New Ecotec 2.5-liter to power 2014 Chevy Impala

The 2014 Chevy Impala will be the first to use General Motors' new 2.5-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine. The company says it'll be smoother, quieter and more powerful than the mills it replaces.

The least expensive Impala will house the new motor, which makes 196 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque, and start at $27,535. That's a few hundred bucks more than last year's base model.

New technology on the Ecotec includes Chevy's Intake Valve Lift Control. In old engines, valves open and close the same way every time. The new system allows the valves to open and close by varied amounts, and at different times. Chevy says this provides greater fuel efficiency when you need it and more power when you don't.

To get the variable valve lift, the Ecotec uses a new rocker arm that switches between low and high lift intake cam profiles, actuated by an oil control valve through a lash adjuster. Chevy says it's the first valvetrain of its kind in a gasoline engine.

Other enhancements include a 40-percent reduction in noise, which the company accomplished by pushing some of the sound into higher frequencies, while the rest get deadened by sound-absorbing material.

Fuel economy in the Ecotec is rated at 21 city/31 highway mpg in the big Impala.

The new engine compares well with its competitors. Ford's big four pot -- the 2.5 liter -- makes 175 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque, getting 22 city/34 highway mpg in the Fusion. Honda's 2.4-liter VTEC engine makes 185 hp and 181 lb-ft with a mileage rating of 24 city/34 highway mpg and Chrysler's 2.4-liter makes 173 hp and 166 lb-ft with an EPA rating of 20 city/31 highway mpg in the Accord.

The eAssist 2.4-liter hybrid engine and 3.6-liter V6 will also be offered in the Impala, which is on sale now.

By Jake Lingeman