My Mk1 Fabia 1.2 (AZQ engine) has done 130k in 9 years. (120k of that in 7.5 years) Engine always very reliable and runs as sweet as new. Oil changes on average every 12k, once or twice at 15k. Run by unforgiving drivers.

Only problems (engine wise) have been 2 coil paks replaced (50k and 90k) - this is part of the VAG coil pak saga that effects all engines that use them.

Extremely easy and cheap to service diy. Got another Fabia 1.2 BZG engine which is also good (better low speed torque but worse high spped torque and not as quiet)

Only thing I would say is these engines are really only suitable for town/runabouts as noise and economy suffers at motorways speeds.

Cant comment on newer engines (e.g. EA211 fitted to citigo etc) but I suspect the newer engines are considerably more difficult/expensive to service. e.g. can get set of plugs for the older engines only £8, new EA211 engine has a £50 set of plugs!

My experience is that generally 3 cylinder engines are not as smooth or economical as an equivalent 4 cylinder. I would not for instance buy a bigger car with a 3 cylinder engine (e.g. Ford focus).

I'd decide on an engine based on its past history (i.e. avoid new designs until they have been out for at least 2 years), decent test drive and evaluation of DIY servicabilty. Most new designs seem prone to revisions in the early years(e.g. to failing tensioners etc)

I dont think its how many cylinders that matters. Reliability will be effected by all the ancilaries. Does the engine have a turbo, direct injection, a DMF etc. My own experience of 3 pots in a Honda Insight and a Peugeot 107 suggest they are nice charicterful engines.

My daughter's 1.0 Daihatsu Charade seems to pull like a train and she takes just 3 1/2 hours for the 200 miles West Yorkshire to East Anglia to visit her sister.

Is this engine related to the Aygo 1.0? Toyota own a portion of Daihatsu, I think