M270/M274 vs 1.2 16v: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 16v carries less risk than the M270/M274: 36/100 versus 43/100 (both moderate risk). The M270/M274 has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Camshaft breakage due to a defective weld (2015 units)»; the 1.2 16v has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Damaged head gasket and coolant loss».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the M270/M274 reliable?
The M270 (transverse, front-wheel drive) and the M274 (longitudinal, rear-wheel drive) are the family of turbocharged, direct-injection 4-cylinder engines that Mercedes-Benz has fitted since 2011 in 1.6 and 2.0 litres. They are generally solid engines —the timing chain no longer gives trouble— but with documented faults: camshaft breakage caused by a defective weld (2015) and, on the M274, oil leaking from the camshaft adjuster into the connector.[1][2][3]
See the 5 of the M270/M274 faultsIs the 1.2 16v reliable?
The 1.2 16v (D4F) and its 8-valve predecessor, the D7F, are simple naturally aspirated engines, used for over two decades as the entry-level option in Renault and Dacia cars, with a reputation for reliability: the reliability pages consulted document no catastrophic failures and no oil consumption. The most-cited problems are ignition coils and sensors and, on higher-mileage cars, the head gasket.[4][5][6][7]
See the 5 of the 1.2 16v faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | M270/M274 | 1.2 16v |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,991 cm³ | 1,149 cm³ |
| Timing | Chain | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 102–245 hp | 60–76 hp |
| Production | since 2011[1][8] | 2001–2020[9][10][11][12] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 43Moderate risk | 36Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 1 | 1 |
| Worst severity | Critical severity | High severity |
| Main faults |
|
|
| Most expensive documented repair | up to €500NOx sensor failure (code P2200) on the M274Published figure[2] | 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 M270/M274
- M270/M274 vs 1.2 PureTech
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 PureTech
- M270/M274 vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- M270/M274 vs 1.2 TCe
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- M270/M274 vs 1.3 TCe
- M270/M274 vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- M270/M274 vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- M270/M274 vs BMW B38 / B37
- M270/M274 vs BMW B48 / B38
- M270/M274 vs BMW B58
- M270/M274 vs BMW M54
- M270/M274 vs BMW N13
- M270/M274 vs BMW N20
- M270/M274 vs BMW N43/N46
- M270/M274 vs BMW N52 / N53
- M270/M274 vs BMW N54/N55
- M270/M274 vs BMW N62 / N63
- M270/M274 vs 1.2 8v Fire
- M270/M274 vs 1.4 T-Jet
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- M270/M274 vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- M270/M274 vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- M270/M274 vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- M270/M274 vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- M270/M274 vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- M270/M274 vs Honda IMA híbrido
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 T-GDI
- M270/M274 vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- M270/M274 vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- M270/M274 vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- M270/M274 vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- M270/M274 vs MZR gasolina
- M270/M274 vs Skyactiv-G
- M270/M274 vs M111
- M270/M274 vs M112 / M113
- M270/M274 vs M264/M254
- M270/M274 vs M260
- M270/M274 vs M271
- M270/M274 vs M272/M273
- M270/M274 vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- M270/M274 vs MIVEC gasolina
- M270/M274 vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- M270/M274 vs 1.6 DIG-T
- M270/M274 vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- M270/M274 vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- M270/M274 vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- M270/M274 vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- M270/M274 vs 1.4 Turbo
- M270/M274 vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- M270/M274 vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- M270/M274 vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- M270/M274 vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- M270/M274 vs 1.6 THP
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- M270/M274 vs 0.9 TCe
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- M270/M274 vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- M270/M274 vs E-Tech Híbrido
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- M270/M274 vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- M270/M274 vs Rover K-Series
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- M270/M274 vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- M270/M274 vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- M270/M274 vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 VVT-i
- M270/M274 vs 1.2 Turbo
- M270/M274 vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- M270/M274 vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- M270/M274 vs 1.5 Hybrid
- M270/M274 vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- M270/M274 vs 1.8 Hybrid
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- M270/M274 vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- M270/M274 vs Drive-E gasolina
- M270/M274 vs 1.0 MPI
- M270/M274 vs 1.2 12V
- M270/M274 vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- M270/M274 vs 1.8 T 20v
- M270/M274 vs 2.0 FSI
- M270/M274 vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
With the 1.2 16v
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 16v vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 16v vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B58
- 1.2 16v vs BMW M54
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N13
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N20
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 16v vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 16v vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 16v vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 16v vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 16v vs M111
- 1.2 16v vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 16v vs M264/M254
- 1.2 16v vs M260
- 1.2 16v vs M271
- 1.2 16v vs M272/M273
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 16v vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 16v vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 16v vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 16v vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 16v vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 16v vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 12V
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 16v 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.
- Mercedes-Benz M270 engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Mercedes M274: Typische Probleme & HaltbarkeitGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Mercedes M270: Typische Probleme & HaltbarkeitGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault Clio 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault Clio 3Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia Sandero 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Maxi-fiche fiabilité : la Renault Twingo 2Caradisiac · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Mercedes-Benz Clase A (2012): información técnicakm77 · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Moteur D RenaultWikipédia (francés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Anexo:Motores de RenaultWikipedia (español) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Renault TwingoWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Renault Clio IIWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault KangooFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia LoganFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia SanderoFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia Logan 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French