1.2 8v Fire vs 1.8 T 20v: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 8v Fire carries less risk than the 1.8 T 20v: 20/100 (low risk) versus 32/100 (moderate risk). The 1.2 8v Fire has no documented serious faults; the 1.8 T 20v has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Turbo wear and oil consumption».
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 1.8 T 20v reliable?
With up-to-date maintenance, the 20-valve 1.8T has a reputation as a powerful, durable engine for its time, but owner reports document recurring faults: ignition coils (especially on 2001 to 2003 units), water pump and air mass meter, and less often the turbo -sometimes linked to growing oil consumption- and the timing chain tensioner.[7][8][9][10][11][12]
See the 5 of the 1.8 T 20v faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.2 8v Fire | 1.8 T 20v |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,242 cm³ | 1,781 cm³ |
| Timing | Timing belt (dry) | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 60–69 hp | 150–225 hp |
| Production | 1999–2020[13][14][15][16] | 1996–2006[17][18][19][20] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 20Low risk | 32Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 4 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 0 | 1 |
| Worst severity | Medium severity | High 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 1.6 THP
- 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 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 8v Fire vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
With the 1.8 T 20v
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.8 T 20v vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW B58
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW M54
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N13
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N20
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.8 T 20v vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.8 T 20v vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.8 T 20v vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs MZR gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.8 T 20v vs M111
- 1.8 T 20v vs M112 / M113
- 1.8 T 20v vs M264/M254
- 1.8 T 20v vs M260
- 1.8 T 20v vs M271
- 1.8 T 20v vs M272/M273
- 1.8 T 20v vs M270/M274
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.8 T 20v vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.8 T 20v vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 THP
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.8 T 20v vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.8 TCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 16v
- 1.8 T 20v vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.8 T 20v vs Rover K-Series
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.8 T 20v vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 12V
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.8 T 20v 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
- Fiabilité et pannes Volkswagen Golf IVFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Volkswagen PassatFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Audi A3Fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Audi TTFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Seat LeónFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Seat Leon Mk1: Probleme, Schwachstellen, ErfahrungenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- 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
- List of Volkswagen Group petrol enginesWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Audi TTWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- SEAT LeónWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- SEAT ToledoWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026