2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 12V: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 carries less risk than the 1.2 12V: 14/100 (low risk) versus 57/100 (high risk). The 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 has no documented serious faults; 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 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 reliable?
The EW10 (2.0) and EW12 (2.2) are naturally aspirated 16-valve petrol engines with a timing belt, which PSA fitted between 1999 and 2010 to the 206, 307, 406, 407, 607, 807, C4, C5 and C8, among others. According to owners there are no frequent internal failures: the most-cited problems are the ignition coils (the only fault also reported by the press), the exhaust and, on the 2.2, oil consumption.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
See the of the 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 faultIs 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.[9][10][11][12][13]
See the 5 of the 1.2 12V faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 | 1.2 12V |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | — | 1,198 cm³ |
| Timing | Timing belt (dry) | Chain |
| Power | 135–177 hp | 54–70 hp |
| Production | 1999–2010[1][3][14][15] | 2001–2014[9][16][17] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 14Low risk | 57High risk |
| Documented faults | 1 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 0 | 2 |
| 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 | ||
| 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 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 PureTech
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 PureTech
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 TCe
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.3 TCe
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW B38 / B37
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW B48 / B38
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW B58
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW M54
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW N13
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW N20
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW N43/N46
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW N52 / N53
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW N54/N55
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs BMW N62 / N63
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs MZR gasolina
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Skyactiv-G
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs M111
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs M112 / M113
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs M264/M254
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs M260
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs M271
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs M272/M273
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs M270/M274
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs MIVEC gasolina
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.4 Turbo
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.6 THP
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 0.9 TCe
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 16v
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Rover K-Series
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.2 Turbo
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs Drive-E gasolina
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.0 MPI
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 1.8 T 20v
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 vs 2.0 FSI
- 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 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 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 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.
- PSA EW/DW engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 8 October 2026
- Peugeot 307 Probleme und SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published 2 November 2022 · consulted 8 October 2026 · in German
- Peugeot 407 problems (reseña de Graham Smith)CarsGuide (Australia) · Motoring press · published 17 March 2015 · consulted 8 October 2026
- Tous les problèmes sur Peugeot 307 2001-2008 (opiniones por motorización)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- Tous les problèmes sur Peugeot 406 1995-2004 (opiniones por motorización)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- Tous les problèmes sur Peugeot 407 2004-2010 (opiniones por motorización)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- Tous les problèmes sur Citroën C5 2001-2008 (opiniones por motorización)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- Tous les problèmes sur Citroën C8 2002-2015 (opiniones por motorización)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- 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
- Peugeot 406Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 8 October 2026
- Peugeot 307 2.0 16V 140 ch: courroie de distribution (intervalo, tiempo y riesgo)Mecazen · Other source · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- VW EA111Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- VW Polo IVWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Tous les problèmes sur Peugeot 206 1998-2006 (opiniones por motorización)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- Tous les problèmes sur Citroën Xsara Picasso 1999-2010 (opiniones por motorización)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- Tous les problèmes sur Citroën C4 2004-2010 (opiniones por motorización)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- Tous les problèmes sur Peugeot 607 2000-2011 (opiniones por motorización)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
- 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