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1.3 TCe vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power: which engine is more reliable?

The 1.3 TCe and the 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power tie on our risk index: 36/100 (moderate risk). The 1.3 TCe has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Turbo actuator (wastegate) fault»; the 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Safe mode due to battery controller calibration (loss of propulsion)».

Risk index

1.3 TCe

36

Moderate risk · 2 serious faults

Risk index

1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power

36

Moderate risk · 3 serious faults

The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated

13 sourcesHow we work

Is the 1.3 TCe reliable?

The 1.3 TCe / 1.3 DIG-T (H5Ht at Renault and Dacia, HR13DDT at Nissan, M282 at Mercedes-Benz), developed with Daimler since 2018, has a clearly better record than its predecessor, the 1.2 TCe: no oil consumption or chain problems have been documented. It had manufacturing defects that have since been corrected (injectors, calibration, turbo, timing) and, on the Captur II and Clio V, a fuel pump fuse failure with no confirmed official fix.[1][2][3]

See the 5 of the 1.3 TCe faults

Is the 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power reliable?

There is still little reliability data: the three-cylinder 1.5 VC-Turbo only generates electricity and no mechanical faults are known in Europe. The documented weak points are in the e-Power electronics: battery campaigns and isolated cases of immobilisation.[4][5][6]

See the 4 of the 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.3 TCe and 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
1.3 TCe1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
Technical data
TypeEngineEngine
FuelPetrolPetrol
Displacement1,332 cm³1,497 cm³
TimingChain—
Power109–163 hp190–213 hp
Productionsince 2018[3][7][8][9]since 2022[10][11][12][13]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)36Moderate risk36Moderate risk
Documented faults54
Of high or critical severity23
Worst severityHigh severityHigh severity
Main faults
  1. High severity: Turbo actuator (wastegate) fault
  2. High severity: Blown fuel pump fuse
  3. Medium severity: Unstable idle, juddering and stalling caused by the injectors
  1. High severity: Safe mode due to battery controller calibration (loss of propulsion)
  2. High severity: Fuel line that slips out of its clip and may leak
  3. Medium severity: e-Power warning and limited mode due to incorrect state-of-charge reading
Most expensive documented repairup to €700Turbo actuator (wastegate) faultPublished figure[1][2]No reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions
  • 1.3 TCe / 1.3 DIG-T 109-163 and Mild Hybrid (H5Ht / HR13DDT / M282, corrected production from 2020)[1]
None
With cautionVersions to be cautious about
  • 1.3 TCe / 1.3 DIG-T 109-163 (H5Ht / HR13DDT / M282, first series 2018-2020)[1]
  • 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power 190 hp (Qashqai J12, since 2022)[4][5][6]
  • 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power 204 hp (X-Trail T33, front-wheel drive, since 2022)[4][10]
  • 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power e-4ORCE 213 hp (X-Trail T33, all-wheel drive, since 2022)[10][12]
AvoidVersions to avoidNoneNone

Severity of each fault: green, low; amber, medium; red, high; dark red, critical. How we rate them

Cars that each one is fitted to

1.3 TCe

See the 18 models with the 1.3 TCe

1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power

Other comparisons

With the 1.3 TCe

With the 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power

Compare other engines

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Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

  1. Renault-Dacia. Quel bilan fiabilité pour le moteur 1.3 TCe ?L'argus · Motoring press · published 5 April 2021 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  2. Fiabilité moteur 1.3 TCeAuto Platinium · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  3. Moteur H Renault-NissanWikipedia (francés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  4. Fiabilidad y averías del Nissan Qashqai 3 (2021)fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 29 October 2026 · in French
  5. Nissan Qashqai: richiamo per la batteria del sistema ibridoalVolante · Motoring press · published 4 August 2026 · consulted 29 October 2026 · in Italian
  6. Nissanowski SUV z usterką systemu zarządzania akumulatoremAutokatalog.pl · Motoring press · published 2025 · consulted 29 October 2026 · in another language
  7. Nissan HR engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  8. Mercedes-Benz M282 engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  9. Renault Scenic Zen TCe 103 kW (140 CV) GPF (2020-2021): precio y ficha técnicakm77 · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  10. Nissan X-Trail - WikipediaWikipedia · Other source · consulted 29 October 2026
  11. Nissan KR engine - WikipediaWikipedia · Other source · consulted 29 October 2026
  12. Nissan X-Trail (T33) - Wikipedia (versión alemana)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 29 October 2026 · in German
  13. Nissan z novim Qashqaijem uvaja e-Power v EvropiRTV Slovenija · General press · published 19 February 2021 · consulted 29 October 2026 · in another language