Best Motor Oils For 2022

As synthetic motor oils go, Mobil 1 is the industry benchmark. Well-regarded for its detergent qualities, Mobil 1 has been the factory-fill choice for high-performance engines for decades. The Extended Performance formulation is designed to protect for up to 20,000 miles under optimal driving conditions. Prices have steadily fallen as it’s become more popular, making Mobil 1 Extended Performance our top choice for the best overall value among engine oils.

Yes, Amazon does sell its own brand of synthetic motor oil, and it’s a cost-effective solution most users like. Though it isn’t a familiar brand name, most viscosities sold under Amazon’s label conform to General Motors’ DexOS standard. Many automakers have adopted this standard as an assurance of an engine oil’s protective and detergent properties and DexOS-rated oils meet a host of engineering benchmarks and are monitored for quality. When ordering, look for the DexOS symbol on the front of the bottle to verify the oil meets this standard. We only recommend DexOS-rated oils.

As the cost of synthetic oil drops closer to conventional oil, remember that some engines are still better suited to conventional oils. Older vehicles or engines that have run on conventional oil for hundreds of thousands of miles may need the specific additives included in conventional oils to prevent leaking seals. Rotary engines in particular require conventional oil, and Mazda specifically recommends against using synthetic oil in models like the RX-7 and RX-8. Castrol GTX is a high-quality conventional oil that helps keep older engines healthy and, when it does enter the combustion chamber because of worn rings or seals, burns fairly cleanly, protecting spark plugs from premature fouling.

Diesel engines often work harder, longer hours than their gasoline counterparts, whether it’s a truck towing a heavy load or a long-range diesel car driving for hours on end without stopping. Extended heat cycles, longer service intervals and the sheer expense of a diesel oil change make it important to choose a high-quality oil. Shell Rotella has a higher pour point than some other oils, the temperature at which the oil loses its flow properties, which means it’s less likely to leak from worn seals or older engines. One tip: for trucks that require large quantities, a bulk three-gallon pack isn’t always cheaper than buying individual gallons.

Sometimes, you just need to get home. For engine flushes or other situations where budget is the primary concern, Quaker State makes a synthetic blend that’s cheaper than even some conventional oils. Unlike no-name products, Quaker State is a well-known brand with consistent quality control standards and a staple in many auto dealers’ oil change specials. Synthetic blend oils deliver more consistent viscosity changes in response to temperature variations than conventional oil, suiting them to climates with moderate temperature swings.