Torque or Horsepower

[OTO]

If you had to choose between two cars (irregardless of brand or make) what would you get? One with more torque or horsepower? Why?

[ILuvDetailing]

I drive mostly in the city so I'll pick Torque, which comes handy in overtaking situations. Anyways they go hand in hand, a car with a torquey engine will certainly have good HP.

[OTO]

I drive mostly in the city so I'll pick Torque, which comes handy in overtaking situations. Anyways they go hand in hand, a car with a torquey engine will certainly have good HP.

Some cars have higher torque than hp and vice versa.

So it's like would you rather have more torque or more hp.

[ghosthunter]

a good example of a car with lots of HP but lacking in torque is the Honda SiR.

[the_wildthing]

May I know the reason why you need to choose one or the other?

Because you can have 2 engines with the same hp but different torque, or 2 engines with the same torque but different hp. So there are really four choices...

low torque, high hp
high torque, high hp - syempre dito ako!
high torque, low hp (relative to another car with the same torque)
low torque, low hp


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If the Toyota US website is correct, the Corolla XRS has 170 HP but nearly the same torque as the other Corollas, 127 vs 125. The 2004 Audi A4 1.8T also had 170hp but 166 lb. ft. of torque. I would imagine the Audi is heavier. But I haven't driven either one so I couldn't tell how they feel. And that's what it all comes down to, how it drives.

[alwayz_yummy]

mitsu/toyota engines ata torquey...tama ba?

mostly diesel have high toques but low hp ratings,diba?

[OTO]

May I know the reason why you need to choose one or the other?

Because you can have 2 engines with the same hp but different torque, or 2 engines with the same torque but different hp. So there are really four choices...

low torque, high hp
high torque, high hp - syempre dito ako!
high torque, low hp (relative to another car with the same torque)
low torque, low hp

Reason why I only choose either hp or torque is because everyone will vote high torque & hp. Think of this as a sorta like a "budget". Spend more for torque or more for hp.

For comparisons sake here are all the 3L V6 gas japanese sedans available locally. I converted kgm to Nm for torque and Hp to Ps for output.

Toyota Camry
Max. Output
215 PS/5,800 rpm
Max Torque
298 Nm/4,400 rpm

Honda Accord
Max Power (ps/rpm)
240 / 6250
Max Torque (/rpm)
287.34 Nm/5000

Nissan Cefiro
Maximum Output (ps/rpm)
220/6400
Maximum Torque (/rpm)
287.34 Nm/4000

[artpogi]

torque for me

[KCboy]

torque usually is available in the lower rpm range so that's why diesel engines have high torque numbers so they'll have that high pulling power, while gas engines that have hp, usually are available at the higher rpms. i think it kinda works that way.

[Bogeyman]

I go for torque.

[de Schalom]

torque all the way

[airshaq20]

Depends....even if you have a high torque rating if the torque band range isn't flat and most of them are available at very high RPM, that wouldn't do it either.

Example:
Your engine is rated at 200HP *7500RPM and 200 ft-lb of torque *6000RPM and only 75 ft-lb of torque is available from 4000RPM and below, you'd call that car torqueless since you have to rev it up past 4000rpm to get the most of your torque.

High RPM car like the S2000 is good if you are in the track or on the freeway but again, you have to go up in the rev range to get the most of your engine. Not to mention, runninng your engine at 6000-9000rpm is not something that i would like to do every so often even if it was rated to go that way. I mean, for every day driving, i would try to get more mileage and try not to abuse the engine (imagine if your car is driven hard at 6-9K rpm for a few years before you sell it, that would affect the durability of the engine).

[OTO]

airshaq what if ito yung specs?

163bhp * 4,000rpm
251 lb ft * 2,000rpm

[glntVR]

torque for me!

[airshaq20]

airshaq what if ito yung specs?

163bhp * 4,000rpm
251 lb ft * 2,000rpm

Never seen one like that but that would be a blast. You'd have a wheelspin at every traffic light

[wilcats]

yeah mas mganda if you can achieve your max torque at a low rpm range... it will save you gas! cuz you dont have to rev upto a high rpm range (where fuel is abundantly needed) - this is an example of a good city car.

[ILuvDetailing]

airshaq what if ito yung specs?

163bhp * 4,000rpm
251 lb ft * 2,000rpm

Parang specs ng diesel yan ah

[straitflo]

pag city driving and pang araw-araw I'd say torque is more beneficial. Pero kung weekend racer type of car, horsepower syempre :D

[the_wildthing]

Basta dun ako kung san mas-maagang maabot ang peak tapos nearly flat hanggang just before its max RPM...

Tama yung nasabi sa taas, it could be useless if you only reach them at high RPMs...

If I drive it and it feels good, dun ako! Di ba Carlo?

[Supierreman]

a good example of a car with lots of HP but lacking in torque is the Honda SiR.

Corolla XRS din... Toyota does a Honda:
http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showt...zda#post225050

...We feel Toyota's variable valve timing, which is incorporated into the engine, could use some fine tuning, as the power comes on disappointingly late. We finally felt all 170 ponies up near 6000 rpm and enjoyed a few quick revs before shifting gears and falling back out of the powerband. Most drivers will never reach such high engine speeds in regular city driving; the power would be welcome lower on the tachometer.

"T" for Toyota and Torque and "H" for Honda and Horsepower is now a thing of the past.. pareho na sila torqueless