In the world of five-cylinder engines, you’ve never really had all that many choices to begin with. The Volkswagen Group and Volvo toyed around with the setup, with Volvo claiming fame in the V70 R turbocharged super wagon from the 1990s.
But nowadays in 2026, with Volvo mostly moving towards EVs and hybrids, it leaves only Audi keeping the five-cylinder torch lit. As you would likely expect, the last five-banger available in the United States is quite the machine.
The 2026 Audi RS 3 is equipped with a legendary 2.5-liter turbo inline-five that puts out 394 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. Audi claims a pretty impressive 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds and a top speed — if the RS Dynamic Package is equipped — of 180 miles per hour. It’s a compact sedan that has more horsepower and is faster to 60 mph than the much more expensive Porsche 911 Carrera. For the price of $66,100, you can live the five-cylinder dream.Â
Five cylinders across the world
One other car actually shares an engine with the RS 3. Spanish brand Cupra, itself a subsidiary of Volkswagen, offers the Formentor VZ5. The base model Formentor, which itself shares a lot of underpinnings with the Audi A3, looks a little sportier than your average VW Tiguan or Taos, but it definitely prioritizes efficiency over track performance. The Formentor VZ5, with its 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five, makes 390 horsepower and ditches the hybrid drivetrain entirely. Cupra is not available in the United States at time of writing, but that could change soon.
So, in 2026, you have a single option for a five-cylinder engine, and it’s a pretty good one. A new Audi might not look as classic as a 1990s Swedish brick, and it may not be as lovable as a VW from decades past. However, it’s a little hard to not like a all-wheel drive sedan with almost 400 hp that does a pretty good job fitting in a compact parking spot and completely blending into the carpool lane.Â
