0.9 TCe vs 1.2 8v: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 8v carries less risk than the 0.9 TCe: 36/100 versus 49/100 (both moderate risk). The 0.9 TCe has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Coolant leak at the thermostat housing»; the 1.2 8v has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Damaged cylinder head gasket (coolant loss and overheating)».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the 0.9 TCe reliable?
The 0.9 TCe (H4Bt) is a three-cylinder turbo with a good reliability reputation, better than that of its sibling the 1.2 TCe: it does not share the same oil consumption or the same rate of chain problems. Its most-cited weak point is a coolant leak at the thermostat housing, which if ignored can end up damaging the head gasket; chain, turbo and lambda sensor cases appear less often.[1][2]
See the 5 of the 0.9 TCe faultsIs the 1.2 8v reliable?
The 1.2 8v (D7F) is a simple naturally aspirated engine of 54 to 60 hp, with a timing belt, which Renault fitted from 1996 to the Twingo, Clio II and Kangoo. No catastrophic failures are documented; what owner reviews mention most often are the sensors, the cylinder head gasket, the coil packs and the occasional oil drip.[3][4][5]
See the 5 of the 1.2 8v faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 0.9 TCe | 1.2 8v |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 898 cm³ | 1,149 cm³ |
| Timing | Chain | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 90 hp | 54–60 hp |
| Production | 2012–2024[1][2][6][7][8] | 1996–2012[9][10][11][12] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 49Moderate risk | 36Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 3 | 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 | None |
| With cautionVersions to be cautious about | ||
| 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 0.9 TCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 PureTech
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 PureTech
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 TCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.3 TCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 0.9 TCe vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW B38 / B37
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW B48 / B38
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW B58
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW M54
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N13
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N20
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N43/N46
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N52 / N53
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N54/N55
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N62 / N63
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 / 1.2 Turbo (GEM)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- 0.9 TCe vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 0.9 TCe vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 0.9 TCe vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 0.9 TCe vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs MZR gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs Skyactiv-G
- 0.9 TCe vs M111
- 0.9 TCe vs M112 / M113
- 0.9 TCe vs M264/M254
- 0.9 TCe vs M260
- 0.9 TCe vs M271
- 0.9 TCe vs M272/M273
- 0.9 TCe vs M270/M274
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 0.9 TCe vs MIVEC gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 0.9 TCe vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- 0.9 TCe vs Porsche M96/M97
- 0.9 TCe vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 THP
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 TCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 16v
- 0.9 TCe vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 0.9 TCe vs Rover K-Series
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 0.9 TCe vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs Drive-E gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 MPI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 12V
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 T 20v
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 FSI
- 0.9 TCe vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
With the 1.2 8v
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 8v vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 8v vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 8v vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 8v vs BMW B58
- 1.2 8v vs BMW M54
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N13
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N20
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 / 1.2 Turbo (GEM)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- 1.2 8v vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 8v vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 8v vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 8v vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 8v vs M111
- 1.2 8v vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 8v vs M264/M254
- 1.2 8v vs M260
- 1.2 8v vs M271
- 1.2 8v vs M272/M273
- 1.2 8v vs M270/M274
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 8v vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 8v vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- 1.2 8v vs Porsche M96/M97
- 1.2 8v vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 TCe
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 16v
- 1.2 8v vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 8v vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 8v vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 12V
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 8v vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- 1.2 8v 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.
- Fiabilité des 0.9 TCeFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Moteur H Renault-NissanWikipedia (francés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité Renault Clio 2 : pannes et avis des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité Renault Twingo 1993-2006 : pannes et avis des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité Renault Twingo 2 (2007-2014) : pannes et avis des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Mercedes-Benz M281 engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Renault ClioWikipedia (español) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Dacia SanderoWikipedia (español) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Moteur D (Renault)Wikipédia (francés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Renault Clio IIWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Renault TwingoWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Renault Twingo IWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Renault Twingo (ab 1993): Schwachstellen laut TÜV-AuswertungAUTO BILD · Motoring press · published February 2002 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German