1.2 12V 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 12V: 32/100 (moderate risk) versus 57/100 (high risk). The 1.2 12V has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Timing chain stretch and tensioner wear»; 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 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.[1][2][3][4][5]
See the 5 of the 1.2 12V 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.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
See the 5 of the 1.8 T 20v faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.2 12V | 1.8 T 20v |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,198 cm³ | 1,781 cm³ |
| Timing | Chain | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 54–70 hp | 150–225 hp |
| Production | 2001–2014[1][12][13] | 1996–2006[14][15][16][17] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 57High risk | 32Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 2 | 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 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 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 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 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 12V 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 1.2 16v
- 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 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/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.
- 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
- 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
- VW EA111Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- VW Polo IVWikipedia (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 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