The global family of Ecotec engines from General Motors has been designed from the outset to have a modular architecture that’s simpler to build while remaining adaptable to global market requirements.

The new engine family will appear in the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze in the form of a 1.4-liter turbocharged, direct-injection powerplant. A 1.5-liter, naturally-aspirated version is also available.

GM says it will achieve an estimated 40 mpg on the highway when paired with the available six-speed transmission. The 1.4-liter engine has been certified to produce 153 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque on regular unleaded fuel. The 1.5-liter makes 113 horsepower and 108 pound-feet of torque.

“The new Ecotec family is a globally designed and manufactured engine designed to offer class-leading performance, efficiency and refinement in a wide variety of applications around the world,” said Dan Nicholson, vice president, GM Global Powertrain.

“Each variant is designed for a specific application or local market, but all share design, performance and refinement traits that make the new architecture one of the most adaptable in the industry.”

The engine is a clean-sheet design that uses modular engine blocks–sharing bore spacing, bore diameter, cylinder liners, and other critical dimension–to reduce complication and make the engine more attractive from a value perspective.

The turbocharged engine features an aluminum  block and integrated cylinder head/exhaust manifold to reduce weight and improve efficiency. Other measures taken to improve efficiency are the variable-flow oil pump. piston-cooling oil jets, and a dual-overhead-cam, four-valves-per-cylinder valvetrain arrangement.

A steel crankshaft, powder-metal steel connecting rods, and hypereutectic pistons combine with low-tension piston rings in both the 1.4-liter and 1.5-liter versions of the engine to provide a quiet, smooth-running powerplant.

Chevrolet will add a new clean diesel engine to the lineup in 2017, featuring a B20-capable 1.6L diesel already proven in Europe and other global markets.

“The current Cruze diesel has garnered a loyal following among customers seeking strong, clean and efficient diesel,” said Nicholson. “The next Cruze diesel will take those attributes to the next level with the very latest technology, offering what we expect will be the premier small-car diesel package in North America. It affirms GM’s commitment to offer diesel engines as an alternative propulsion choice for cars in North America and specifically targets the German dominance in the segment.”