Internal combustion engine with its combustion chamber walls insulated by thermal barrier coating materials is referred to as low heat rejection engine or LHR engine. The main purpose of this concept is to reduce engine coolant heat losses, hence improve engine performance. Most of the researchers have reported that the thermal coating increases thermal efficiency, and reduces exhaust emissions. In contrast to the above expectations, a few researchers reported that almost there was no improvement in thermal efficiency. This manuscript investigates the contradictory results in order to find out the exact scenario. A wide range of coating materials has been studied in order to justify their feasibility of implementation in engine. The influence of coating material, thickness, and technique on engine performance and emissions has been studied critically to accelerate the LHR engine evolution. The objectives of higher thermal efficiency, improved fuel economy, and lower emissions are accomplishable but much more investigations with improved engine modification, and design are required to explore full potentiality of LHR engine. (c) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.