1.2 8v Fire vs 1.6 THP: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 8v Fire carries less risk than the 1.6 THP: 20/100 (low risk) versus 64/100 (high risk). The 1.2 8v Fire has no documented serious faults; the 1.6 THP has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Timing chain and tensioner stretch (turbo versions, before 2012)».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the 1.2 8v Fire reliable?
The 1.2 8v Fire is one of Fiat's simplest and most widespread petrol engines, with more than two decades in production and no serious or systemic faults documented. The sources consulted describe it as robust: its most-cited issues are isolated sensor failures (lambda sensor, crankshaft sensor), the ignition coil and somewhat high oil consumption at higher mileages; there is no pattern of timing belt breakage.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
See the 4 of the 1.2 8v Fire faultsIs the 1.6 THP reliable?
The 1.6 THP turbo and its naturally aspirated sibling, the 1.6 VTi, make up the Prince family, developed together with BMW and also used by MINI: they do not have a reputation for reliability. Turbo versions built before 2012 carry a known problem of timing chain stretch, and the whole block shares a water pump described as fragile; the turbo versions add oil consumption and high-pressure fuel pump failures.[7][8][9][10]
See the 5 of the 1.6 THP faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.2 8v Fire | 1.6 THP |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,242 cm³ | 1,598 cm³ |
| Timing | Timing belt (dry) | Chain |
| Power | 60–69 hp | 120–270 hp |
| Production | 1999–2020[11][12][13][14] | 2006–2018[7][15][16] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 20Low risk | 64High risk |
| Documented faults | 4 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 0 | 2 |
| Worst severity | Medium severity | Critical severity |
| Main faults |
| |
| Most expensive documented repair | No reliable data | No reliable data |
| Which versions to buy | ||
| BuyRecommended versions | None | |
| With cautionVersions to be cautious about | None | |
| 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 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW B58
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW M54
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW N13
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW N20
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 8v Fire vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 8v Fire vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 8v Fire vs M111
- 1.2 8v Fire vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 8v Fire vs M264/M254
- 1.2 8v Fire vs M260
- 1.2 8v Fire vs M271
- 1.2 8v Fire vs M272/M273
- 1.2 8v Fire vs M270/M274
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.8 TCe
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.2 16v
- 1.2 8v Fire vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 8v Fire vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.2 12V
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 8v Fire vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
With the 1.6 THP
- 1.6 THP vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.6 THP vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.6 THP vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.6 THP vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.6 THP vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.6 THP vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.6 THP vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.6 THP vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.6 THP vs BMW B58
- 1.6 THP vs BMW M54
- 1.6 THP vs BMW N13
- 1.6 THP vs BMW N20
- 1.6 THP vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.6 THP vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.6 THP vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.6 THP vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.6 THP vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.6 THP vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.6 THP vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.6 THP vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.6 THP vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.6 THP vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.6 THP vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.6 THP vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.6 THP vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.6 THP vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.6 THP vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.6 THP vs MZR gasolina
- 1.6 THP vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.6 THP vs M111
- 1.6 THP vs M112 / M113
- 1.6 THP vs M264/M254
- 1.6 THP vs M260
- 1.6 THP vs M271
- 1.6 THP vs M272/M273
- 1.6 THP vs M270/M274
- 1.6 THP vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.6 THP vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.6 THP vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.6 THP vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.6 THP vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.6 THP vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.6 THP vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.6 THP vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.6 THP vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.6 THP vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.6 THP vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.6 THP vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.6 THP vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.6 THP vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.6 THP vs 1.8 TCe
- 1.6 THP vs 1.2 16v
- 1.6 THP vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.6 THP vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.6 THP vs Rover K-Series
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.6 THP vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.6 THP vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.6 THP vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.6 THP vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.6 THP vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.6 THP vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.6 THP vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.6 THP vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.6 THP vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.6 THP vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.6 THP vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.6 THP vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.6 THP vs 1.2 12V
- 1.6 THP vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.6 THP vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.6 THP vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.6 THP 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.
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Fiat Panda (2003-2012)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Fiat Panda (depuis 2012)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Fiat 500Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Fiat Punto (Grande Punto / Punto Evo / Punto)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiat Panda III (seit 2011) – Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published 21 January 2023 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiat 500 (ab 2007) – alle bekannten Probleme & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published 24 November 2023 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Prince engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Distribution : les moteurs à problèmesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · published April 2025 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Moteurs essence qui consomment de l'huileFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · published April 2024 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Liste des moteurs qui ont des soucis de refroidissementFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · published April 2025 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiat FIRE engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Fiat 500 (2007)Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Fiat Grande PuntoWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Ford KaWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Peugeot 308Wikipedia (español) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Peugeot RCZWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- BMW Recalls Fuel Pumps. Mini Does NotMotoringFile · Motoring press · published 27 October 2010 · consulted 27 September 2026