M50 and M52 vs Rover K-Series: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the Rover K-Series carries less risk than the M50 and M52: 46/100 (moderate risk) versus 52/100 (high risk). The M50 and M52 has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Cooling system failure (expansion tank, thermostat, pump and radiator)»; 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 M50 and M52 reliable?
The M52 and its predecessor the M50 are six-cylinder petrol engines that the sources describe as durable: Enginescope considers 300,000 km routine with the cooling circuit looked after. Watch the plastic cooling parts, VANOS, crankcase ventilation and oil leaks and, in the aluminium-block M52s built from 1995 to March 1998, cylinder wear caused by sulphur (Nikasil).[1][2][3]
See the 5 of the M50 and M52 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 | M50 and M52 | Rover K-Series |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | — | — |
| Timing | Chain | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 150–193 hp | 60–160 hp |
| Production | 1990–2001[8][9][10][11] | 1990–2005[5][12] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 52High risk | 46Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 3 |
| Of high or critical severity | 2 | 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 M50 and M52
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 PureTech
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 PureTech
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 TCe
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 1.3 TCe
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- M50 and M52 vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- M50 and M52 vs 2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v
- M50 and M52 vs BMW B38 / B37
- M50 and M52 vs BMW B48 / B38
- M50 and M52 vs BMW B58
- M50 and M52 vs M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9
- M50 and M52 vs BMW M54
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N13
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N20
- M50 and M52 vs N42 and N45 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N43/N46
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N52 / N53
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N54/N55
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N62 / N63
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 T-Jet
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 2.3 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0-1.6 8v Endura-E, Duratec 8v and RoCam
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec-E
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 and 1.2 de 3 cilindros (Onix and Tracker)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- M50 and M52 vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- M50 and M52 vs Family II 2.0 and 2.4 gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- M50 and M52 vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- M50 and M52 vs Honda IMA híbrido
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 T-GDI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 / 2.0 Beta II
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 / 2.0 Nu
- M50 and M52 vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs MZR gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs Skyactiv-G
- M50 and M52 vs M111
- M50 and M52 vs M112 / M113
- M50 and M52 vs M264/M254
- M50 and M52 vs M266 (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0 Turbo)
- M50 and M52 vs M260
- M50 and M52 vs M271
- M50 and M52 vs M272/M273
- M50 and M52 vs M270/M274
- M50 and M52 vs M276
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- M50 and M52 vs MIVEC gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 DIG-T
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5/1.6/1.8 QG
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- M50 and M52 vs 2.2 Ecotec gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- M50 and M52 vs Porsche M96/M97
- M50 and M52 vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 THP
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW7/EW10/EW12
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 and 2.0 XU
- M50 and M52 vs 0.9 TCe
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 TCe
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 16v
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 8v
- M50 and M52 vs E-Tech Híbrido
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 Hybrid
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 Hybrid
- M50 and M52 vs 2.7 and 4.0 gasolina (2TR-FE and 1GR-FE)
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- M50 and M52 vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs Drive-E gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 MPI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 12V
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 T 20v
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 FSI
- M50 and M52 vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- M50 and M52 vs 2.3 VR5 (V5)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
- M50 and M52 vs VR6
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 1.6 EcoBoost
- Rover K-Series vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- Rover K-Series vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- Rover K-Series vs 2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v
- Rover K-Series vs BMW B38 / B37
- Rover K-Series vs BMW B48 / B38
- Rover K-Series vs BMW B58
- Rover K-Series vs M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9
- Rover K-Series vs BMW M54
- Rover K-Series vs BMW N13
- Rover K-Series vs BMW N20
- Rover K-Series vs N42 and N45 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
- 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 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 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 2.0 EcoBoost
- Rover K-Series vs 2.3 EcoBoost
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0-1.6 8v Endura-E, Duratec 8v and RoCam
- Rover K-Series vs 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec-E
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 and 1.2 de 3 cilindros (Onix and Tracker)
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- Rover K-Series vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- Rover K-Series vs Family II 2.0 and 2.4 gasolina
- 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 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- Rover K-Series vs 1.8 / 2.0 Beta II
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- Rover K-Series vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- Rover K-Series vs 1.8 / 2.0 Nu
- 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 M266 (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0 Turbo)
- 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 M276
- 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 1.5/1.6/1.8 QG
- 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 2.2 Ecotec gasolina
- Rover K-Series vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- Rover K-Series vs Porsche M96/M97
- 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 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW7/EW10/EW12
- Rover K-Series vs 1.8 and 2.0 XU
- 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 1.8 TCe
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 16v
- Rover K-Series vs 1.2 8v
- 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 2.7 and 4.0 gasolina (2TR-FE and 1GR-FE)
- 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 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
- Rover K-Series vs 2.3 VR5 (V5)
- Rover K-Series vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- Rover K-Series vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
- Rover K-Series vs VR6
Compare other engines
Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- BMW 3 Series E36 320i (M52B20): reliabilityEnginescope · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
- BMW M52 reliabilityAutoscore · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
- BMW M52 Engine: Performance, Reliability, and TuningBMWBlog · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 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
- BMW M52Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
- BMW M52Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- BMW M50Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
- BMW M50Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Rover K-series engineWikipedia (en) · Other source · consulted 8 October 2026
- BMW M50 / M52: problemas conocidosEnginescope · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
- Der BMW M50 Motor: Technische Daten, Probleme, Haltbarkeit & FahrzeuglisteCarWiki.de · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- BMW Z3 Reliability Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before BuyingEuro Premium Parts · Technical documentation · consulted 2 November 2026
- 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