Which Cars Can Use 0W20 Engine Oil?
3 Answers
Japanese and Korean cars are the primary choices for 0W20 specification engine oil. Japanese car manufacturers typically employ double overhead camshaft multi-valve engines, where the camshaft directly contacts the valve lifter. The top of the valve lifter is an extremely hard and smooth surface, coated with a diamond-hardness layer. This application reduces friction between the camshaft and valve lifter by 40%, achieving minimal wear. Therefore, using 20-grade oil is more fuel-efficient and provides better power performance. Automotive engine oil is classified as follows: 1. Specific classifications of automotive engine oil include 4 types for summer use, 6 types for winter use, and 16 types for all-season use. 2. The summer oil grades are: 20, 30, 40, 50. The larger the number, the higher the viscosity and the higher the maximum applicable temperature. Winter oil grades are: 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W, 25W. 3. The symbol W stands for Winter. The smaller the number before W, the lower the low-temperature viscosity, the better the low-temperature fluidity, and the lower the minimum applicable temperature.
I noticed many new cars now can use 0W20 engine oil. Japanese hybrid models like Toyota and Honda are almost fully compatible - the maintenance manuals for Corolla Hybrid and Accord Hybrid clearly specify it. Mazda's Skyactiv engines have particularly high oil requirements, with 0W20 being the factory standard. Even American turbocharged models like the Chevrolet Equinox 2.0T and Ford Escape now use this viscosity grade. Recently, I saw Korean models like the Kia K5 and Hyundai Sonata with new engines also adopting 0W20, claiming about 5% fuel savings. However, German cars have more complex requirements - Volkswagen's 1.4T needs VW508-certified 0W20 specifically, as using regular 0W20 might cause issues.
Having run a repair shop for over a decade, I've noticed a growing number of vehicles using 0w20 oil. Nissan's X-Trail and Teana with 2.0L naturally aspirated engines perform best with this viscosity—older models switching to 5w30 actually saw increased fuel consumption. Domestic car brands have made significant strides in recent years; models like the Haval Dogo from Great Wall's Lemon Platform and Geely's CMA-based Xingyue have adopted 0w20. Among German cars, Audi's Q3 with its 1.5T engine specifically recommends this oil grade. I recall a case where a owner insisted on using 0w20 in a 100,000-km Camry, leading to oil burning. Generally, for vehicles over 80,000 km, 5w30 remains the safer choice.
