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1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II vs Drive-E gasolina: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II carries less risk than the Drive-E gasolina: 19/100 (low risk) versus 43/100 (moderate risk). The 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II has no documented serious faults; the Drive-E gasolina has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «High oil consumption that can damage the turbo».

Risk index

1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II

19

Low risk · 0 serious faults

Lower risk

Risk index

Drive-E gasolina

43

Moderate risk · 1 serious fault

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

16 sourcesHow we work

Is the 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II reliable?

The 1.4 and 1.6 16v GM Daewoo E-TEC II (first-generation Lacetti/Optra and Aveo) have a timing belt and, according to the Polish press, a moderate fault record. Documented issues are faulty valves in the first units (2004-2005), lambda sensor faults and a few cases of oil leaks or oil consumption.[1][2][3]

See the 3 of the 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II faults

Is the Drive-E gasolina reliable?

The Volvo Drive-E petrol engine (2.0-litre 4-cylinder T2-T6/B4-B5 and, since 2018, 1.5-litre 3-cylinder T2-T3/B3) powers almost the entire Volvo range since 2013. Owners mainly document high oil consumption that can damage the turbo, carbon build-up on the intake valves caused by direct injection, and the odd coolant reservoir leak; we have not found Volvo acknowledging these faults with a campaign of its own for the petrol engine.[4][5][6]

See the 4 of the Drive-E gasolina faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II and Drive-E gasolina
1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC IIDrive-E gasolina
Technical data
TypeEngineEngine
FuelPetrolPetrol
Displacement——
TimingTiming belt (dry)Chain
Power83–109 hp122–320 hp
Production2004–2011[7][8][9][10][11]since 2013[4][5][6][12][13][14]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)19Low risk43Moderate risk
Documented faults34
Of high or critical severity01
Worst severityMedium severityHigh severity
Main faults
  1. Medium severity: Faulty valves and ignition faults in the first units (2004-2005)
  2. Low severity: Lambda sensor faults
  3. Low severity: Oil consumption and oil leaks
  1. High severity: High oil consumption that can damage the turbo
  2. Medium severity: Carbon build-up on injectors and intake valves due to direct injection
  3. Medium severity: Leak from the expansion tank or faulty cap in the cooling system
Most expensive documented repairNo reliable dataNo reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions
  • 1.4 and 1.5 8v SOHC (Aveo, 2005-2011)[3][11]
None
With cautionVersions to be cautious about
  • 1.4 16v DOHC 95-101 hp (F14D4/L95, 2004-2011)[1][2][11]
  • 1.6 16v DOHC 103-109 hp (L91/LXT, 2004-2011)[2][11][15]
  • 2.0 T2/T3/T4/T5/T6 and B4/B5 mild hybrid 4-cylinder (B4204T, Drive-E, 2013-present)[4][5][6]
  • 1.5 T2/T3 and B3 mild hybrid 3-cylinder (B3154T, Drive-E, since 2018)[13][14][16]
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

1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II

Drive-E gasolina

See the 10 models with the Drive-E gasolina

Other comparisons

With the 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II

With the Drive-E gasolina

Compare other engines

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Sources

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

  1. Chevrolet Lacetti 1.4 16V - Niełatwo zdobyć zaufanieAuto Świat · Motoring press · published 19 November 2007 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in another language
  2. Bez fajerwerków - Chevrolet Lacetti (2003-2010)AutoCentrum.pl · Motoring press · published 7 April 2012 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in another language
  3. Czy warto kupić: używany Chevrolet Aveo (od 2002 do 2011)AutoCentrum.pl · Motoring press · published 5 March 2013 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in another language
  4. Fiabilité et pannes Volvo XC60 (2008-2017)Fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  5. Volvo XC60 II (ab 2017) – Bekannte Probleme & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Other source · published November 2022 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  6. Volvo V90 – Bekannte Probleme & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Other source · published January 2024 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  7. GM Family 1 engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
  8. Chevrolet LacettiWikipedia · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
  9. Chevrolet LacettiWikipedia (de) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
  10. Chevrolet Aveo (T200)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
  11. Używany Chevrolet Aveo T200/T250 - typowe awarie i problemyWP Autokult · Motoring press · published 28 January 2012 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in another language
  12. Volvo Engine ArchitectureWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  13. Fiabilité et pannes Volvo V40Fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  14. Volvo XC40 (seit 2017) – Typische Probleme & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Other source · published March 2023 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  15. W pierwszych silnikach 1,6 l przecierały się zawory (Chevrolet Lacetti)AutoCentrum.pl (usterki) · Owners' forum · consulted 2 November 2026 · in another language
  16. Fiabilité et pannes Volvo V60Fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French