Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 12V: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the Skyactiv-G carries less risk than the 1.2 12V: 25/100 (moderate risk) versus 57/100 (high risk). The Skyactiv-G has no documented serious faults; the 1.2 12V has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Timing chain stretch and tensioner wear».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the Skyactiv-G reliable?
The Skyactiv-G is a naturally aspirated petrol engine that the German specialist press consistently describes as reliable, with no documented pattern of serious engine faults in any Mazda model reviewed. Its weak point, shared with almost any direct-injection petrol engine, is carbon build-up in the intake; in addition, 2017-2020 units had recalls for software and for the fuel pump, since fixed by the manufacturer.[1][2][3][4]
See the 5 of the Skyactiv-G faultsIs the 1.2 12V reliable?
The 1.2 12V is a simple, low-power, naturally aspirated three-cylinder engine (54-70 hp), with two documented design faults: the timing chain tensioner, which can end up destroying the engine, and -on the Volkswagen Polo IV- a catalytic converter too close to the cylinder head that can burn the exhaust valves. Ignition coil failures are also common, and there are isolated cases of oil consumption and vibration.[5][6][7][8][9]
See the 5 of the 1.2 12V faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | Skyactiv-G | 1.2 12V |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | — | 1,198 cm³ |
| Timing | Chain | Chain |
| Power | 75–187 hp | 54–70 hp |
| Production | since 2011[1][10] | 2001–2014[5][11][12] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 25Moderate risk | 57High risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 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 Skyactiv-G
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 PureTech
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 PureTech
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 TCe
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.3 TCe
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- Skyactiv-G vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW B38 / B37
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW B48 / B38
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW B58
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW M54
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW N13
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW N20
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW N43/N46
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW N52 / N53
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW N54/N55
- Skyactiv-G vs BMW N62 / N63
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 8v Fire
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.4 T-Jet
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- Skyactiv-G vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- Skyactiv-G vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- Skyactiv-G vs Honda IMA híbrido
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 T-GDI
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- Skyactiv-G vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- Skyactiv-G vs MZR gasolina
- Skyactiv-G vs M111
- Skyactiv-G vs M112 / M113
- Skyactiv-G vs M264/M254
- Skyactiv-G vs M260
- Skyactiv-G vs M271
- Skyactiv-G vs M272/M273
- Skyactiv-G vs M270/M274
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- Skyactiv-G vs MIVEC gasolina
- Skyactiv-G vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.6 DIG-T
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.4 Turbo
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- Skyactiv-G vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.6 THP
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- Skyactiv-G vs 0.9 TCe
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 16v
- Skyactiv-G vs E-Tech Híbrido
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- Skyactiv-G vs Rover K-Series
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 VVT-i
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.2 Turbo
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.5 Hybrid
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.8 Hybrid
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- Skyactiv-G vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- Skyactiv-G vs Drive-E gasolina
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.0 MPI
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- Skyactiv-G vs 1.8 T 20v
- Skyactiv-G vs 2.0 FSI
- Skyactiv-G vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
With the 1.2 12V
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 12V vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 12V vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 12V vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 12V vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 12V vs BMW B58
- 1.2 12V vs BMW M54
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N13
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N20
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 12V vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 12V vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 12V vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 12V vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs M111
- 1.2 12V vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 12V vs M264/M254
- 1.2 12V vs M260
- 1.2 12V vs M271
- 1.2 12V vs M272/M273
- 1.2 12V vs M270/M274
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 12V vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 12V vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 12V vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 16v
- 1.2 12V vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 12V vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 12V vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 12V 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.
- SkyactivWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Mazda 3 (BM/BN, 2013-2019) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Mazda 6 (GJ, III) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Mazda CX-5 II (KF) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- VW Polo 4 (9N): Typische Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Volkswagen Polo 4Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Seat Ibiza (2008-2017)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Seat Ibiza III (2002-2008): Bekannte Probleme & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Seat Ibiza (2002-2008)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- List of Mazda enginesWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- VW EA111Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- VW Polo IVWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Mazda 2 (DJ) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Mazda 3 IV (BP) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Volkswagen Polo 5Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Skoda Fabia 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French