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.

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