You might say three is the new four. As engines grow increasingly efficient and reliable, many automakers are ditching the ubiquitous inline-four for an inline-three. As recently as 2019, the three-cylinder engine only had 1% of US auto sales. In 2023, it claimed 6.2% of US sales. (Read on for the list of all available I3s). But a few automakers are making I3s that are much more than I4 replacements. Some are performance engines churning out 600 horsepower. Here are the most exciting three-cylinder cars.

Mini Cooper hardtop

The Mini Cooper has long been a cute, fun-loving alternative in a sea of humorless FWD compacts. But did you know that its base engine is a 1.5-liter I3? That’s right. What’s more, it makes 134 horsepower. And you can tell performance fans that this exact same I3 powers the BMW 3 Series (*In certain foreign markets). While straight-line speed isn’t the Mini’s forte, this I3 can get it to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds.

Toyota GR Corolla

Toyota got hot hatchback fans going when its Gazoo Racing division promised a turned-up Corolla. The resulting GR Corolla has a little spoiler, manual transmission option, AWD, and–shocker–a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine. This little monster makes 300 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. It can blast to 60 mph in just 4.99 seconds.

Koenigsegg Gemera

This is not your regular hypercar. It is a hybrid with four seats. But this “hyper-GT” outfitted with an I3 makes 1,727 horsepower. Most of that comes from its incredible tri-motor electric powertrain. But for an internal combustion engine, this trim has a mid-mounted 2.0-liter three-cylinder. You could even call it the spiritual successor to BMW’s discontinued i8 hybrid supercar. Koenigsegg’s revolutionary engine–nicknamed the Tiny Friendly Giant or TFT–makes up to 600 horsepower. All-told, this car can rocket to 62 mph in 1.9 seconds. And it can keep going to 248 mph.

The Three-Cylinder renaissance

The I3 engine has long been popular in foreign markets. But now they are getting powerful enough that they can keep up with highway traffic in the US. A ton of compact cars in North America come with a three-cylinder engine. In fact, I’d wager that someone you know is driving an I3 and doesn’t even know it. Here is the current lineup, according to Carbuzz.

• 2024 Chevrolet Trax
• 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer
• 2024 Buick Envista
• Buick Encore GX
• Mini Cooper Countryman
• Mini Cooper Hardtop
• Mini Cooper Convertible
• Mitsubishi Mirage
• Mitsubishi Mirage G4
• Koenigsegg Gemera
• Toyota GR Corolla
• Ford Escape
• Ford Bronco Sport
• Nissan Rogue
• Karma GS6

Next, find out how Toyota got 300 horsepower out of a three-cylinder in the video below: