1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 12V: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 12V carries less risk than the 1.6 EcoBoost: 57/100 versus 59/100 (both high risk). The 1.6 EcoBoost has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Cracked cylinder head from overheating, with fire risk»; the 1.2 12V has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Timing chain stretch and tensioner wear».
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 1.2 12V reliable?
The 1.2 12V is a simple, low-power, naturally aspirated three-cylinder engine (54-70 hp), with two documented design faults: the timing chain tensioner, which can end up destroying the engine, and -on the Volkswagen Polo IV- a catalytic converter too close to the cylinder head that can burn the exhaust valves. Ignition coil failures are also common, and there are isolated cases of oil consumption and vibration.[4][5][6][7][8]
See the 5 of the 1.2 12V faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.6 EcoBoost | 1.2 12V |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,596 cm³ | 1,198 cm³ |
| Timing | Timing belt (dry) | Chain |
| Power | 120–200 hp | 54–70 hp |
| Production | 2010–2019[1][9] | 2001–2014[4][10][11] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 59High risk | 57High risk |
| Documented faults | 4 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 3 | 2 |
| Worst severity | Critical severity | Critical 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 1.8 TCe
- 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 Rover K-Series
- 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 1.4 16v and 1.6 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 1.2 12V
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 12V vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 12V vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 12V vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 12V vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 12V vs BMW B58
- 1.2 12V vs BMW M54
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N13
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N20
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 12V vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 12V vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 12V vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 12V vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 12V vs M111
- 1.2 12V vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 12V vs M264/M254
- 1.2 12V vs M260
- 1.2 12V vs M271
- 1.2 12V vs M272/M273
- 1.2 12V vs M270/M274
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 12V vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 12V vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 12V vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 12V vs 1.8 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 16v
- 1.2 12V vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 12V vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 12V vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 12V 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
- VW Polo 4 (9N): Typische Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Volkswagen Polo 4Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Seat Ibiza (2008-2017)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Seat Ibiza III (2002-2008): Bekannte Probleme & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Seat Ibiza (2002-2008)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Volvo S60Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- VW EA111Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- VW Polo IVWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- 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
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Volkswagen Polo 5Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Skoda Fabia 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French