Ward’s Auto has released its list of the 10 best engines of 2010, and the key to success this year was fuel economy. Focusing on frugality, Ward’s picked engines that allowed customers to downsize, such as from six to four cylinders, without sacrificing engine power.

Going along with their less-is-more mindset, six of the ten engines selected were turbocharged or supercharged, and two were hybrids. Also included was a four-cylinder found in the Chevrolet Equinox that the Ward’s testers got an astounding 30 mpg in. The final choice was the V8 from the Hyundai Genesis sedan, a throwback to happier times when carmakers could forget about gas mileage and throw V8s into anything they sold.

Volkswagen cleaned up this year. Along with its luxury brand Audi, VW had three engines on the top 10. VW also had one of the two diesels that placed on the list this year, along with BMW.

Here is the 2010 Ward’s Auto 10 best engines list, along with the vehicles Ward’s tested the engine in.

2.0L TFSI Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A4)
3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi S4)
3.0L DOHC I-6 Turbodiesel (BMW 335d)
2.5L DOHC I-4 Hybrid (Ford Fusion Hybrid)
3.5L EcoBoost Turbocharged DOHC V-6 (Ford Taurus SHO)
2.4L Ecotec DOHC I-4 (Chevrolet Equinox)
4.6L Tau DOHC V-8 (Hyundai Genesis)
2.5L Turbocharged DOHC H-4 (Subaru Legacy 2.5GT)
1.8L DOHC I-4 Hybrid (Toyota Prius)
2.0L SOHC I-4 Turbodiesel (Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI)