Petrol Engines | Volkswagen UK

Our award-winning TSI petrol engines mean you no longer have to choose between performance and economy. Small, light and powerful, they blend the best of our TDI diesel and FSI (Direct Injection) engines. The result is outstanding fuel saving, lower emissions and, best of all, greater performance.⁠1

Maximum power with minimum consumption. When you drive one of our TSI cars you don't have to choose between performance and economy. TSI engines offer an enjoyable and involving drive, while cutting fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Because TSI engines are cleaner, you'll also save on car tax. So they have a smaller impact on the environment, are kinder to your pocket - and, best of all, they're great fun to drive.

What is TSI?

TSI is our pioneering technology for petrol engines. TSI engines are compact, high-powered and use less fuel. TSI technology blends the best of our TDI diesel and FSI (Fuel Stratified Injection) engines.You enjoy excellent drivability and outstanding fuel economy. Acceleration is instant, whichever gear you're in. So overtaking is safer and you can power smoothly up hills with no delay. TSI technology is available on an increasing number of our cars, from Polo to Sharan.

The TSI story

As responsible car makers we wanted to make our petrol engines even cleaner and more efficient, while still being fun to drive. Our aim was to create engines that used less fuel and produced lower CO2 emissions without sacrificing power.The solution our engineers came up with was both elegant and ingenious: an engine that combines petrol direct injection and turbocharging, and in some cases twincharging - a turbocharger and a supercharger working together. The TSI engine was born.The effect is to combine the benefits of both petrol and diesel power units: smooth and quiet on the road, TSI delivers high torque - pulling power - throughout the acceleration range with little discernible turbo lag.

The successful formula

The successful TSI formula combines a number of different elements:

Smaller engines

At the heart of TSI is a smaller engine. It's more efficient, as there is less power loss resulting from friction. It's also lighter, so the engine has less weight to shift in the car.

Direct petrol injection with charging

Direct petrol injection is combined with a turbocharger or charge compression with a turbo and a supercharger (early variant 1.5 TSI Evo engines) working in tandem. This enhances the engine's combustion efficiency so the TSI engine power output is much higher than that of conventional, naturally aspirated engines.

Torque when you want it

The engine-driven supercharger operates at lower revs, with the turbocharger - powered by the exhaust gases - joining in as engine speed rises. The supercharger is powered via a belt drive directly from the crankshaft. This provides maximum pulling power on demand, even at very low engine speeds. TSI engines are designed to deliver maximum torque from engine speeds as low as 1,400 rpm. And that has the twin benefit of not only increasing your driving pleasure but also cutting fuel consumption.

Power, redefinedThe eTSI with mild hybrid technology is a significant new feature. A starter-alternator provides extra assistance for the engine when starting off and at low speeds. The lithium-ion batteries are charged under braking and while coasting. This achieves a significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions.

Discover our full range, create a car that’s just right for you with our easy-to-use configurator, or see what’s ready and available right now.   

Speak to an expert

If you have any questions about Petrol engines, your local Volkswagen Retailer is here to help. They’ll be happy to answer your queries.