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Ok since we have a bunch of differing opinions as to what makes a great engine, maybe the real question should be what makes a great engine in your eyes?
For me a great engine has to have certain qualities:
1) Power per liter
2) Reliability
3) Suitability to it's application
4) Ease of maintenance
5) Aftermarket Support
6) Aesthetics
The FA20 nails almost all of my criteria for it to be considered a great engine...
I have had zero issues with my engine for almost 7000 miles so far save the squeaky HP fuel pump. No CEL's, no broken components, no recalls, etc. The power is great for an N/A 4 cylinder engine, it's not a V6 or V8 so what the hell are people expecting? The engine perfectly complements the car it was built for, everyone complains about the torque dip, yes it's annoying when accelerating in a straight line, but how many people here really notice this dip when the car is being tossed around twisties...especially if you are flirting with the redline most of the time anyways?
How many people here work on their own cars...by that I mean beyond the scope of changing brake pads and oil changes. As a certifiable gear head I do all my own work (as long as i have the required tools of course). This car requires almost no specialized tools to work on, granted I haven't pulled the engine out yet to crack it open, but I have yet to find a fastener or situation that I could't remove or repair with a very basic craftsman tool set. Everything in the engine bay is easy to access, and makes sense, there's no mystery wires or vacuum lines that disappear behind jumbles of plastic cladding...all in all it's extremely maintenance friendly...well except for spark plugs, but with some wobble joints they arent too terrible either.
Aftermarket support is a huge determining factor for me regarding how great an engine is...the more people making parts the lower the prices are due to competition. Right now it's still early and parts demand a premium as manufacturers are rolling out new products daily, but give this engine a year and I am willing to bet it will be as hugely supported as some of the legendary engines like the 2JZ-GE (or GTE), or the SR20DET. People throwing around engines such as the little turbo diesels as great engines make me laught because the extent of the aftermarket support will likely be simple bolt on additions without any real performance increasing internal support save for some specialty shops offering one off builds that are exorbitantly expensive.
Lastly, this engine is not ugly, the engine bay maybe, but the engine itself is actually quite nice to look at, very simple, almost spartan in that it doesn't have a whole lot of fluff attached to it save the sound tube which is trash can fodder. The stock exhaust is hideous though because the header solution is just attrocious. After market headers look glorious on this car, of course you have to be under the car with the under panels removed to admire them but they do look nice.
All this being said, there are some engines that I would love to have at my disposal but would only make sense in the cars they were intended for...an Ferrari engine makes my list simply because I am a die hard Ferrari fan boy (except the FF wtf were they thinking???).
So what makes an engine great for you?
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