Honda tops annual car reliability survey Eight out of top 10 reliable brands are Japanese Expensive premium cars break down more often What Car? and Warranty Direct research reveals that Honda is the most reliable used car brand in the UK for the seventh consecutive year. Honda, which is about to launch a new version of its CR-V, has an enviable reliability record, with just a one in 10 chance of cars suffering a breakdown in any given 12-month period. Toyota and Lexus are close behind in the league table. However, while Japanese makes once again dominate the top 10 most reliable manufacturers, the research, based on 50,000 Warranty Direct policies on cars between three and 10 years old, shows that many more expensive brands will actually let you down more often. Premium marques Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar are languishing in the bottom 10, with fellow executive maker Audi little better. Land Rover is the UK s least reliable manufacturer, with a shocking 71% of cars breaking down at least once every year. What Car? s editor in chief, Chas Hallett, commented: Reliability is so important to motorists, especially when times are tough. Japanese car makers really do deliver on reliability and Honda is exceptionally good at this.
What will be surprising to many is the fact that several of the more desirable brands did not fare so well regarding reliability, and the cost of their repairs are high. They need to do better. Table showing reliability rating of all manufacturers Positio Make Ave RI Failure Rate n Mileage 1 Honda 47,190 39 10% 2 Toyota 47,610 68 17% 3 Lexus 51,016 82 18% 4 Suzuki 35,612 50 19% 5 Subaru 57,403 68 20% 6= Hyundai 51,776 68 21% 6= Mazda 44,510 91 21% 6= Mitsubishi 48,693 91 21% 9 Chevrolet 30,468 50 22% 10 Nissan 46,356 96 25% 11 Kia 44,310 95 26% 12= Ford 51,207 87 31% 12= Skoda 49,827 96 31% 14 Citroën 46,712 95 32% 15= Peugeot 48,770 99 35% 15= Daewoo 40,628 102 35% 15= Smart 36,381 104 35% 18 Mini 40,812 146 37% 19 Fiat 44,214 97 38% 20= Seat 50,223 118 39% 20= Volkswagen 53,000 134 39% 20= Volvo 59,482 161 39% 20= Porsche 38,742 243 39% 24 Vauxhall 50,269 123 40%
25 BMW 57,766 175 41% 26 Audi 56,813 197 42% 27= Rover 49,620 167 43% 27= Jaguar 49,630 184 43% 29 Mercedes-Benz 53,386 215 45% 30 MG 45,005 197 48% 31= Saab 56,149 161 50% 31= Chrysler 51,110 207 50% 33= Renault 47,194 137 52% 33= Jeep 49,085 228 52% 35 Alfa Romeo 52,370 202 55% 36 Land Rover 55,451 300 71% Warranty Direct s managing director, Duncan McClure Fisher, said: For most used car buyers, there are only a couple of factors that are taken into account when choosing a car. Reliability is always one of the top priorities. Cars have become increasingly complex, with lots of gadgetry on board, especially on executive models, where buyers expect more and more bang for their buck. Owners of these cars pay over the odds for the premium badge, but our study shows they could also be paying over the odds just to keep the car on the road. It s a balancing act for used car buyers. You can get cars that break down less often, but have higher repair bills, or you can buy a car that won t cost you much when it fails, such as a Renault, but lumbers you with more than a 50% chance of doing so. The one thing you do appear to be able to rely upon is buying Japanese. Axle and suspension woes are the most common fault reported by the UK s motoring public, largely due to the perilous state of the nation s roads, accounting for 28.56% of all breakdowns handled by Warranty Direct. Electrical gremlins are the second most likely cause of an
unwanted garage bill, with 24.3% of drivers reporting problems. US brand Chevrolet is the only manufacturer from outside the Far East to break into the top 10. It also has the lowest average repair bill, 227, of the most reliable marques. Unsurprisingly, Porsche models are the most expensive to repair, with an eye-watering average garage bill of 623. What Car? ENDS What Car? the UK s biggest car-buying brand, has two magazines, a marketleading website, an app and several established brand extensions. Its flagship magazine has helped Britain s car buyers make purchasing decisions for more than 35 years, and its tests are widely regarded as the most trusted source of new-car advice. Whatcar.com is the UK s leading car-buying website, offering trusted reviews and data on every new car. A winner of numerous awards and accolades, whatcar.com is recognised as one of the UK s leading consumer websites for car purchases and attracted more than three million visits in January 2012 (desktop and mobile). The website also offers advice on True MPG, car leasing, new car deals and used cars for sale. What Car? is owned by Haymarket Media Group the UK s largest independently owned publishing company with a portfolio of more than 150 titles, ranging from specialist consumer magazines to business titles and customer publications, published via wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and under licence worldwide. The What Car? Car of the Year Awards event is attended by more than 1000 leading industry figureheads alongside the most influential motoring correspondents from the wider media. The next event is to be held at the Grosvenor House hotel in London on January 9, 2013. For more information and table bookings visit www.whatcarawards.com www.whatcar.com
Warranty Direct Launched in 1997, Warranty Direct (www.warrantydirect.co.uk) was the first direct consumer Warranty Company to operate in the UK. It was the first to offer cover against failures caused by wear and tear and pioneered warranty cover against faults found during MoT test and service procedures. It has also spearheaded several major motoring campaigns, most notably regarding the state of the UK s potholed roads and the cost of the hourly labour rate for workshop mechanics. It is owned by Cardif Pinnacle, a trading style of Pinnacle Insurance plc and subsidiary of global banking house BNP Paribas. For more information, or to arrange an interview (ISDN available), please contact Karen Parry 020 8267 5553 karen.parry@haymarket.com / karen@prandmediaworks.com Andy Bothwell or Richard Tanner for Warranty Direct 0208 541 3434 andyb@performancepr.co.uk or Richard@performancepr.co.uk