Luka Kusic
Updated on September 14, 2022
The SAE 5W-20 oil is one of the most popular options for gasoline-powered engines. Its viscosity is perfect for all moderate climates, providing superb lubricative and protective qualities, among other important traits. The real question is, what is the best brand to buy for your vehicle?
The best 5w20 oil for 2024 is Mobil 1 Extended Performance Full Synthetic Motor Oil. No other brand can match its quality, production standards and extended performance at that price point.
Next to Mobil 1, we’re going to talk about 5 more 5W-20 options and make a detailed comparison. Some brands can outperform Mobil 1 in terms of quality but come with a much higher price, while some are far cheaper, yet perfectly suitable for regular use.
No Time for the Full Review? These Are Our Top 3 Picks
| Image | Title | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
Top | Mobil 1 Extended Performance Full Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-20, 5 Quart | Buy Now | |
 | Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20 Motor Oil 5 QT (Packaging May Vary) | Buy Now | |
 | Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-20 Motor Oil (5-Quart, Single Pack) | Buy Now |
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
1. Mobil 1 Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20
We’ve done a lot of motor oil reviews on VehicleFreak, and it seems that every time Mobil 1 makes it into the top 3 picks. Once we get into the benefits of their 5W-20 oil, it’s going to be obvious why Mobil 1 is one of the best and most popular motor oil brands globally.
The motor oil standards are the best way to judge the quality of the product, as performing actual comparison tests would require an immense amount of time and money. The API standard is most important, and Mobil 1’s 5W-20 satisfies the highest class of SP.
Mobil 1 offers multiple 5W-20 oil types: the extended performance we’re talking about here, the Advanced Full Synthetic 10,000-mile oil, High-mileage option, and several others. As we’re focusing on a product rather than brand, I picked the Extended Performance as the best of the lineup.
Key Features
- 20,000-mile protection
- Full-synthetic
- API Service SP
- ILSAC GF-6A
- API Starburst
Mobil 1 Extended Performance Full Synthetic Motor Oil is priced at $38.99 for a 5-quart container, or $7.8 per quart when converted.
If you don’t need the extra mileage protection, the Mobil 1 Advanced Full Synthetic 5W-20 protects for 10k miles and costs just $24.47 for a 5-quart container, which is less than $5 per quart!
2. Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20
Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic 5W-20 is very similar to Mobil 1 in terms of specs, and only a slightly higher price is keeping it from the #1 spot. The American manufacturer is well known in the lubricant business as one of the larger, and more dependable brands with high-quality products.
The Advanced formula features extra detergents that provide 25% more protection against deposits when compared to the industry standards.
It also delivers anti-wear additives that do a superb job at keeping the engine intact. The friction and heat resistance mean that the Valvoline Advanced motor oil will retain its quality from the 1st to the 10,000th mile.
Key Features
- 10,000-mile protection
- Full-synthetic
- API Service SP
- ILSAC GF-6A
- API Starburst
The 5-quart container of Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20 motor oil costs $29.99, or $6 per quart. While that’s better than the $7.8 for the Mobil 1’s option, you should keep in mind that Mobil 1 offers 20,000 miles of protection, and the 10,000-mile option is cheaper at $25 for a 5-quart bottle.
3. Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20 Motor Oil
Pennzoil is one of the most trusted lubricant brands in The United States, and with how consistent their production has been, they’ll keep the title for the years to come.
The Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic line offers a number of benefits: better fuel economy, protection against engine power loss, cleaner pistons and deposit protection, as well as extreme temperature performance.
Pennzoil is also the only company to offer some form of warranty/guarantee on the quality of their oil for 15 years or 500,000 miles.
Key Features
- 10,000-mile protection
- Full-synthetic
- API Service SP
- ILSAC GF-6A
- API Starburst
Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-20 oil costs just $23.97 for a 5-quart bottle, which makes the price-per-quart $4.8. If you like what Pennzoil has to offer and want to commit to one brand for a long time, Pennzoil is the best option because of the long-term warranty plan.
4. Castrol GTX MAGNATEC Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20 Motor Oil
The engine lubricant market has a lot of good options, so much so that we’re bound to leave some good options off this list. However, Castrol GTC MAGNATEC 5W-20 oil is not one of these products and rightfully earns its place as the #4 option.
The strongest suit of Castrol’s MAGNATEC line is the combination of wear protection, sludge resistance, and excellent price. This 5W-20 meets the highest API standard and offers up to 6 times better wear protection than the average industry requirement.
Key Features
- 10,000-mile protection
- Full-synthetic
- API Service SP
- ILSAC GF-6A
- API Starburst
The 5-quart bottle of Castrol GTC Magnatec 5W-20 costs $25.24, or $5 per quart, the same as its competitors. At that price, I could easily recommend it as an alternative to any of the other five 5W-20 products on this list.
5. Royal Purple High Performance Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20 Motor Oil
Royal Purple has never been the cheapest lubricant brand, far from it. They’re usually the most expensive brand, but because of their dedication to making the highest quality motor oil, they’ve managed to carve a significant piece of the market.
What started off as purple-colored motor oil is now one of the high-performance motor oil options on the market. Royal Purple oils are used by motorsport teams and track-day enthusiasts alike because of their increased protection and lubricating properties.
Key Features
- 12,000-mile protection
- Full-synthetic
- API Service SN-Plus
- ILSAC GF-5
- API Starburst
Royal Purple High-Performance 5W-20 Motor Oil costs $47.10 for the five-quart bottle, and $9.4 per quart when converted.
This is almost twice the amount you’d have to pay for some of the other options on this list, but if you’re driving a high-power vehicle, it’s definitely worth considering.
6. Amazon Basics High Mileage Full Synthetic SAE 5W-20 Motor Oil
Making a top-six list gives us the perfect opportunity to include a product that would get pushed back by all the more renowned and popular options. Amazon Basics 5W-20 motor oil is one of these products, and it’s a very good one.
With Warren Distribution handling the manufacturing, Amazon is only there to brand and sell the product at an affordable rate. Their 5W-20 oil is designed for high-mileage vehicles with more than 75,000 miles, as it offers increased protection and wear resistance.
Key Features
- 10,000-mile protection
- Full-synthetic
- API Service SN
- ILSAC GF-5
- API Starburst
Store value brands are generally a great thing, as they can be excellent products at a much more affordable rate.
Unfortunately, Amazon Basic Motor Oil is not. At $25.61 for a 5-quart bottle, it’s far from the cheapest, and its API donut states only API SN protection, not SN+ or SP. I wouldn’t shy away from buying the Amazon Basics High Mileage oil, but it’d have to be on sale.
How To Pick The Right Motor Oil
There are a ton of motor oil options available on the market, with different oil grades, compositions, mileage limits, and other important factors. As we’re talking about the 5W-20 oil, I will assume that we’ve got the oil grade sorted, so I’ll proceed with the other elements.
Oil Composition
Motor oil used to be refined from crude oil and nowadays we call it conventional oil. The synthetic blend was an upgrade to the conventional oil, but nothing beats full synthetic motor oil in terms of quality.
The full synthetic can endure higher temperatures, has a better cold flow rate, and it’s packed full of additives that protect and extend the lifespan of an engine.In 2024, you should only consider full synthetic motor oil, unless you’re driving a very specific oldtimer.
API Category
The API categories are a set of quality standards that motor oil needs to meet. They’re continuously revised and become increasingly more difficult to satisfy. The API category is important for almost all aspects of motor oil, so you can easily judge a product based on its mark.
The three categories we find acceptable in [2022] are SP, SN Plus, and SN. The list started with SA, so the further the second letter is in the alphabet, the better the category. SP is the latest and best standard, but SN Plus and SN are still up to date.
The API Starburst signifies that oil satisfies the standards require to operate in a gasoline-powered engine. While it’s important, I haven’t seen motor oil that doesn’t have it in a long time.
Mileage Limit
The majority of motor oil options can last 12 months at most in terms of time. This has more to do with oxidation and oil decomposition than mileage crossed.
Still, every motor oil has a mileage limit. Most products last 10,000 miles, but there are some 12k, 15k, or even 20k mile motor oils on the market.
I don’t recommend driving over 7,500 miles on the same oil, but if you cross a lot of miles annually, it’s understandable that you’d want to swap oil less frequently. For those circ*mstances, the 20,000-mile motor oils are much better.
Standard or High Mileage Oil
When you’re looking for specific-grade motor oil, the most important distinction is between standard and high-mileage oil.
The standard oil can be used in any car at any mileage, but the specific high mileage options provide better protection to engines with more than 75,000 miles on the odometer.
Use-Specific Oil
The last point we need to discuss is the use-specific oil. This has to do with Asian, European, and high-power vehicles. If you’re driving an import or a sports car, you may want to consider specialized oils that have the right additives, rather than the general 5W-20 oil.
FAQs
Are all 5w20 oils the same?
The 5w-20 oils are the same in terms of viscosity, but there are a lot more factors that make oil.The resistance to heat and chemical degradation, oxidization stabilizers, and synthetic or crude oil refinement are just some of the factors that play a role in making motor oil.
Which engine oil brand is best?
Mobil 1 is arguably the best engine oil brand in the business. Their products are made to the highest industry standards and are among the most affordable, both in 1-quart and larger bottles.
How many miles is 5w20 oil good for?
The mileage limit depends on the oil manufacturer. Most last up to 10,000 miles, but some go up to 12,000, 15,000 and even 20,000 miles.
Even though it’s safe to use the same oil for that long, most drivers prefer to have their service done between 3,000 and 8,000 depending on the type of vehicle.
Time is as important of a factor, since motor oil is only good for 12 months, whether you cross 2,000 or 10,000 miles on it.
Is 5w20 oil good for high mileage?
The 5w20 motor oil is excellent for high-mileage cars, whether you get the standard or high-mileage specific options. Your vehicle’s engine should run on the same oil grade throughout its life, and it’s uncommon to switch oil grades, except if you’re changing the climate you’re living in.
What is the difference between 0W 20 and 5W-20?
The 0W-20 oil is thinner than 5W-20 when cold, which makes it a better option in areas with cold winters.
Can you mix 5W20 and 0W20?
Even though these two oils are as close as you can get in terms of viscosity, they should not be mixed unless you’re in an emergency. There is a solid chance that nothing bad will happen, but I’d never risk the engine of my car for a few dollars worth of price difference.
The 5W-20 is widely available and one of the most popular oil grades, so there’s no need to look for alternatives. If you’d like to, and your car’s manufacturer allows it, you can bleed the old oil, change the oil filter, and refill with 0W-20.
What brand oil does Ford recommend?
Ford recommends Motorcraft oil, a brand under its direct ownership.
It is a good and affordable option, so if you’re driving a Ford, you should strongly consider it.
Summary
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The best 5w20 oil is Mobil 1 Extended Performance Full Synthetic Motor Oil.
It offers the longest protection in terms of mileage (20,000 miles), satisfies the highest API standards (SP category), and while it may be a bit more expensive, it’s definitely worth the cost.
Here are some other related topics for you to check out:
What Is The Best Oil For The 5.7 Hemi Engine?
Pennzoil Platinum Vs Ultra: What’s The Difference?
Royal Purple vs Mobil 1 Oil – Which Is Best?
