The Lemon Index
BMW's 2.0 L single twin-scroll turbo inline-4 in the 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, X1, X3, X4, X5, Z4, model years 2012–2018. YouTube likes the 2017 best.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 50/100, #71 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below.
Reliability by year
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2017 (58) and least about the 2012 (39); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
Owner score = the whole car's Lemon Index where this was its only engine that year; a gray dot means the model shared engines, so the number isn't this engine's alone. How we count
How each number is matched to the engine: (a) complaints filed under a version name that used only this engine that year (e.g. "335I"); (b) the model had only this engine that year, so its Lemon Index (complaints per car sold vs the average car) applies to every car with this engine; "all engines combined" = the model had several engines under one name, so its number is not this engine's alone. Owner complaints cover the whole car (brakes, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine. None of these is a failure rate. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts that name the engine or a version that used it. A video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of its generation, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars with it | Owner complaints | Complaints naming "N20" | YouTube says | Top complaint areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | BMW 3 Series 328i BMW 5 Series 528i, 528i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive28i | 144 complaints (a: filed as 528i) | 15 | 39 (22 videos, 3 naming 2012) | engine, fuel system, transmission & drivetrain |
| 2013 | BMW 3 Series 320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive BMW 5 Series 528i, 528i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive28i BMW X3 X3 xDrive28i BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i | 141 complaints (a: filed as 320i, 528i) | 42 | 48 (55 videos, 23 naming 2013) | engine, transmission & drivetrain, electrical |
| 2014 | BMW 3 Series 320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive BMW 5 Series 528i, 528i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive28i BMW X3 X3 xDrive28i BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 428i, 428i xDrive BMW 2 Series 228i | 332 complaints (a: filed as 328i, 320i, 528i, 428i, 228i) | 15 | 53 (98 videos, 58 naming 2014) | engine, electrical, fuel system |
| 2015 | BMW 3 Series 320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive BMW 5 Series 528i, 528i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive28i BMW X3 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 428i, 428i xDrive BMW 2 Series 228i, 228i xDrive BMW X4 X4 xDrive28i | 335 complaints (a: filed as 328i, 320i, 528i, 428i, 228i) | 7 | 50 (91 videos, 51 naming 2015) | engine, electrical, other |
| 2016 | BMW 3 Series 320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive BMW 5 Series 528i, 528i xDrive BMW X5 X5 xDrive40e BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive28i BMW X3 X3 sDrive 28i, X3 xDrive28i BMW 4 Series 428i, 428i xDrive BMW 2 Series 228i, 228i xDrive BMW X4 X4 xDrive28i | 208 complaints (a: filed as 328i, 320i, 528i, 428i, 228i) | 4 | 54 (74 videos, 36 naming 2016) | engine, electrical, other |
| 2017 | BMW X5 X5 xDrive40e BMW X3 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i BMW X4 X4 xDrive28i | all engines combined: BMW X5 Index 50; BMW X3 Index 66; BMW X4 3 complaints | 0 | 58 (9 videos, 9 naming 2017) | — |
| 2018 | BMW X5 X5 xDrive40e BMW X4 X4 xDrive28i | all engines combined: BMW X5 Index 40; BMW X4 11 complaints | 1 | not enough videos | — |
Known issues on record
- A 2017 class action alleged early failure of the plastic timing-chain guides, letting the chain skip and damage the engine; in 2019 a judge let some claims proceed.
According to Wikipedia's BMW N20 article and its sources.
Every US version with this engine
| Model and version | Years | Power |
|---|---|---|
| BMW 3 Series 328i | 2012–16 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 320i | 2013–16 | 181 hp · 199 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 320i xDrive | 2013–16 | 181 hp · 199 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 328i xDrive | 2013–16 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 5 Series 528i | 2012–16 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 5 Series 528i xDrive | 2012–16 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X5 X5 xDrive40e | 2016–18 | — |
| BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive28i | 2012–16 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X3 X3 xDrive28i | 2013–17 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X3 X3 sDrive28i | 2015–17 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X3 X3 sDrive 28i | 2016 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X1 X1 sDrive28i | 2013–15 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X1 X1 xDrive28i | 2013–15 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 4 Series 428i | 2014–16 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 4 Series 428i xDrive | 2014–16 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 2 Series 228i | 2014–16 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW 2 Series 228i xDrive | 2015–16 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
| BMW X4 X4 xDrive28i | 2015–18 | 241 hp · 258 lb-ft |
Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Engine and power: Wikipedia, BMW N20 (BMW ratings; US figures can differ by a few hp).
Quick answers
What cars have the BMW N20 engine?
In the US: the 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, X1, X3, X4, X5, Z4, model years 2012–2018. See the version table for each one.
Is the N20 reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone 50/100, #71 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below. The most owner complaints (about any part of the car) filed under version names that used this engine were for the 2015 (335). Counts follow sales, so this is not a failure rate. Government complaints are filed by model and year, not engine, and they cover the whole car, so none of these numbers is an engine failure rate. We only credit a number to this engine where the version name or the model year leaves no doubt. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the N20 make?
BMW rated it at 181 to 241 hp in US versions, depending on the car and year.