Ford's 3-cylinder repeats as Engine of the Year, headed to U.S.

Is America ready for a three-cylinder engine?

Ford Motor Co. is about to find out.

Ford’s 1-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine has become an instant success in Europe, where small cars and smaller engines dominate the market.

Now, the Dearborn automaker will be the first to try a three-cylinder engine in a U.S. vehicle in more than a decade, when its revamped Fiesta subcompact debuts this fall.

On Wednesday, Ford’s small engine was for the second straight year named the International Engine of the Year, a prestigious award voted on by journalists across the globe. Last year, Ford became the first engine from a U.S. automaker to win the award; prior to 2012, the previous 12 awards went to engines in European or Japanese-built automobiles.