection, variable valve timing on both camshafts, and, in higher-performance variants, variable valve lift on the intake side. You’ll find different turbos on different models, with early generations using KKK K03 units, while later versions of the lump employ larger IHI or Continental turbos, such as the IS38 in the Golf R and Audi S3. Not all of VW’s engines are famed for their reliability, but the time-tested EA888 has proven time and time again that it can handle a heap of power and plenty of abuse, without complaining until it reaches high mileages.

Toyota 3S-GTE

Where You’ll Find It: Toyota Celica GT-Four & MR2 Turbo

The legendary 3S-GTE is Toyota’s high-performance turbocharged inline-four, most famously used in the Celica GT-Four and the MR2 Turbo – the former of which enjoyed much success on European rally stages. It belongs to Toyota’s S-series engine family, which features cast iron blocks and aluminum cylinder heads for strength and durability. This powerful inline-four is based on the much more mundane and naturally aspirated 3S-GE, and while boosting an application can sometimes be detrimental, it’s likely not surprising to learn that Toyota managed to keep the dependability of its inline-four, even with a laggy turbocharger bolted to the side.

Mercedes-Benz M276 DE30 LA

Where You’ll Find It: Various AMG models

The M276 DE30 LA is a turbocharged version of the M276 engine. More specifically, it is a 3.0L 24-valve direct injection twin-turbocharged V6 engine that boasts an aluminum block with Nanoslide cylinder wall coating for both reduced friction and less weight than cast iron sleeves. It’s also equipped with dual overhead camshafts with two-stage timing and hydraulic vane-cell camshaft adjusters for the independent variable valve timing. A 60-degree vee-angled design is incorporated for improved refinement. The engine is water-cooled, has a wet sump, and the cylinder head is made of lightweight aluminum. That’s a whole heap of impressive tech, and, as is usually the case for a Mercedes engine, it’s well-engineered and capable of swallowing up thousands of miles without hiccup – providing you look after it, that is.

Saab B202

Where You’ll Find It: Saab 900 Turbo

The Saab B202 is part of the Saab H engine family, an evolution of the earlier B engine which was introduced in the late 1970s. Unlike its predecessor, the H-engine featured a redesigned block and improved oil and cooling passages for durability and easier production. The B202 first arrived in 1984 as a 2.0-liter inline-four with a 16-valve dual overhead camshaft cylinder head, replacing the earlier 8-valve B201. It retained the cast iron block and aluminum head construction, and while earlier versions made do with solid lifters, later variants moved to hydraulic lifters. These early B202 engines really paved the way for turbocharging tech, and have gone down in history as not just some of the most important boosted engines, but some of the most reliable, too.

Subaru EJ257

Where You’ll Find It: Subaru WRX STI

Hold on – a Subaru engine, on a list of most reliable boosted engines? Is it lost? While it’s true that many of Subaru’s older efforts do suffer from various and often serious common problems, the Subaru EJ257 can prove to be very reliable, especially at stock-levels of power, and when factory service intervals are adhered to. It features a 16-valve boxer layout with dual overhead camshafts, plus it also uses an aluminum cylinder head and block with cast iron cylinder liners, which helps to ensure dependability under boost. Fuel is delivered via multi-point port injection, and Subaru’s AVCS (Active Valve Control System) provides variable timing on the intake camshaft for optimized performance. Look after it, and it’ll look after you, providing heaps of smiles-per-mile thanks to its characteristic soundtrack.

BMW B58

Where You’ll Find It: Various BMW models and Toyota GR Supra

The BMW B58 is a 3.0L inline-six turbocharged engine which can be found powering a wide range of BMW models, like the M240i or Z4 M40i, in addition to the Toyota GR Supra. It’s a clever engine, boasting features like an aluminum closed-deck block and head, twin-scroll turbo, integrated water-to-air intercooler, double VANOS, Valvetronic, and direct injection. Furthermore, a forged crankshaft and rods ensure the B58 delivers strength and reliability under boost, making it a great basis for big power in BMWs, and a worthy powerhouse for the GR Supra, much like the 2JZ was in the MK IV.

Honda K20C1

Where You’ll Find It: Honda Civic Type R & Ariel Atom

For anyone who knows anything about Hondas, it should come as no shock to see a K-Series inline-four featuring here. Specifically, we’ve chosen the Honda K20C1, which is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four found in not only the Civic Type R, but also the Ariel Atom. Specs in the table above refer to the Civic, as the Atom takes things up a notch or two, developing 525 horses in 4RR guise. The K20C1 is all-aluminum with a strong, reinforced block, lightweight forged internals, and a turbo paired with an air-to-air intercooler. Thanks to Honda’s i-VTEC system, it’s as efficient as it is powerful too, ensuring it remains a genuinely popular option for those who want to be at the helm of something fun but not wallet-emptying on a daily basis.

Sources: Honda, Ariel, BMW, Toyota, Subaru, Saab, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Chevrolet