Best Motor Oils: Ensure Smooth and Reliable Performance

Mobil's 5W-20 full-synthetic motor oil is designed to reduce engine wear and make critical engine components run a lot smoother. It’s designed to adhere to important engine components when the oil drains down and provides a layer of protection when you warm up your vehicle. The oil works great if you frequently drive in heavy traffic or take several short trips during the week and it can make your engine quieter, smoother, and create a noticeable improvement on high-mileage vehicles compared to standard oil blends. 

This oil is a quality above run-of-the-mill crude oils and has great cleaning power,. That said, bottles of Mobil 1 have been known to arrive with dents and small leaks. Also, vehicles with old, brittle seals may not take to the stuff as well as others. 

Specs:

• Five-quart jug
• Different viscosities for different vehicles
• Full synthetic

Pros:

• Longer mileage rating means it's still in good condition when changed at a shorter interval
• Rated to protect against low-speed pre-ignition and timing chain wear
• A grade above normal, conventional oil products 
• Superior cleaning power that prevents sludge buildup

Cons:

• Bottles may dent and leak during shipping 
• May not be the best choice for high mileage engines with worn and/or brittle seals

As far as high bang-for-your-buck motor oil goes, it's tough to beat Valvoline's Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20 Motor Oil. This oil is specially designed to provide excellent protection for your car, truck, or SUV, yet for a noticeably lower price than others. It's specifically formulated to protect against extreme engine stress due to stop-and-go driving, extreme temperatures, hauling, and towing, too. 

This motor oil includes anti-wear additives, which provide 50-percent more wear protection than industry standards and this full synthetic formula is designed to withstand both high and low temperatures. Extra detergents can be found in this motor oil to assist with fighting against sludge and other deposits. High-quality antioxidants help to resist motor oil breakdown in extreme weather conditions. It isn’t without its issues, though, as the 5-quart jug can be a pain to pour, leaks during shipping are known to occur, and dents to the bottles are common. None are deal-breakers, but you should have all the facts.

Specs:

• Five-quart bottle
• Comes in multiple viscosities
• Full synthetic

Pros:

• Includes anti-wear additives, which provide 50 percent more wear protection than industry standards
• Built to withstand both high and low temperatures
• Extra detergents assist with fighting against sludge and other deposits

Cons:

• Leaks or damage to their motor oil containers can occur
• Check for damage upon delivery
• The five-quart jug version can be annoying to pour, causing spills

This oil offers a high level of protection against wear that really helps prolong the life of the engine. It fosters rapid oil delivery at low temperatures as well as high lubrication reliability in high and low temperatures. It also keeps your engine clean. Liqui Moly is used by many mechanics who work on German vehicles, and it has a rather strange-yet-interesting grayish color due to its robust additives. 

This oil is rated to go further than most oil-change intervals, looking almost unused at the 5,000-mile mark, but you should still follow your manufacturer's recommended interval. It also cuts down on oil consumption, which is especially crucial in modern turbocharged direct-injection engines and has a conveniently designed spout that makes filling easy.

Specs:

• Five-liter jug
• Full synthetic
• Comes in multiple viscosities

Pros:

• Keeps the engine clean and provides extra protection against premature wear
• Fosters rapid oil delivery at low temperatures, as well as high lubrication reliability at high and low temperatures.
• Liqui Moly also states that its product helps prevent oil consumption

Cons:

• This oil can be pricier than its competitors
• Cap may be a little tricky to open, despite being designed to make fills easier and cleaner
• Containers can leak

While synthetic is great for new cars, sometimes conventional motor oil is the ticket for older engines. Older rides might run best on conventional motor oil due to their tolerances, the design and age of their seals, and their resistance to burn. And Castrol's 03095 GTX 20W-50 Conventional Motor Oil is a high-quality motor oil from one of the industry's most reputable manufacturers. 

This motor oil provides better protection against volatility burn than its competitors and is specifically designed to prevent the harmful buildup of sludge. It also performs above industry standards when it comes to protection against new oil splatter formation. Castrol's offering has proven to extend the life of your engine through the inclusion of anti-wear additives. It's also filled with additives that provide advanced protection against viscosity and thermal breakdown. The five-quart size is ideal for most vehicles, especially older trucks and SUVs. Be sure to check your user’s manual for your vehicle's specific oil capacity.

Specs:

• Conventional oil
• Five-quart container
• Comes in multiple viscosities

Pros:

• High-quality motor oil from a reputable manufacturer
• Proven to provide better protection against volatility burn off 
• Specifically designed to prevent the build-up of sludge within your engine 
• Advanced protection against viscosity and thermal breakdown 

Cons:

• Dents and leaks can occur during shipping
• Make sure to inspect the motor oil upon delivery, and reach out to Castrol regarding any issues with damage

This synthetic blend oil from Valvoline contains seal conditioners that restore aging engine seals to help stop and prevent oil leaks. Extra protection prevents engine wear, and extra detergents remove sludge and deposits to keep high-mileage engines cleaner. In addition, antioxidants help prevent the oil from breaking down and clogging the engine with sludge and deposits. The quality of this motor oil is excellent for the price, and it has some of the benefits of full-synthetic oil at a much cheaper price. 

It does a great job at stopping and reducing leaks thanks to its various seal-renewing additives. It holds up well over time and makes the engine run quiet, smooth, and happy. Valvoline says it does a great job at suspending debris and engine deposits, allowing them to be flushed out at its next change interval. But this motor oil won’t improve performance on severely worn engines, nor does it meet General Motors' Dexos standard, and it features a slightly higher price than some of its competitors.

Specs:

• Five-quart jug
• Comes in multiple oil viscosities
• Synthetic blend

Pros:

• Provides more than enough protection for any vehicle's factory oil-change interval
• Extra detergents for removing sludge and deposits to keep older engines running cleaner
• Contains added seal conditioners that restore aging engine seals to help prevent oil leaks

Cons:

• Does not meet GM's Dexos oil standard
• Leaky caps
• Higher in price than some competitors

Motul's 100% synthetic oil takes the top spot when it comes to performance. The brand boasts that it's been a top name for a long time, as well as that its 8100 X-Cess Gen2 is specially formulated to far exceed manufacturers' requirements

Specs:

• 5W-40 (be sure to check your vehicle's oil weight requirements
• Fully synthetic
• 5 liter container

Pros:

• Excellent reviews
• 5 liter container size provides great value
• Reasonably priced compared to other top-tier full synthetics

Cons:

• May not work for every vehicle application
• Some reviewers report receiving leaky containers

Enthusiasts and tuners the world over know the Royal Purple brand. It’s synonymous with high-quality motor oil designed and engineered to keep your high-performance engine running on all cylinders and increasing its longevity and horsepower. That’s why we recommend the brand’s High Performance 5W-30 motor oil for those high-tolerance, high-horsepower vehicles we all love so much. 

Royal Purple’s High Performance motor oil is fully synthetic and comes in a number of motor oil weights. It’s available in multiple sizes for easier application selection, and offers increased thermal performance, better fuel economy and emissions, corrosion resistance, and increased compatibility with those engines that use differing fuels. It is, however, one of the most expensive motor oils on this list, though it’s also one of the best. 

Specs:

• 5W-30
• 5-quart container
• Fully synthetic

Pros:

• Excellent for high-performance vehicles
• Increased longevity
• Excellent thermal protection

Cons:

• Expensive
• Isn’t necessary for normal vehicles
• Jug design could be bettered

Hybrid vehicles are not the same as normal combustion-only ones. These vehicles feature different engine tolerances, operating cycles and conditions, and require different maintenance intervals. Valvoline understands that and is the reasoning behind its full synthetic motor oil designed specifically for hybrid vehicles.

Aimed at reducing the time between cold start and at operating temperature, the fully synthetic oil is meant to keep your ride humming along and happy even when the gasoline-driven engine turns off, then on, then off again. And it shields your engine from heat, friction, and other issues that can plague hybrid cars, trucks, and SUVs. This specific oil is 0W-20 but comes in a variety of different oil weights to satisfy your vehicle’s predetermined weight requirements. 

Specs: 

• One-quart container
• Comes in multiple viscosities
• Fully synthetic

Pros:

• As good or better than factory supplied oil
• Protects against sludge and deposits
• Excellent temperature protection

Cons:

• You may be ok using regular synthetic
• Damaged quart containers are common