Drive and RestoreWhich cars have a MultiAir engine? Every version, from 105 to 184 hp
MultiAir is not one engine. It is a valve-control system that Fiat fitted to a whole family of engines, from a 105 hp city-car four-cylinder to a 184 hp American 2.4. If you are buying a car, ordering parts or just trying to work out what is under the bonnet, this is the overview: which MultiAir engines exist, how much power they make, and which cars they went into. How the system itself works is explained in how the MultiAir unit works.
The 1.4 MultiAir: where it started
MultiAir made its debut in September 2009 on the Alfa Romeo MiTo, on the 1.4 16-valve engine from Fiat’s FIRE family. Alfa Romeo offered it at three power levels: 105 CV naturally aspirated, 135 CV turbocharged, and 170 CV turbocharged in the sporty MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde, which followed a few months after the first two. For the 135 CV version Alfa quoted 5.6 l/100 km combined and 129 g/km of CO₂.
The turbocharged 1.4 MultiAir was named Best New Engine at the 2010 International Engine of the Year awards. In the later MiTo it was listed at 1,368 cc, 99 kW and 206 Nm at 1,750 rpm.
The 1.4 MultiAir across the group
From the MiTo, the 1.4 MultiAir spread through the group:
| Power | Examples |
|---|---|
| 105 CV | Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 MultiAir (2009) |
| 135 CV | Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 MultiAir Turbo (2009) |
| 140 CV | Jeep Renegade 1.4 MultiAir, front-wheel drive with dual-clutch gearbox (2015) |
| 160 hp | Dodge Dart 1.4 turbo (US, 2013) |
| 170 CV | Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde (2010), Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.4 TB MultiAir (2010), Jeep Renegade 1.4 MultiAir with 4x4 and nine-speed automatic (2015) |
The Fiat Punto Evo was also offered with the 1.4 MultiAir. The list above is not exhaustive: these are the applications we could confirm from launch material and period reviews, and outputs vary slightly by market and year.
Watch out for the name: 1.4 TB is not always MultiAir
When the Alfa Romeo Giulietta was launched in 2010, its petrol range included both a 1.4 TB with 120 bhp and a 1.4 TB MultiAir with 170 bhp. The 120 bhp engine is the older 1.4 T-Jet with conventional camshafts. Same size, similar name, different cylinder head, and different parts. Never order MultiAir parts for a “1.4 TB” without checking which engine it actually is.
TwinAir: MultiAir on two cylinders
The TwinAir two-cylinder was designed around MultiAir from the start. The 875 cc turbo version makes 85 or 105 PS and went into the Fiat 500, Panda, Punto and 500L, the Lancia Ypsilon and the Alfa Romeo MiTo. It has its own story: Fiat TwinAir explained.
The American side: 2.4 Tigershark MultiAir2
After Fiat’s tie-up with Chrysler, MultiAir crossed the Atlantic. The Dodge Dart of 2013 was offered with three engines, including the 1.4 turbo and a 2.4-litre Tigershark MultiAir with 184 hp. From model year 2014 the 2.4 Tigershark MultiAir2, with 184 hp and 171 lb-ft, became the standard engine in the Dart SXT, Limited and GT. The 2.0-litre Tigershark in the base Dart, with 160 hp, uses conventional variable valve timing rather than MultiAir.
FireFly: MultiAir III
The FireFly (Global Small Engine) turbo engines that replaced the FIRE family in Europe carry the idea forward as MultiAir III, on the 1.0 three-cylinder and 1.3 four-cylinder turbos in the Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade and Compass and others. See From MultiAir to FireFly.
How to tell if your car has MultiAir
- Look for the badge. Most cars with the engine carry a “MultiAir” badge, but badges get removed or swapped.
- Look at the cylinder head. On a MultiAir engine the oil-filled actuator, the “brick”, sits on top of the head in place of a conventional intake camshaft.
- Check the VIN in ePER. The parts catalogue shows the exact engine fitted to that car. Our ePER guide explains how.
Whatever the version, the same rule applies: MultiAir lives on engine oil. The right oil specification, at the right interval, is the cheapest insurance you can buy for the MultiAir unit.
Sources
- Motorionline: Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 MultiAir: consumi ridotti, prestazioni superiori (2009)
- alVolante: Sulla MiTo debutta il motore MultiAir (2009)
- Alfa Romeo: MiTo Series 2 press kit (2014)
- The Auto Channel: Alfa Romeo Giulietta UK launch and pricing (2010)
- alVolante: Jeep Renegade 2015, nuovi motori e versioni (2015)
- alVolante: Fiat Punto Evo 1.4 MultiAir, primo contatto
- New Atlas: Dodge Dart offers Italian flair (2012)
- Conceptcarz: Dodge simplifies Dart lineup for 2014; 184-horsepower 2.4-liter Tigershark (2013)
- Wikiwand: World Gasoline Engine (Tigershark)