Published 21:21 IST, July 24th 2024
Affordable cars that have cylinder deactivation technology in engines
In India, Skoda and Volkswagen sedans and SUVs come equipped with cylinder deactivation technology. This two-cylinder mode is offered in their 1.5-litre Tsi EVO

Cylinder deactivation: Automobile manufacturers have always urged for more performance from their cars but on the other perspective, consumers have a demand for more fuel efficiency along with performance. German automotive manufacturers like Volkswagen AutoGroup have always provided this cylinder deactivation technology in their performance cars and subsidiary brands like Audi, and Porsche are also equipped with this technology on offer.
How does this work?
Cylinder deactivation technology works on a minimum four-cylinder engine option and can be equipped on six-eight- and ten-cylinder engine options as well. In this technology, the electronically controlled unit (ECU) of the vehicle shuts half the cylinders of the car and the rest of the cylinders work. This leads to the fuel injection in only two cylinders and saves from the other two cylinders. This saving results in better fuel efficiency and when the engine decides to activate all the cylinders, the sudden power is felt and when cruising at regular speeds, it ideally shuts the cylinders.
Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India shared, "With Active Cylinder Technology (ACT), we aim to offer our customers a perfect combination of power and efficiency. This technology in our German-engineered cars deactivates two of the four cylinders under low load conditions, leading to a significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions. ACT is available on our India 2.0 cars Virtus and Taigun with the 1.5 l TSI EVO engine. As our customers in India are increasingly conscious of the need for more efficient powertrain options, ACT helps optimise fuel consumption without compromising on performance."
Let us quickly have a look at the most affordable cars that offer cylinder deactivation technology:
In India, Skoda and Volkswagen sedans and SUVs come equipped with cylinder deactivation technology. This two-cylinder mode is offered in their 1.5-litre Tsi EVO engine.
Skoda Slavia / Volkswagen Virtus
Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen Virtus offer two turbo petrol engines in India. The 1.5-litre TSI EVO in-line four-cylinder petrol engine churns out 150 BHP and 253 Nm of peak torque, mated to a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission option. In this, when cruising at an ideal speed that is 50-60 km/h in the city, the engine automatically shuts two cylinders, hence resulting in better fuel efficiency.
Skoda Kushaq / Volkswagen Taigun
Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun are equipped with the same engine configurations, but since there are differences in dimensions and body types, the power output though being the same feels a bit different. Though the 1.5-litre engine is powerful and has abundant performance, it also comes equipped with the cylinder deactivation technology in its segment, which results in better fuel efficiency in city and highway conditions.
Updated 20:43 IST, July 26th 2024