Turning to a Japanese brand might be a passport to a stress-free life, if the results of the What Car? Reliability Survey are to be believed. Read on to discover the makes of car likely to be a dream to own. We’ll run through the top 10 manufacturers in reverse order.
10. Subaru 81.8%
Steve Huntingford, editor at What Car? said: “Japanese brands continue to lead by example when it comes to reliability; the breadth of vehicles with near-faultless scores highlights the engineering prowess of Far Eastern manufacturers.” Subaru scores 81.8%.
9. Ford: 82.1%
This is a great result for a volume manufacturer, with the B-Max and C-Max performing particularly well. The cars finished first and second in the MPV category, with only 17% and 18% of owners reporting faults with a B-Max and C-Max, respectively.
8. MG: 83.4%
Fair play to MG, because eighth place is a tremendous result for a niche brand. A new ZS crossover is on the way, and MG will be hoping it proves to be as reliable as the MG3.
7. Hyundai 84.8%
The Hyundai i30 secures a top three finish in the family car category, with only 15% of cars suffering faults. These minor niggles were fixed under Hyundai’s excellent five-year warranty in less than a week.
6. Honda: 84.9%
Not one Honda Jazz owner reported any faults with their car, giving the supermini a perfect reliability score. Meanwhile, the previous-generation Jazz sits in fourth place in the small cars category, with only minor niggles reported.
25. Alfa Romeo: 85.8%
Heard the one about the Alfa Romeo that was more reliable than a Honda? It’s often said that truth is stranger than fiction, but you’d be forgiven for thinking we’d lost our marbles if we told you a new Alfa could be more dependable than a car built by the Japanese giant. The fact is: Alfa Romeo finished fifth in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, one place higher than Honda.
4. Suzuki: 86.6%
Suzuki just misses out on a top three finish, but this is a strong performance for a brand focused on value for money.
3. Toyota: 89.6%
Toyota’s star performer is the Aygo, with owners reporting no faults with their cars. Indeed, 13% cited reliability as the thing they liked most about their car.
2. Mitsubishi: 90.8%
The Mitsubishi Outlander emerges victorious in the large SUV category, ahead of some big-name premium brands. Less than 10% of Outlanders suffered a fault, 75% of which were fixed in a day. All were fixed for free in less than a week.
1. Lexus: 92.1%
For a stress-free life, buy a Lexus. The CT 200h is the standout model, with a 100% reliability score. Meanwhile, the Lexus IS finished second in the executive car category.
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