39 reliable engines under 1.4L
Looking for a reliable small engine? Here are all 39 engines under 1.4L that score 78/100 or higher on EngineScope, ranked by reliability.
Top 15 ranking
| Rank | Engine | Brand | Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L12 | Honda | 98/100 | BEST |
| 2 | HR12DDR | Nissan | 89/100 | BEST |
| 3 | Sigma 1.4 | Ford | 89/100 | BEST |
| 4 | FIRE 1.2 8V/16V | Fiat | 88/100 | BEST |
| 5 | 2NZ-FE | Toyota | 87/100 | BEST |
| 6 | EA211 1.0 TSI | Volkswagen | 86/100 | BEST |
| 7 | K12C DualJet | Suzuki | 85/100 | BEST |
| 8 | 1KR-FE | Toyota | 85/100 | BEST |
| 9 | Sigma 1.25 | Ford | 84/100 | BUY |
| 10 | K12B DualJet | Suzuki | 84/100 | BUY |
| 11 | K14D SHVS | Suzuki | 84/100 | BUY |
| 12 | Kappa II / Smartstream 1.2 MPI-DPi (G4LF) | Hyundai/Kia | 84/100 | BUY |
| 13 | E7J | Renault | 84/100 | BUY |
| 14 | Kappa 1.0 MPI / Smartstream 1.0 DPi (G3LA/G3LD/G3LG) | Hyundai/Kia | 84/100 | BUY |
| 15 | U 1.1 CRDi (D3FA) | Hyundai/Kia | 84/100 | BUY |
#1. L12 (Honda) — 98/100
L12A 1.2 i-DSI / L12B 1.2 i-VTEC
Found in: Jazz
Issues to know about:
- EGR sooting and fouled spark plugs / ignition coils — N/A
#2. HR12DDR (Nissan) — 89/100
1.2 DIG-S Supercharged I3
Found in: Micra, Micra 1.2 DIG-S, Note, Note 1.2 DIG-S
Issues to know about:
- Ignition coil short circuit can stall the engine (recall, cars built 2015-2016) — N/A
- Injector and intake carbon build-up (direct injection, high mileage) — N/A
#3. Sigma 1.4 (Ford) — 89/100
Sigma 1.4 16V (Zetec-SE / Duratec)
Found in: Fiesta, Focus
Issues to know about:
- Exhaust manifold leak or crack — N/A
- Ignition coil or lead failure - misfire — N/A
- Thermostat and thermostat housing failure — N/A
#4. FIRE 1.2 8V/16V (Fiat) — 88/100
1.2L NA I4
Found in: 500, 500 1.2 8V, 500C 1.2 8V, Grande Punto / Punto Evo, Panda, Panda 1.2 8V, Punto, Punto 1.2 8V
Issues to know about:
- Timing belt - 120,000 km interval (interference on 16V and VVT 8V) — 100.000 km
- Dirty throttle body - rough idle and stalling — N/A
- Thermostat seal failure - engine runs cold — N/A
#5. 2NZ-FE (Toyota) — 87/100
2NZ-FE 1.3
Found in: Yaris
Issues to know about:
- Oil pressure sensor failure — N/A
- Rear crankshaft seal leak; oil can reach the crankshaft sensor (early-car recall) — N/A
- Unstable idle (dirty throttle body / idle valve) — N/A
Generated from EngineScope's reliability database. Reviewed by the editorial team. Methodology →