1.6 EcoBoost vs Rover K-Series: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the Rover K-Series carries less risk than the 1.6 EcoBoost: 46/100 (moderate risk) versus 59/100 (high risk). The 1.6 EcoBoost has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Cracked cylinder head from overheating, with fire risk»; the Rover K-Series has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Head gasket failure».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the 1.6 EcoBoost reliable?
It is a turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinder that Ford used between 2010 and 2018 as a mid-range step across much of its European line-up, and which Volvo sold under its own T3/T4 designations. Its most serious fault is overheating caused by a loss of coolant circulation that can crack the cylinder head and cause a fire: Ford has recalled cars in South Africa and in the US/Canada, although we have not confirmed an equivalent campaign in Spain.[1][2][3]
See the 4 of the 1.6 EcoBoost faultsIs the Rover K-Series reliable?
The Rover K-Series has one very well-known fault: the head gasket, which according to Diariomotor can fail at under 100,000 km and which technical sources link to a small cooling circuit and a badly placed thermostat. The usual repair uses the multi-layer (MLS) gasket developed for the Freelander; the other two documented faults (sunken liners and coolant leaks) are related to that same circuit.[4][5][6][7]
See the 3 of the Rover K-Series faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.6 EcoBoost | Rover K-Series |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,596 cm³ | — |
| Timing | Timing belt (dry) | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 120–200 hp | 60–160 hp |
| Production | 2010–2019[1][8] | 1990–2005[5][9] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 59High risk | 46Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 4 | 3 |
| Of high or critical severity | 3 | 2 |
| Worst severity | Critical severity | High severity |
| Main faults |
|
|
| Most expensive documented repair | No reliable data | No reliable data |
| Which versions to buy | ||
| BuyRecommended versions | None | None |
| With cautionVersions to be cautious about | ||
| AvoidVersions to avoid | None | None |
Severity of each fault: green, low; amber, medium; red, high; dark red, critical. How we rate them
Cars that each one is fitted to
Other comparisons
With the 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW B58
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW M54
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N13
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N20
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs MZR gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M111
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M112 / M113
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M264/M254
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M260
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M271
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M272/M273
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M270/M274
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 THP
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 16v
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 12V
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
With the Rover K-Series
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 PureTech
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 PureTech
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 TCe
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- Rover K-Series vs 1.3 TCe
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- Rover K-Series vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- Rover K-Series vs BMW B38 / B37
- Rover K-Series vs BMW B48 / B38
- Rover K-Series vs BMW B58
- Rover K-Series vs BMW M54
- Rover K-Series vs BMW N13
- Rover K-Series vs BMW N20
- Rover K-Series vs BMW N43/N46
- Rover K-Series vs BMW N52 / N53
- Rover K-Series vs BMW N54/N55
- Rover K-Series vs BMW N62 / N63
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 8v Fire
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4 T-Jet
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- Rover K-Series vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- Rover K-Series vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- Rover K-Series vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- Rover K-Series vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- Rover K-Series vs Honda IMA híbrido
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 T-GDI
- Rover K-Series vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- Rover K-Series vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- Rover K-Series vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- Rover K-Series vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- Rover K-Series vs MZR gasolina
- Rover K-Series vs Skyactiv-G
- Rover K-Series vs M111
- Rover K-Series vs M112 / M113
- Rover K-Series vs M264/M254
- Rover K-Series vs M260
- Rover K-Series vs M271
- Rover K-Series vs M272/M273
- Rover K-Series vs M270/M274
- Rover K-Series vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- Rover K-Series vs MIVEC gasolina
- Rover K-Series vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- Rover K-Series vs 1.6 DIG-T
- Rover K-Series vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- Rover K-Series vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4 Turbo
- Rover K-Series vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- Rover K-Series vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- Rover K-Series vs 1.6 THP
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- Rover K-Series vs 0.9 TCe
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 16v
- Rover K-Series vs E-Tech Híbrido
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- Rover K-Series vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- Rover K-Series vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 VVT-i
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 Turbo
- Rover K-Series vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- Rover K-Series vs 1.5 Hybrid
- Rover K-Series vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- Rover K-Series vs 1.8 Hybrid
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- Rover K-Series vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- Rover K-Series vs Drive-E gasolina
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 MPI
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 12V
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- Rover K-Series vs 1.8 T 20v
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 FSI
- Rover K-Series vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
Compare other engines
Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- Ford EcoBoost engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- The Largest Ford EcoBoost Recalls In 15 Years Of ProductionCarBuzz · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026
- Ford KugaWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Guía de compra del MG TF de segunda manoDiariomotor · Motoring press · published 7 November 2023 · consulted 8 October 2026 · in Spanish
- MG TF (2002)Wikipedia (en) · Other source · consulted 8 October 2026
- Choosing the correct K Series Head Gasket KitDMGRS · Technical documentation · consulted 8 October 2026
- Cooling and heating (K-Series: ZR, ZS, ZT, MGF, TF)MGOC Spares · Technical documentation · consulted 8 October 2026
- Volvo S60Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Rover K-series engineWikipedia (en) · Other source · consulted 8 October 2026
- Fiabilité et pannes Ford Mondeo 3Fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Ford S-MaxFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Ford Fiesta STWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Fiabilité et pannes Volvo S60Fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- MG ZR ZS ZT & Modern Engine & FuelMGOC Spares · Technical documentation · consulted 8 October 2026
- MGF & TF Headgasket Repair KitsMGOC Spares · Technical documentation · consulted 8 October 2026