Even though the ‘V6’ has proven to be more popular than straight-six power units, a thinking man could argue in favor of both.
Six-cylinder engines are widely spread across the automotive landscape. They can power anything from sports sedans to luxury limos, SUVs, trucks and even supercars. However, if you round up all those vehicles, you’ll find that the V6 is definitely the dominant one.
That doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of advantages when it comes to in-line six units, as Car Throttle would point out. Some of the “pros” include easier maintenance and an overall superior balance, though people looking for “cons” could point to the straight six taking up more room inside the engine bay.
The first thing that strikes you about a V6 engine is that it’s a lot more compact in size compared to an in-line six. This is a good thing because it allows for more flexibility when it comes to adding components, and even cuts costs during R&D phases.
As for V6 disadvantages, aside from not being as well-balanced as a straight-six and more difficult to maintain, it’s also a harder engine to work on if you’re the type of person who enjoys getting your hands dirty as a hobby.