Volkswagen announced that the Taos compact SUV will feature a new version of the EA211 turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Making 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, the new engine increases in size from 1.4 to 1.5 liters.

The engine have a larger displacement and is more powerful than the EA211 fitted in the Jetta. Even though, the new engine is more efficient in fuel usage. It features Volkswagen’s version of the Miller cycle. The intake valves are closed early in the induction stroke to help with fuel economy. For a turbocharged engine, it has a very high compression ratio of up to 11.5 to one.

Key features:

APS coated cylinder liners—whereby iron powder is plasma coated onto the cylinder block—that reduce friction between the cylinder liner and piston rings.

A map-controlled cooling module that warms the engine more quickly than the existing EA211 for efficiency. It can control water flow in different parts of the engine.

Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG). This is the first volume-production turbocharger with this technology in the North American Region. This turbo is more efficient, provides higher boost pressure, and avoids wastegate mass flow.

A high-pressure injection system with up to 350 bar—up from 200 bar—which produces better atomization of the fuel/air mixture, a shorter injection time, optimized mixture formation, and lower particulate emissions.

The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission in the front-wheel-drive model, with a Sport mode. AWD models get a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission.

“While electric vehicles are stealing the headlines these days, we are continuing to make great strides with technology on our internal combustion engines,” said Johan de Nysschen, Chief Operating Officer, Volkswagen Group of America. “The new 1.5-liter engine in the Taos uses the latest advances in gasoline-engine design to bring outstanding fuel economy to the compact SUV segment. The Taos will provide a further proof point for the ability of the Volkswagen North American Region to deliver the right products for our market requirements.”

Taos is expected to go on sale in the summer of 2021 in both front- and all-wheel-drive forms.