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1.6 CRDi vs BMW N57: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.6 CRDi carries less risk than the BMW N57: 70/100 (high risk) versus 87/100 (very high risk). The 1.6 CRDi has 4 documented serious faults, the main one being «MHSG belt tensioner and crankshaft pulley failure (48V mild hybrid)»; the BMW N57 has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire».

Risk index

1.6 CRDi

70

High risk · 4 serious faults

Lower risk

Risk index

BMW N57

87

Very high risk · 3 serious faults

The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated

17 sourcesHow we work

Is the 1.6 CRDi reliable?

The U2 D4FB (2009-2018) is a generally robust diesel if well maintained, with known turbo failures in the early units and timing chain problems from 120,000-150,000 km. Its successor, the Smartstream (U3 D4FE, from 2018), has a good reputation, except in the 48V mild hybrid version, which has a belt tensioner and crankshaft pulley fault that can destroy the engine.[1][2][3]

See the 6 of the 1.6 CRDi faults

Is the BMW N57 reliable?

The BMW N57 (2008-2019, successor to the M57) is a six-cylinder diesel that is mechanically robust in the basics, but it shares with the N47 and B47 the EGR cooler covered by BMW's service campaign for engine fire risk, and it inherits from the N47 the timing chain at the rear of the block, with wear cases documented mainly from 200,000 km. Without a clear history of these checks, it is worth buying with some caution.[4][5][6]

See the 4 of the BMW N57 faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.6 CRDi and BMW N57
1.6 CRDiBMW N57
Technical data
TypeEngineEngine
FuelDieselDiesel
Displacement1,582 cm³2,993 cm³
TimingChainChain
Power90–136 hp204–381 hp
Productionsince 2009[1][7][8][9]2008–2019[4][10]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)70High risk87Very high risk
Documented faults64
Of high or critical severity43
Worst severityCritical severityCritical severity
Main faults
  1. Critical severity: MHSG belt tensioner and crankshaft pulley failure (48V mild hybrid)
  2. Critical severity: Timing chain stretch
  3. High severity: Premature variable-geometry turbo (VGT) failure
  1. Critical severity: EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire
  2. Critical severity: Rear timing chain wear
  3. High severity: Loss of thrust on twin-turbo versions due to the vacuum circuit or the actuator
Most expensive documented repairup to €1,800Particulate filter (DPF) blocked in urban usePublished figure[11]No reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions
  • Smartstream 1.6 CRDi U3 (D4FE, 115-136 hp, without mild hybrid, from 2018)[2][12]
None
With cautionVersions to be cautious about
  • 1.6 CRDi U2 (D4FB, 90-136 hp, sold in Spain from 2010 to ~2018)[1][13][14]
  • Smartstream 1.6 CRDi 48V mild hybrid (D4FE MHEV, 136 hp, from ~2019)[3][15]
  • N57D30 204-211 hp, single turbo (U0/UL, 2010-2013)[6][16]
  • N57D30 245-258 hp, single turbo (O0/O1, 2008-2019)[6][16]
  • N57D30 299-313 hp twin turbo (T0/T1, 2009-2019)[16][17]
AvoidVersions to avoidNoneNone

Severity of each fault: green, low; amber, medium; red, high; dark red, critical. How we rate them

Cars that each one is fitted to

1.6 CRDi

See the 16 models with the 1.6 CRDi

BMW N57

See the 10 models with the BMW N57

Other comparisons

With the 1.6 CRDi

With the BMW N57

Compare other engines

That is the comparison you are viewing: change one of the two engines.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

  1. Motor Kia y Hyundai 1.6 CRDI (D4FB): ficha tecnica, problemas y tuningMotordinámico · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  2. Kia Ceed III: Bekannte Probleme & RückrufeGebrauchtwagenberater · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
  3. Kia / Hyundai 1.6 CRDi MHEV Engine FailuresDOHC (especialista en reconstrucción de motores) · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026
  4. BMW N57Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  5. Motor BMW B47 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  6. 324.000 diésel de BMW tendrán que pasar por el taller en Europa, por un posible riesgo de incendio en la EGRDiariomotor · Motoring press · published 8 August 2018 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  7. Hyundai U engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
  8. Hyundai Smartstream engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
  9. Hyundai i30 Kombi 1.6 CRDi 48V-Mildhybrid Trend (10/20-01/22): Technische Daten, Bilder, PreiseADAC · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
  10. BMW N57Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  11. Kia Ceed 1.6 Crdi Problemas | Fallos y averías más frecuentesTotalRenting · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  12. Kia Ceed im TÜV-Check 2026: Schwachstellen, Mängel und ProblemeAUTO BILD · Motoring press · published 2026 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
  13. Kia and Hyundai 1.6 CRDI (D4FB) engineEngineDNA · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
  14. Best Hyundai Kia 1.6 CRDI Mods & Upgrades Guide to D4FB TuningTorqueCars · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
  15. KIA SPORTAGE 2023 - vehicle recallsGOV.UK (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) · Official body · consulted 26 September 2026
  16. Motor BMW N57 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  17. Motor BMW N57: problemas, modelos y qué revisarCarexam · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish