1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 12V: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.33 Dual VVT-i carries less risk than the 1.2 12V: 54/100 versus 57/100 (both high risk). The 1.33 Dual VVT-i has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Excessive oil consumption from piston wear»; the 1.2 12V has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Timing chain stretch and tensioner wear».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the 1.33 Dual VVT-i reliable?
Yes, with caveats: the 1.33 Dual VVT-i (1NR-FE) is a simple naturally aspirated engine, with no turbo or DPF, and a timing chain. Units built before 2013 carry a factory defect in the pistons, acknowledged by Toyota in a technical bulletin, that sends oil consumption soaring and can end in engine replacement; Toyota corrected it from 2013. We found no specific pattern of water pump or sensor faults; keep an eye on the clutch, manual or with the MMT gearbox.[1][2][3]
See the 3 of the 1.33 Dual VVT-i faultsIs the 1.2 12V reliable?
The 1.2 12V is a simple, low-power, naturally aspirated three-cylinder engine (54-70 hp), with two documented design faults: the timing chain tensioner, which can end up destroying the engine, and -on the Volkswagen Polo IV- a catalytic converter too close to the cylinder head that can burn the exhaust valves. Ignition coil failures are also common, and there are isolated cases of oil consumption and vibration.[4][5][6][7][8]
See the 5 of the 1.2 12V faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.33 Dual VVT-i | 1.2 12V |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,329 cm³ | 1,198 cm³ |
| Timing | Chain | Chain |
| Power | 97–105 hp | 54–70 hp |
| Production | since 2008[1][9][10] | 2001–2014[4][11][12] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 54High risk | 57High risk |
| Documented faults | 3 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 1 | 2 |
| Worst severity | Critical 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 |
| |
| 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 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW B58
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW M54
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW N13
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW N20
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs MZR gasolina
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs M111
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs M112 / M113
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs M264/M254
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs M260
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs M271
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs M272/M273
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs M270/M274
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.6 THP
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 16v
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Rover K-Series
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.33 Dual VVT-i vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
With the 1.2 12V
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 12V vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 12V vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 12V vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 12V vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 12V vs BMW B58
- 1.2 12V vs BMW M54
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N13
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N20
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 12V vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 12V vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 12V vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 12V vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 12V vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 12V vs M111
- 1.2 12V vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 12V vs M264/M254
- 1.2 12V vs M260
- 1.2 12V vs M271
- 1.2 12V vs M272/M273
- 1.2 12V vs M270/M274
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 12V vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 12V vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 12V vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 16v
- 1.2 12V vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 12V vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 12V vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 12V vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 12V vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.2 12V vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 12V vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 12V 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.
- Toyota NR engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Toyota 1.33 1NR-FE: Typische Probleme und SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Toyota Yaris III (XP13) – Typische Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published August 2023 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- VW Polo 4 (9N): Typische Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Volkswagen Polo 4Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Seat Ibiza (2008-2017)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Seat Ibiza III (2002-2008): Bekannte Probleme & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Seat Ibiza (2002-2008)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Toyota istWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Toyota iQWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- VW EA111Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- VW Polo IVWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Volkswagen Polo 5Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Skoda Fabia 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French