1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 16v: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 16v carries less risk than the 1.4/1.6 VTi: 36/100 (moderate risk) versus 52/100 (high risk). The 1.4/1.6 VTi has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Fragile water pump (and expansion tank or heat exchanger, depending on displacement)»; 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 1.4/1.6 VTi reliable?
The 1.4 VTi and 1.6 VTi are the naturally aspirated versions of the Prince family, developed by PSA together with BMW and also used by MINI. They do not have a reputation for particular reliability: fiches-auto.fr documents frequent oil consumption in both displacements and a fragile water pump, later inherited by the turbocharged 1.6 THP; according to a German garage, the timing chain can also wear in any version, although the most reported cases are on the turbo engine.[1][2][3]
See the 3 of the 1.4/1.6 VTi 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 | 1.4/1.6 VTi | 1.2 16v |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | — | 1,149 cm³ |
| Timing | Chain | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 90–121 hp | 60–76 hp |
| Production | 2006–2015[8] | 2001–2020[9][10][11][12] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 52High risk | 36Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 3 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 2 | 1 |
| Worst severity | Critical 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 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW B58
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW M54
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW N13
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW N20
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 / 1.2 Turbo (GEM)
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs MZR gasolina
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs M111
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs M112 / M113
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs M264/M254
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs M260
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs M271
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs M272/M273
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs M270/M274
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Porsche M96/M97
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.6 THP
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.8 TCe
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 8v
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Rover K-Series
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.2 12V
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- 1.4/1.6 VTi vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
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 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 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 1.0 / 1.2 Turbo (GEM)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- 1.2 16v vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- 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 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- 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 M270/M274
- 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 MA1 / 9A1
- 1.2 16v vs Porsche M96/M97
- 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 1.6 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 1.8 TCe
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 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 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
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
Compare other engines
Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- Moteurs essence qui consomment de l'huileFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Liste des moteurs qui ont des soucis de refroidissementFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Tickende Zeitbombe: So zuverlässig ist der Prince-Motor von PSA und BMWGebrauchtwagenberater.de · 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
- Prince engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- 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