Carmakers Go Back to the ’80s With Turbo Engines

Does hearing a “1980s rewind” on the radio give you a nostalgic kick while driving? Your modern car might be getting a power kick from another 1980s reprise, and you may not even realize it.

Forty-five percent of the 16.3 million new passenger vehicles sold in the United States in 2025 had a turbocharged engine. To make that happen, carmakers had to eliminate a slew of 1980s turbo problems.

Driven by the hot, expanding exhaust stream exiting an engine, a turbocharger is a small compressor that forces more air into the engine’s cylinders, allowing it to burn more fuel to produce greater power. Except for electric vehicles, a turbo engine is your only choice from many luxury brands, including Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. In Porsche’s lineup, the only naturally aspirated (nonturbo) holdouts are four 911 GT3 variants; all other models have turbocharged gas engines.

Turbos are prevalent among mainstream brands, too. All of Ford’s S.U.V.s have them, as do many of its pickups. Turbo engines propel many Chevrolet vehicles, including the automaker’s three sub-$30,000 crossovers and its 1,064-horsepower Corvette ZR1. Hyundai has nearly 30 percent turbos in its sales mix, including some hybrids. (Kia vehicles share powertrains with Hyundai.) The Honda CR-V, one of the most popular vehicles in America, has a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine standard.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/01/business/turbo-engines-cars-trucks.html