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1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI carries less risk than the 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo: 7/100 versus 18/100 (both low risk). The 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo has no documented serious faults; the 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI has no documented serious faults.

Risk index

1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo

18

Low risk · 0 serious faults

Risk index

1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI

7

Low risk · 0 serious faults

Lower risk

The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated

18 sourcesHow we work

Is the 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo reliable?

The FireFly turbo 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 show no systemic fault in open sources; there are only isolated cases of jerking with replacement of the MultiAir block on the 1.0 and one engine failure on a 1.3. The evidence is thin and is not a guarantee of reliability.[1][2][3]

See the 2 of the 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo faults

Is the 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI reliable?

MG/SAIC's "1.5" covers two different engines: the naturally aspirated VTi-TECH (106 hp), the entry-level engine in the MG ZS, and the turbocharged T-GDI (162-170 hp), found only in the MG HS and as the petrol engine in its plug-in hybrids. Neither has well-documented engine faults in independent sources yet: the complaints published concern electronics, the automatic gearbox and finish, not the engine block.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

See the 2 of the 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo and 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
Technical data
TypeEngineEngine
FuelPetrolPetrol
Displacement1,332 cm³—
TimingChainChain
Power100–180 hp106–170 hp
Productionsince 2018[10]since 2017[4][5][11][12][13]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)18Low risk7Low risk
Documented faults22
Of high or critical severity00
Worst severityMedium severityLow severity
Main faults
  1. Medium severity: Oil consumption and premature turbo wear on the 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4
  2. Medium severity: Jerking and MultiAir block failures on the 1.0 T3
  1. Low severity: Jerky or harsh automatic gearbox shifts when cold or at low speed (MG HS)
  2. Low severity: Electronic warnings and occasional sensor faults (MG HS)
Most expensive documented repairNo reliable dataNo reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions
  • 1.3 GSE T4 Turbo 150-180 hp (FireFly, since 2018)[1][14]
  • 1.3 GSE T4 Turbo plug-in hybrid 4xe (130-180 hp from the petrol engine, since 2021)[15][16]
  • 1.5 VTi-TECH naturally aspirated 106 hp (NSE / NSE Plus, from 2017)[7]
With cautionVersions to be cautious about
  • 1.0 GSE T3 Turbo 100-120 hp (FireFly, since 2018)[1][2]
  • 1.5 T-GDI turbo 162 hp (GS61H, 2018-2024)[8][9][17][18]
  • 1.5 T-GDI turbo 170 hp (15FDE / 15FKE, from 2024)[5]
AvoidVersions to avoidNoneNone

Severity of each fault: green, low; amber, medium; red, high; dark red, critical. How we rate them

Cars that each one is fitted to

1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo

1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI

Other comparisons

With the 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo

With the 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI

Compare other engines

That is the comparison you are viewing: change one of the two engines.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

  1. Fiabilité Jeep: témoignages de propriétairesfiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 29 October 2026 · in French
  2. Fiabilité Fiat: témoignages de propriétairesfiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 29 October 2026 · in French
  3. Broken chain in Firefly 1.0 engineFiat Forum · Owners' forum · consulted 30 October 2026
  4. MG ZS (crossover)Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  5. MG HSWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  6. Essai complet : MG ZSFiches-Auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  7. Fiabilité et pannes du MG ZSFiches-Auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  8. Fiabilité et pannes du MG eHSFiches-Auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  9. MG HS PHEV: guía definitiva de problemas y soluciones del SUV, el híbrido enchufable más vendidoAutopista.es · Motoring press · published 10 November 2025 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  10. Fiat Global Small EngineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 29 October 2026
  11. MG HSWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  12. MG HSWikipedia (francés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  13. List of General Motors enginesWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  14. Problemas Jeep CompassTotal Renting · Other source · consulted 29 October 2026 · in Spanish
  15. Jeep Renegade Problemecarwiki.de · Other source · consulted 29 October 2026 · in German
  16. Jeep Renegade 4xe plug-in hybrid reliability and safetyDriving Electric · Motoring press · consulted 29 October 2026
  17. MG – Common problems (llamadas a revisión de la UE y del Reino Unido)car-recalls.eu · Other source · consulted 30 October 2026
  18. MG HS SUV (2019-2024) Exclusive 1.5T-GDI 5d: opinión de propietario (10 jun 2022)Parkers · Owners' forum · published 10 June 2022 · consulted 30 October 2026