0w-20 Motor Oil Review and Guide (2023 June)

When choosing a 0w-20 viscosity oil for your car, you need to consider the manufacturer’s brand and oil base. We have prepared this guide to help you choose a 0w-20 viscosity oil for your car.

Also, tell you what to look for when choosing a 0w-20 engine oil and which 0w-20 oils are the most popular on the UK market.

Contents

Motor oil 0w-20

Best 0w-20 engine oil

Engine oils with 0w-20 viscosity

0w-20 viscosity oils are low-viscosity oils and are generally recommended for Japanese and American vehicles.

The most common recommendation for 0w-20 oils is found in Honda: this concern was the first to switch to total use of the lowest viscosity in all its vehicles.

Also, 0W-20 engine oil can be recommended for new Korean and some German cars, both in winter and summer. And, of course, such oils are also suitable for hybrid engines with low operating temperatures.

Which 0w-20 viscosity oil should I choose for my car?

Most of the 0W-20 engine oils produced are synthetic (or hydrocracking) based, the remainder is semi-synthetic. We recommend using fully synthetic motor oils from popular brands for your car, such as Castrol, Liqui Moly, Mobil 1, Motul, and Idemitsu.

Best engine oil 0w-20

Liqui Moly Special Tec AA 0W-20

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Approvals and Specifications:

API SP
ILSAC GF-6A
Chrysler MS-6395; GM 6094M
Ford WSS-M2C 947-A
Ford WSS-M2C 947-B1
Ford WSS-M2C 962-A1
GM dexos1 Gen2
Subaru
Honda
Hyundai
KIA
Mazda
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Toyota

The most popular oils are 0w-20:

Castrol EDGE Professional H 0w-20
Castrol EDGE Supercar A 0w-20
Liqui Moly SPECIAL TEC AA 0w-20
Liqui Moly Top Tec 6200 0w-20
Motul 8100 Eco-Clean 0w-20
Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w-20
REPSOL Elite Evolution VCC 0w-20
Total Quartz Ineo Xtra V-Drive 0w-20
Volkswagen Longlife IV 0w-20
Idemitsu 0w-20 SP/GF-6
Idemitsu ZEPRO Eco Medalist 0w-20
ADDINOL Premium 020 FE 0w-20
RAVENOL DFE 0W-20
RAVENOL ECS 0W-20
RAVENOL EFS 0W-20
Valvoline Advanced 0W-20
Amsoil Signature Series 0w-20
Red Line Motor Oil 0W-20
Mag 1 Full Synthetic Oil 0W-20
MOPAR MaxPro 0W-20
Genuine Nissan 0w-20
Honda Genuine Motor Oil 0w-20
Mazda Original Supra 0w-20
Toyota Advanced Fuel Economy 0w-20
Subaru Synthetic Motor Oil 0w-20

0w-20 Engine oil

Best 0w-20 motor oil

Engine oil 0w-20

Low-viscosity oils, of which 0W-20 is one of the most liquid oils, are recommended for the most modern engines which have stringent requirements for lubricants in terms of environmental and fuel efficiency.

The increased fluidity of 0W-20 engine oil enables it to circulate easily inside the engine compartment in frosty conditions.

Oil viscosity	0w-20
Application	For new Asian and American vehicles
Oil type	Synthetic, Semi-synthetic
Winter temperature limit	-35°C
Summer temperature limit	+15 °C

Oil decoding 0w20:

0 – indicates the temperature at which normal lubricant pumping through the channels and cranking of the engine when starting is performed.
20 is an indication of the 0w20 viscosity when the engine is warmed up. Correspondingly, the higher the value, the thicker the grease.

Liquid oils are used for quick pumping in cold weather so that the engine will be lubricated instantly when starting without warming up.

Applications for 0W-20 engine oil

The 0W-20 engine oil can be used in four-stroke diesel and petrol engines manufactured in Japan, Korea, and China. It is not suitable for the majority of European and US automobiles (only a few models, mainly sporty ones, are produced so far for 0W-20 fluids).

Lubricants of this viscosity are designed for power units with minimum clearances. For this reason, it may only be used according to the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer.

Despite the fact that 0W-20 is an all-season oil it retains its characteristics better in cold conditions. This is why it is best used in regions with harsh winter and moderately warm summer weather.

Engine oil 0W-20 cons and pros

0W-20 oil has certain advantages over its thicker counterparts

Because the viscosity and performance characteristics of a superfluid oil are designed primarily for low-temperature conditions, a cold engine receives instant lubrication throughout the system at start-up. Its resistance to harsh frosts relieves the problems of people living in northern regions.

The higher the oil’s viscosity, the more resistance it puts up against the gears and the more effort it requires from the engine. Grease with the lowest viscosity ensures the most efficient crankshaft cranking. Optimum distribution of the power load leads to an economy of the fuel mixture.

Japanese Honda has proven that oil with 0W viscosity grade can save up to 1.5% fuel compared to 5W oils.

0W-20 oils always contain a detergent additive package. This is because the clearances between the friction pairs of the engine are too narrow, so they must not be allowed to become dirty.

Continuous cleaning of the engine compartment not only protects it from serious damage but also contributes to better performance.

0W-20 engine oil also has its disadvantages

At temperatures above +15 °C (59.0 °F), the oil becomes too thin and loses its ability to protect engine parts.

A significant disadvantage for many car owners is the high price of 0W-20 oil – often it exceeds the cost of standard lubricants almost twice.

If the oil is not properly selected, and the power unit is worn out, the working material may seep into the combustion chamber. This can lead to premature engine wear and increased exhaust emissions.

Engine oil standards:

ACEA standards

The European ACEA standard uses four groups:

A for petrol engines
B for diesel engines
C for engines with catalytic converters or DPF
E for heavy-duty diesel engines

ACEA standards: A1, A2, A3, A5, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, C1, C2, C3, E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7.

API standards

US API standards stipulate two groups of classes for cars:

S for gasoline engines
C for diesel engines

API standards for gasoline engines: SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ, SL, SM, SN, SN Plus, SP. API diesel standards: CB, CC, CD, CD, CE, CF, CF-4, CF-2, CG-4, CH-4, CI-4, CI-4 Plus, CJ-4.

ILSAC standards

ILSAC Asian standard defines quality standards for petrol engines of passenger cars.

ILSAC standards: GF-1, GF-2, GF-3, GF-4, GF-5, GF-6

Asian engine oils are often certified not only to globally recognized API and ACEA standards but also to the ILSAC standard, which is the most accurate recommendation for the Asian market. This is handled by the International Lubricants Standardization and Approval Committee, which is based on the Japanese and American automobile associations JAMA and AAMA.

Engine oil 0w-20 for Japanese vehicles

For Japanese cars, you must use engine oil that has ILSAC GF-5, and GF-6 specifications.

The most popular Japanese car brands are:

Honda
Mazda
Toyota
Subaru
Suzuki

The most popular Honda models:

Honda Civic
Honda Accord
Honda CR-V
Honda HR-V
Honda Jazz

The most popular Mazda models:

Mazda 2
Mazda 3
Mazda 6
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-7
Mazda CX-9
Mazda CX-30
Mazda CX-3

The most popular Mitsubishi models:

Mitsubishi ASX
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Mitsubishi L200
Mitsubishi Outlander
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
Mitsubishi Space Star

The most popular Subaru models:

Subaru Legacy
Subaru Crosstrek
Subaru Ascent
Subaru Impreza
Subaru Outback
Subaru Forester

The most popular Suzuki models:

Suzuki Vitara
Suzuki SX4
Suzuki Jimny

Engine oil 0w-20 for Japanese cars

For Korean cars, you must use engine oil that has ILSAC GF-5, and GF-6 specifications.

The most popular brands for Korean cars are:

Hyundai
Kia
SsangYong

The most popular Hyundai models are:

Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai Creta
Hyundai Sonata
Hyundai Tucson
Hyundai Accent
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai i10
Hyundai i20
Hyundai i30
Hyundai i40
Hyundai Kona

0w-20 Motor Oil