Britain’s most reliable cars

Japanese and Korean brands dominate prestigious UK car reliability study.

According to the exclusive data provided to Auto Express by leading warranty provider, Warrantywise, Toyota topped the rankings for dependability.

Each car manufacturer was ranked by a dependability factor, based on the number of reported faults or breakdowns, with a score of 75 representing the UK average.

Average costs, vehicle age and model were also considered in the Warrantywise ranking – the average age being 6.29 years.

UK bestsellers Ford and Vauxhall were ranked eighth and 17th respectively.

The data also shows that big spend and premium brand motoring doesn’t always guarantee a hassle-free ownership experience, with Bentley, Jaguar and Porsche all scoring below 60 in the dependability ratings.

If your car does break down, the average repair cost in the UK is £639, with the lowest average bills from Smart and MG. Makers such as Peugeot and Ford also produce models that are among the cheapest to repair.

“It’s a really impressive performance from Japanese brands to top European rivals when it comes to reliability,” said Auto Express Editor-in-Chief, Steve Fowler. “When they do go wrong they don’t cost the world, either.

“Perhaps it’s little surprise the most expensive repairs are for the rarer and pricier models on the market but the fact they’re down the bottom for reliability, too, shows list price doesn’t guarantee trouble-free motoring. That’s backed up by premium brands like BMW, Audi and Mercedes all languishing near the foot of the table, too.”

Warrantywise’s Lawrence Whittaker, added: “The average age of the cars in our survey needs to be taken in to consideration, and hopefully as a new generation of cars are coming in to our care at Warrantywise, we will see the performance of the European, and particularly the British marques, improving.”