Honda retains ‘most reliable used car’ title
Honda has retained its status as the most reliable used car manufacturer in the UK for the ninth consecutive year, according to research by What Car? and Warranty Direct.
The Japanese manufacturer topped the annual survey of 37 manufacturers, which analyses 50,000 live Warranty Direct policies on three to eight-year old vehicles.
Once again, Japanese and South Korean manufacturers dominated the annual study of the most reliablebrands, with Suzuki and Toyota claiming second and third place. Encouragingly for other manufacturers however, Chevrolet, Ford, Skoda, Peugeot and Fiat also fought their way into the top 10.
At the opposite end of the scale, luxury and prestige marques Bentley and Porsche are the most likely to break down.
What Car? editor Jim Holder said, ‘Honda’s success in the reliability index is chiefly down to low failure rates. However, when things do go wrong, the cars are also relatively cheap to fix.
‘Reliability is always one of the key attributes buyers look for when considering a used car purchase, so manufacturers that consistently demonstrate durability will always do well with the consumer.’
Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index analysed by What Car? experts, calculates each vehicle’s reliability using a complex formula that takes into account its failure rate, age, mileage and cost of repair. The lower the RI number, the more trustworthy the car.
Reliability rating of all manufacturers
Position Make Ave Mileage RI Average Cost (£) Highest Cost (£)
1 Honda 50,892.73 41 335.87 2,913.40
2 Suzuki 39,280.27 48 256.04 1,684.84
3 Toyota 50,641.03 66 378.22 5,020.00
4= Chevrolet 35,956.80 82 258.15 2,118.90
4= Mazda 47,649.48 82 398.42 4,546.94
6 Ford 53,214.21 85 289.74 8,014.33
7 Lexus 53,305.39 89 415.90 5,699.94
8 Skoda 50,675.24 90 292.84 3,854.76
9= Hyundai 53,281.01 94 318.54 4,637.66
9= Nissan 48,738.90 94 367.19 20,747.88
9= Subaru 56,991.20 94 456.75 3,933.45
12= Daewoo 40,148.60 97 263.82 1,170.37
12= Peugeot 49,787.60 97 284.62 4,975.00
14 Fiat 43,219.17 98 268.35 2,520.90
15 Citroën 48,805.54 105 311.58 4,026.40
16 Smart 37,672.35 108 291.75 2,544.00
17 Mitsubishi 52,882.69 109 456.29 4,832.59
18 Kia 49,608.72 114 390.01 4,056.00
19 Vauxhall 52,546.81 123 310.07 15,000.00
20 SEAT 51,710.06 125 299.11 5,993.08
21 Renault 48,537.36 130 262.42 4,711.75
22 Mini 44,017.29 136 380.74 4,721.72
23 Volkswagen 54,982.88 137 345.94 5,657.38
24 Rover 44,873.26 150 362.73 3,217.40
25 Volvo 60,664.66 151 377.35 5,604.10
26 Saab 56,991.42 158 327.4 8,862.35
27 Land Rover 67,011.84 162 428.47 15,350.00
28= BMW 58,174.77 180 447.18 35,000.00
28= MG 38,370.18 180 401.96 3,901.46
30 Jaguar 50,879.61 185 419.57 9,347.00
31 SsangYong 49,884.41 211 431.55 2661.39
32 Mercedes-Benz 54,341.10 215 452.7 16,115.38
33 Chrysler 52,454.94 221 399.47 3,747.22
34 Audi 59,054.52 223 515.41 15,438.42
35 Jeep 52,582.81 227 439.89 3,694.00
36 Porsche 41,829.73 380 784.71 10,348.00
37 Bentley 38,113.59 637 678.5 8406.65
Warranty Direct managing director, David Gerrans, said, ‘Household budgets continue to be stretched further in the current economic climate; the last thing people need is a car that costs them money they don’t have in unwanted bills.
‘It is imperative that consumers research their intended purchases thoroughly before taking the plunge. Not taking the time to look over something as easy to use as our Reliability Index could mean making the wrong choice and inadvertently landing yourself with a car that causes you nothing but hassle and a financial headache.’
Overall, the most reliable models are the Honda Jazz and Mitsubishi Lancer, both of which also carry reasonable average repair costs. The least reliable model, the Audi RS6, is also the most costly to fix, with an eye-watering average repair bill of £1003.25
Electrical faults are the most common across all cars, acting as the catalyst which sends almost a quarter (22.34%) of vehicles to the garage. Axle and suspension faults are also common, affecting 22% of cars. Air conditioning is the cause of least concern to motorists, being reported by a minimal three per cent of owners.
Warranty Direct cover starts from as little as £15 a month. For more information on the reliability of your vehicle, visit www.reliabilityindex.com , or for a quote on cover www.warrantydirect.co.uk.
