Filed under: MPG , USA Four cylinder engines have replaced sixes as the engine of choice for U.S. consumers, powering 43 percent of light vehicles sold in the first six months of 2011, according to IHS Automotive. Back in 2005, V6 engines were found under the hood of 43 percent of vehicles sold, but rising fuel prices and a shift in consumers’ preferences over the last six years helped the four bangers rise to the top.

Filed under: MPG , Fiat Fiat 875-cc TwinAir engine The votes have been tallied and Fiat ‘s turbocharged 875-cc TwinAir two-cylinder engine has captured the title of Best New Engine of 2011, Green Engine of the Year, Sub 1.0-liter Engine of the Year and even the big one: International Engine of the Year, a first for Fiat. It’s only the second time – the first being Toyota ‘s 1.0-liter VVT-i engine way back in 1999 – that a 1.0-liter or smaller engine has earned the title of International Engine of the Year