1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs VR6: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT carries less risk than the VR6: 23/100 (low risk) versus 50/100 (high risk). The 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT has no documented serious faults; the VR6 has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «VR6 timing chain and tensioners».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT reliable?
The Suzuki 1.2 VVT and 1.2 Dualjet (K12B/K12C/K12M) is a naturally aspirated petrol engine with a timing chain and indirect injection, fitted since 2008 to the Splash, Swift, Ignis and Baleno, with an SHVS mild-hybrid variant since 2016. It is reliable: there is no serious documented fault with the engine block itself; the main points are a clutch that wears out sooner than expected on some cars and two SHVS recalls that have already been resolved.[1][2][3][4][5]
See the 5 of the 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT faultsIs the VR6 reliable?
Its best-documented faults are the timing chain, with tensioners on the 12-valve versions and stretching on the 3.2 (R32, A3 8P, TT, Cayenne), and, to a lesser extent, the cooling system of the 12-valve versions. The 3.6 FSI comes out of the sources better than the 3.2.[6][7][8]
See the 2 of the VR6 faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT | VR6 |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | — | — |
| Timing | Chain | Chain |
| Power | 82–92 hp | 140–300 hp |
| Production | since 2008[1][2] | 1991–2024[9][10][11] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 23Low risk | 50High risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 2 |
| Of high or critical severity | 0 | 1 |
| Worst severity | Medium severity | Critical 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 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW B58
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M50 and M52
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW M54
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N13
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N20
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs N42 and N45 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.3 EcoBoost
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0-1.6 8v Endura-E, Duratec 8v and RoCam
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec-E
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 and 1.2 de 3 cilindros (Onix and Tracker)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Family II 2.0 and 2.4 gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8 / 2.0 Beta II
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8 / 2.0 Nu
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M111
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M264/M254
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M266 (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0 Turbo)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M260
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M271
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M272/M273
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M270/M274
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M276
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5/1.6/1.8 QG
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.2 Ecotec gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Porsche M96/M97
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW7/EW10/EW12
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8 and 2.0 XU
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8 TCe
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 16v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 8v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.7 and 4.0 gasolina (2TR-FE and 1GR-FE)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 12V
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.3 VR5 (V5)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
With the VR6
- VR6 vs 1.2 PureTech
- VR6 vs 1.0 PureTech
- VR6 vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- VR6 vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- VR6 vs 1.2 TCe
- VR6 vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- VR6 vs 1.3 TCe
- VR6 vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- VR6 vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- VR6 vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- VR6 vs 2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v
- VR6 vs BMW B38 / B37
- VR6 vs BMW B48 / B38
- VR6 vs BMW B58
- VR6 vs M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9
- VR6 vs M50 and M52
- VR6 vs BMW M54
- VR6 vs BMW N13
- VR6 vs BMW N20
- VR6 vs N42 and N45 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
- VR6 vs BMW N43/N46
- VR6 vs BMW N52 / N53
- VR6 vs BMW N54/N55
- VR6 vs BMW N62 / N63
- VR6 vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- VR6 vs 1.4 T-Jet
- VR6 vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- VR6 vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- VR6 vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- VR6 vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- VR6 vs 2.0 EcoBoost
- VR6 vs 2.3 EcoBoost
- VR6 vs 1.0-1.6 8v Endura-E, Duratec 8v and RoCam
- VR6 vs 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec-E
- VR6 vs 1.0 and 1.2 de 3 cilindros (Onix and Tracker)
- VR6 vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- VR6 vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- VR6 vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- VR6 vs Family II 2.0 and 2.4 gasolina
- VR6 vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- VR6 vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- VR6 vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- VR6 vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- VR6 vs Honda IMA híbrido
- VR6 vs 1.0 T-GDI
- VR6 vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- VR6 vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- VR6 vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- VR6 vs 1.8 / 2.0 Beta II
- VR6 vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- VR6 vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- VR6 vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- VR6 vs 1.8 / 2.0 Nu
- VR6 vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- VR6 vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- VR6 vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- VR6 vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- VR6 vs MZR gasolina
- VR6 vs Skyactiv-G
- VR6 vs M111
- VR6 vs M112 / M113
- VR6 vs M264/M254
- VR6 vs M266 (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0 Turbo)
- VR6 vs M260
- VR6 vs M271
- VR6 vs M272/M273
- VR6 vs M270/M274
- VR6 vs M276
- VR6 vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- VR6 vs MIVEC gasolina
- VR6 vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- VR6 vs 1.6 DIG-T
- VR6 vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- VR6 vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- VR6 vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- VR6 vs 1.5/1.6/1.8 QG
- VR6 vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- VR6 vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- VR6 vs 1.4 Turbo
- VR6 vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- VR6 vs 2.2 Ecotec gasolina
- VR6 vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- VR6 vs Porsche M96/M97
- VR6 vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- VR6 vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- VR6 vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- VR6 vs 1.6 THP
- VR6 vs 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW7/EW10/EW12
- VR6 vs 1.8 and 2.0 XU
- VR6 vs 0.9 TCe
- VR6 vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- VR6 vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- VR6 vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- VR6 vs 1.8 TCe
- VR6 vs 1.2 16v
- VR6 vs 1.2 8v
- VR6 vs E-Tech Híbrido
- VR6 vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- VR6 vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- VR6 vs Rover K-Series
- VR6 vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- VR6 vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- VR6 vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- VR6 vs 1.0 VVT-i
- VR6 vs 1.2 Turbo
- VR6 vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- VR6 vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- VR6 vs 1.5 Hybrid
- VR6 vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- VR6 vs 1.8 Hybrid
- VR6 vs 2.7 and 4.0 gasolina (2TR-FE and 1GR-FE)
- VR6 vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- VR6 vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- VR6 vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- VR6 vs Drive-E gasolina
- VR6 vs 1.0 MPI
- VR6 vs 1.2 12V
- VR6 vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- VR6 vs 1.8 T 20v
- VR6 vs 2.0 FSI
- VR6 vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- VR6 vs 2.3 VR5 (V5)
- VR6 vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- VR6 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.
- Suzuki motor KWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Suzuki K engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Suzuki Swift (NZ) – Typische Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Suzuki Splash (2008–2014) – Bekannte Probleme & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Suzuki Ignis (MF, ab 2016) – Bekannte Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- VW Golf III VR6 (1991-1998)AutoBild · Motoring press · published 1 September 2003 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- VW Golf IV (1J): Schwachstellen und KaufberatungGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Gebrauchtwagen-Kaufberater: Was kann der Porsche Cayenne 9PA?AutoScout24 · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- VR6 engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026
- VR6-MotorWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- VW EA390Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Suzuki Ignis : avis, qualités et défauts des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Suzuki Swift 2 : avis, qualités et défauts des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Tous les problèmes sur Volkswagen Golf III (1991-1998)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Seat Leon I: Bekannte Probleme & RückrufeGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published 9 April 2025 · 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
- VW Golf 4: ProblemeCarWiki.de · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Audi TT: ProblemeCarWiki.de · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- VW Passat CC: Probleme und SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Probleme mit dem Porsche Cayenne (9PA y 92A)CarWiki.de · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Tous les problèmes sur Volkswagen Passat (2004-2010)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French