1.2 16v vs 2.3 VR5 (V5): which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 2.3 VR5 (V5) 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 2.3 VR5 (V5) has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Timing chain stretch».
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 2.3 VR5 (V5) reliable?
The 2.3-litre VR5 is a naturally aspirated five-cylinder with the timing chain at the rear of the engine. Gebrauchtwagenberater rates it as a buy with no known problems in the Golf IV, but in the Bora it warns that the chain sometimes stretches; AutoHints adds the coils and the plastic coolant parts as points to watch.[5][6][7][8]
See the 3 of the 2.3 VR5 (V5) faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.2 16v | 2.3 VR5 (V5) |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,149 cm³ | 2,324 cm³ |
| Timing | Timing belt (dry) | Chain |
| Power | 60–76 hp | 150–170 hp |
| Production | 2001–2020[9][10][11][12] | 1997–2006[13][14][15] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 36Moderate risk | 32Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 3 |
| 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 2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B58
- 1.2 16v vs M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9
- 1.2 16v vs M50 and M52
- 1.2 16v vs BMW M54
- 1.2 16v vs M60 and M62
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N13
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N20
- 1.2 16v vs N42 and N45 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
- 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 2.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 16v vs 2.3 EcoBoost
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0-1.6 8v Endura-E, Duratec 8v and RoCam
- 1.2 16v vs 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec-E
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 and 1.2 de 3 cilindros (Onix and Tracker)
- 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 Family II 2.0 and 2.4 gasolina
- 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 1.8 / 2.0 Beta II
- 1.2 16v vs V6 Delta 2.5 and 2.7 (Hyundai-Kia)
- 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 1.8 / 2.0 Nu
- 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 M266 (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0 Turbo)
- 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 M276
- 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 1.5/1.6/1.8 QG
- 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 2.2 Ecotec gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4/1.6/1.8 Ecotec 16V (primera generación)
- 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 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 16v vs 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW7/EW10/EW12
- 1.2 16v vs 1.8 and 2.0 XU
- 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 2.7 and 4.0 gasolina (2TR-FE and 1GR-FE)
- 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
- 1.2 16v vs VR6
With the 2.3 VR5 (V5)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2 PureTech
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 PureTech
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2 TCe
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.3 TCe
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW B38 / B37
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW B48 / B38
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW B58
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M50 and M52
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW M54
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M60 and M62
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW N13
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW N20
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs N42 and N45 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW N43/N46
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW N52 / N53
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW N54/N55
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs BMW N62 / N63
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 EcoBoost
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.3 EcoBoost
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0-1.6 8v Endura-E, Duratec 8v and RoCam
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec-E
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 and 1.2 de 3 cilindros (Onix and Tracker)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Family II 2.0 and 2.4 gasolina
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.8 / 2.0 Beta II
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs V6 Delta 2.5 and 2.7 (Hyundai-Kia)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.8 / 2.0 Nu
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs MZR gasolina
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Skyactiv-G
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M111
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M112 / M113
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M264/M254
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M266 (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0 Turbo)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M260
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M271
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M272/M273
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M270/M274
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs M276
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs MIVEC gasolina
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.5/1.6/1.8 QG
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4 Turbo
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.2 Ecotec gasolina
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4/1.6/1.8 Ecotec 16V (primera generación)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Porsche M96/M97
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.6 THP
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW7/EW10/EW12
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.8 and 2.0 XU
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 0.9 TCe
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.8 TCe
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2 8v
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Rover K-Series
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2 Turbo
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.7 and 4.0 gasolina (2TR-FE and 1GR-FE)
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs Drive-E gasolina
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0 MPI
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.2 12V
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.8 T 20v
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 2.0 FSI
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
- 2.3 VR5 (V5) vs VR6
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
- VW Golf 4: Typische Probleme und SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published 2 September 2026 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- VW Bora (1J2) – Typische Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published 14 July 2022 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Engine 2.3 VR5 (AGZ) 150 HP: Experiences, problems, fuel consumption and used-car buying tipsAutoHints · Technical documentation · published 24 July 2025 · consulted 2 November 2026
- Volkswagen 2.3 VR5 20V (AQN): Experiences, problems, fuel consumption and used car buying tipsAutoHints · Technical documentation · published 24 July 2025 · consulted 2 November 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
- VR5 engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
- List of discontinued Volkswagen Group petrol enginesWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
- VR-MotorWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 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