1.2 16v vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT carries less risk than the 1.2 16v: 23/100 (low risk) versus 36/100 (moderate risk). The 1.2 16v has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Damaged head gasket and coolant loss»; the 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT has no documented serious faults.
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is 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.[1][2][3][4]
See the 5 of the 1.2 16v faultsIs the 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT reliable?
The Suzuki 1.2 VVT and 1.2 Dualjet (K12B/K12C/K12M) is a naturally aspirated petrol engine with a timing chain and indirect injection, fitted since 2008 to the Splash, Swift, Ignis and Baleno, with an SHVS mild-hybrid variant since 2016. It is reliable: there is no serious documented fault with the engine block itself; the main points are a clutch that wears out sooner than expected on some cars and two SHVS recalls that have already been resolved.[5][6][7][8][9]
See the 5 of the 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.2 16v | 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,149 cm³ | — |
| Timing | Timing belt (dry) | Chain |
| Power | 60–76 hp | 82–92 hp |
| Production | 2001–2020[10][11][12][13] | since 2008[5][6] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 36Moderate risk | 23Low risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 1 | 0 |
| Worst severity | High severity | Medium severity |
| Main faults |
|
|
| Most expensive documented repair | No reliable data | No reliable data |
| Which versions to buy | ||
| BuyRecommended versions | ||
| With cautionVersions to be cautious about | None | 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 1.2 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 1.6 EcoBoost
- 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 1.3, 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
With the 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW B58
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW M54
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N13
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N20
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M111
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M264/M254
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M260
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M271
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M272/M273
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs M270/M274
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.2 12V
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT 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.
- 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
- Suzuki motor KWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Suzuki K engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Suzuki Swift (NZ) – Typische Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Suzuki Splash (2008–2014) – Bekannte Probleme & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Suzuki Ignis (MF, ab 2016) – Bekannte Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- 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
- Suzuki Ignis : avis, qualités et défauts des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Suzuki Swift 2 : avis, qualités et défauts des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French