TSi / Ecoboost a timebomb, or just buy 1.5 Mazda?
Discussion
I am in the market for a used supermini 2016/17. I've based my shortlist on the reviews of the best in this category, over the last few years ( ie. excluding the newest models) and came up with Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboost. Fabia and Ibiza 1.0/1.2 tsi ... Initially I was drawn to the Fiesta. It's always best in the reviews and rarely criticised. Equally the fabia and ibiza..and as I live in NI, these are the most numerous for choice . The cars/ engines being the clear winners when they are NEW....but if you look at the forums of real world use and especially 20/30/40k down the road ( I don't intend to move my car on anytime soon), these small turbo engines seem to be problematic. The Guardian newspaper even having an article recently, about VAG Tsi engines giving grief. I've read also about chain/ belt problems and carbon build ups on these engines. Are they 'potentially' as bad as how it seems they might, or is a safer reliabilty bet to choose the Mazda2 given that it is reviewed highly in itself., albeit never being necessarily better than the above... Thanks
We went for a 1.0 Ecoboost in the new shape Fiesta (67 plate) at the start of the year.
Its on 20k at the moment so cant comment on my personal experience, however that engine is probably one of the most widely produced in the last few years and I figured for only a minority to have experienced issues at this point shows for the majority that engine is proving pretty reliable.
Plenty capable for a supermini, and the tech in the new Fiesta (titanium) is awesome.
Its on 20k at the moment so cant comment on my personal experience, however that engine is probably one of the most widely produced in the last few years and I figured for only a minority to have experienced issues at this point shows for the majority that engine is proving pretty reliable.
Plenty capable for a supermini, and the tech in the new Fiesta (titanium) is awesome.
Thanks! I wouldn't be able to stretch to the latest model fiesta in its ecoboost guise, due to price restrictions. If I was to go ecoboost it would be likely be early '16. I was however also thinking whether these engines have been "fixed" over various iterations of the engine. However it would be nearly impossible to narrow my search down via that method! Not saying the Mazda is faultless, but there are very few reports i have seen, of big problems (like an engine issue) on the Mazda.
Edited by Thepoint on Thursday 15th August 11:04
We have had a 1014 Ecoboost 1.0 Fiesta from a year old, remapped to an alleged 140 bhp all that time, its been fine, only issue is it needs a good battering pre MOT to pass the emissions test, that is more the usage and remap than the car itsefl I reckon. Superchips sent us a new file so hopefully that sorts it.
Thought I do know two people who have had engines replaced and my sister in laws C Max was saved only by my brother noticing the wonky coolant pipe and fixing it, these were all earlier models.
these engines are so critical on coolant due to the power output versus the amount of material in the engine, if coolant is lost its not like an old iron block 70 bhp NA engine that will give you time to shut it down, lose coolant in a tiny, light 140 bhp turbo alloy engine, the heat generates so quickly and has nowhere to go and overwhelms the materials heat absorption capacity and kills the engine, quickly.
otherwise they seem tough, but they cannot cope if cooling is compromised, but a great little engine.
Thought I do know two people who have had engines replaced and my sister in laws C Max was saved only by my brother noticing the wonky coolant pipe and fixing it, these were all earlier models.
these engines are so critical on coolant due to the power output versus the amount of material in the engine, if coolant is lost its not like an old iron block 70 bhp NA engine that will give you time to shut it down, lose coolant in a tiny, light 140 bhp turbo alloy engine, the heat generates so quickly and has nowhere to go and overwhelms the materials heat absorption capacity and kills the engine, quickly.
otherwise they seem tough, but they cannot cope if cooling is compromised, but a great little engine.
A friend of mine has just returned a Fiesta ST Line (140 PS 1.0) to the company. 80k in 4 years, driven hard, serviced by the book, and no dramas at all. If anything, it went better at 80k than it did when just run-in.
AFAIK, the Ecoboost had one big issue with the so-called "degas pipe" that was sorted by a modification, and a retro fit of the mod for existing owners under recall. I haven't heard of any other dramas. It's easy enough to check if a potential purchase has the modified part.
It's a cracking engine, IMO, even the baby 100PS version. My in-laws have this in a Fiesta, and it feels willing, lively and very responsive. Any idea that you'd need to work such a tiny engine hard to make progress disappears within the first half a mile. It's surprisingly torquey and feels like a much bigger engine than it is. Sounds good too. Very characterful for a modern engine.
Remember, this engine has been a popular choice in two of the best selling cars in the UK (Fiesta and Focus both consistently in the top 5) for about 8 years now, so there are lots out there. They are still strong sellers, and popular on the used market, which suggests to me that there isn't much inherently wrong with them.
AFAIK, the Ecoboost had one big issue with the so-called "degas pipe" that was sorted by a modification, and a retro fit of the mod for existing owners under recall. I haven't heard of any other dramas. It's easy enough to check if a potential purchase has the modified part.
It's a cracking engine, IMO, even the baby 100PS version. My in-laws have this in a Fiesta, and it feels willing, lively and very responsive. Any idea that you'd need to work such a tiny engine hard to make progress disappears within the first half a mile. It's surprisingly torquey and feels like a much bigger engine than it is. Sounds good too. Very characterful for a modern engine.
Remember, this engine has been a popular choice in two of the best selling cars in the UK (Fiesta and Focus both consistently in the top 5) for about 8 years now, so there are lots out there. They are still strong sellers, and popular on the used market, which suggests to me that there isn't much inherently wrong with them.
Yeah, my dad has a 3, and is well happy.... The Mazda2 seems to be floating around number 4, out of the Fiesta/Ibiza/Fabia group for the 2015-17 period.. I have watched EVERY video I can of group tests etc. for these previous gen models (as I won't be buying new).
It doesn't seem like Mazda would be a bad choice....It's just that when EVERY website says Fiesta would be the BEST choice, and given that I have the choice to buy a Fiesta, it seems stupid to me to rule out the obvious choice..!
But all these reviews are of the cars when they are NEW. This forum and others' chat about ecoboost and tsi issues made me think twice.
It doesn't seem like Mazda would be a bad choice....It's just that when EVERY website says Fiesta would be the BEST choice, and given that I have the choice to buy a Fiesta, it seems stupid to me to rule out the obvious choice..!
But all these reviews are of the cars when they are NEW. This forum and others' chat about ecoboost and tsi issues made me think twice.
Remember, this engine has been a popular choice in two of the best selling cars in the UK (Fiesta and Focus both consistently in the top 5) for about 8 years now, so there are lots out there. They are still strong sellers, and popular on the used market, which suggests to me that there isn't much inherently wrong with them.
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Yeah that's what made me question my sanity! There are thousands of Fiesta's about, and the engine wins many awards.. But like anything the 'real' story is what happens in the years after all the awards ceremonies!
It would be good if there were USED car group reviews!
A few years back I was looking for cheap supermini as a daily I test drove basically everything and settled on a Suzuki Swift 1.2, what a brilliant car they are bullet proof, 93bhp, have lots of kit and one of the best supermini's to drive, £30 road tax too.
One of the models is called a SZ-L which is really good value.
One of the models is called a SZ-L which is really good value.
Yeah Swift was on 'my' list until I realised it doesn't appear on ANYBODY else's recommended list!
However, I currently own a Mitsubishi Colt 1.1 and it wasn't on anyone's Recommended list either when I bought it - but has proved excellent. Though this was primarily down to economics though, rather than what I wanted to buy.....
I came into the debate this time WANTING a Fiesta , and believing it was the BEST choice to put my money, but then started to have doubts.....
However, I currently own a Mitsubishi Colt 1.1 and it wasn't on anyone's Recommended list either when I bought it - but has proved excellent. Though this was primarily down to economics though, rather than what I wanted to buy.....
I came into the debate this time WANTING a Fiesta , and believing it was the BEST choice to put my money, but then started to have doubts.....
I wouldn't get too caught up in recommended lists too much, they are, after all, only an opinion and the Swift (and Suzuki as a whole) has built a very good reputation for a very good reason, my sister has leased (I think may have PCP'd) a Vitara and it's a cracking bit of kit, everything is well laid out, easy to get at, no rattles or squeaks and, most unusually for a modern car, you can see the ground underneath it all with a reputation for reliability.
Personally I'd just go for the car that I fancied the most (and I have done so despite all the dire warnings of the models that I've bought) out of all those you've got shortlisted you really can't go wrong with any of them in general.
Personally I'd just go for the car that I fancied the most (and I have done so despite all the dire warnings of the models that I've bought) out of all those you've got shortlisted you really can't go wrong with any of them in general.
Think i'm going to pursue the Mazda.. These are the 3 such recent report on problems with Ecoboost or TSI engines…. Cant find any issues with Mazda in the news..... 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iGDEqRBr14
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/aug/11/engi...
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/feb/04/skod...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iGDEqRBr14
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/aug/11/engi...
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/feb/04/skod...
Slightly different angle, if by any chance you were thinking of an auto box, then there really is only one choice, the Mazda. Proper torque converter box as opposed to the dry clutched Powershift or DSG on the others which can be an issue with reliability and certainly require some expensive servicing every 30/40k/3 years. 250 quid for the Fiesta.
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