1.2 16v vs 1.8 T 20v: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.8 T 20v carries less risk than the 1.2 16v: 32/100 versus 36/100 (both moderate risk). The 1.2 16v has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Damaged head gasket and coolant loss»; the 1.8 T 20v has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Turbo wear and oil consumption».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is 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.[1][2][3][4]
See the 5 of the 1.2 16v faultsIs the 1.8 T 20v reliable?
With up-to-date maintenance, the 20-valve 1.8T has a reputation as a powerful, durable engine for its time, but owner reports document recurring faults: ignition coils (especially on 2001 to 2003 units), water pump and air mass meter, and less often the turbo -sometimes linked to growing oil consumption- and the timing chain tensioner.[5][6][7][8][9][10]
See the 5 of the 1.8 T 20v faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.2 16v | 1.8 T 20v |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,149 cm³ | 1,781 cm³ |
| Timing | Timing belt (dry) | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 60–76 hp | 150–225 hp |
| Production | 2001–2020[11][12][13][14] | 1996–2006[15][16][17][18] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 36Moderate risk | 32Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 1 | 1 |
| Worst severity | High 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 1.2 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 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 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 1.8 TCe
- 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 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 16v vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
With the 1.8 T 20v
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.8 T 20v vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW B58
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW M54
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N13
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N20
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.8 T 20v vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.8 T 20v vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.8 T 20v vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.8 T 20v vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs MZR gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.8 T 20v vs M111
- 1.8 T 20v vs M112 / M113
- 1.8 T 20v vs M264/M254
- 1.8 T 20v vs M260
- 1.8 T 20v vs M271
- 1.8 T 20v vs M272/M273
- 1.8 T 20v vs M270/M274
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.8 T 20v vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.8 T 20v vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 THP
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.8 T 20v vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.8 TCe
- 1.8 T 20v vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.8 T 20v vs Rover K-Series
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.8 T 20v vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.2 12V
- 1.8 T 20v vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- 1.8 T 20v vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.8 T 20v 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.
- 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
- Fiabilité et pannes Volkswagen Golf IVFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Volkswagen PassatFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Audi A3Fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Audi TTFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Seat LeónFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Seat Leon Mk1: Probleme, Schwachstellen, ErfahrungenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- 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
- List of Volkswagen Group petrol enginesWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Audi TTWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- SEAT LeónWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- SEAT ToledoWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- 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