1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 16v: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 16v carries less risk than the 1.6 EcoBoost: 36/100 (moderate risk) versus 59/100 (high risk). The 1.6 EcoBoost has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Cracked cylinder head from overheating, with fire risk»; the 1.2 16v has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Damaged head gasket and coolant loss».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the 1.6 EcoBoost reliable?
It is a turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinder that Ford used between 2010 and 2018 as a mid-range step across much of its European line-up, and which Volvo sold under its own T3/T4 designations. Its most serious fault is overheating caused by a loss of coolant circulation that can crack the cylinder head and cause a fire: Ford has recalled cars in South Africa and in the US/Canada, although we have not confirmed an equivalent campaign in Spain.[1][2][3]
See the 4 of the 1.6 EcoBoost faultsIs 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.[4][5][6][7]
See the 5 of the 1.2 16v faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.6 EcoBoost | 1.2 16v |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,596 cm³ | 1,149 cm³ |
| Timing | Timing belt (dry) | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 120–200 hp | 60–76 hp |
| Production | 2010–2019[1][8] | 2001–2020[9][10][11][12] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 59High risk | 36Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 4 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 3 | 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 | |
| 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 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW B58
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW M54
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N13
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N20
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs MZR gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M111
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M112 / M113
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M264/M254
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M260
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M271
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M272/M273
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs M270/M274
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 THP
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Rover K-Series
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.2 12V
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.6 EcoBoost vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
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 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 16v vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B58
- 1.2 16v vs BMW M54
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N13
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N20
- 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 1.2 8v 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 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 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 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 M260
- 1.2 16v vs M271
- 1.2 16v vs M272/M273
- 1.2 16v vs M270/M274
- 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 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 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 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 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 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 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 1.3, 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 2.0 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 MPI/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
Compare other engines
Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- Ford EcoBoost engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- The Largest Ford EcoBoost Recalls In 15 Years Of ProductionCarBuzz · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026
- Ford KugaWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- 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
- Volvo S60Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 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
- 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
- Fiabilité et pannes Ford Mondeo 3Fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes Ford S-MaxFiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Ford Fiesta STWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Fiabilité et pannes Volvo S60Fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French