UK’s most and least reliable used cars

The Toyota Yaris has been named as the country’s best secondhand purchase in the latest What Car? reliability survey.

More than 18,000 owners rated their vehicles, aged between four and 10 years, and Japanese models dominated the reliability rankings.

The Toyota Yaris had a 99.1% reliability rating. Only 9% of Yaris owners reported a fault with their vehicle to What Car?, with small electrical niggles most common. The Lexus CT and Audi Q3 came second and third.

Across all vehicles, nearly a third of owners told What Car? their car had suffered a fault, with suspension issues most common. However, 22% of owners said the manufacturer picked up the repair bill under warranty.

“Reliability is often at the forefront of any vehicle purchase. With nearly eight million used vehicles sold last year, there is huge scope for things to go wrong,” said Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?

“By shining a light on the reliability of various makes and models, we hope to help buyers make the right decision when choosing their next used purchase.”

Top 10 most reliable used cars

Make and Model		What Car? reliability rating
Toyota Yaris (2011 –present)		99.1%
Lexus CT (2011 – present)		98.8%
Audi Q3 diesel (2011 – 2018)		96.5%
Mitsubishi ASX (2010 – present)		96.3%
Seat Leon (2013 – present)		95.9%
Lexus RX (2009 – 2016)		95.4%
Honda Civic diesel (2012 – 2017)		95.0%
Honda CR-V (2012 – 2018)		94.6%
Honda Jazz (2008 – 2015)		94.2%
Volkswagen Touareg (2010 – 2018)		94.1%

The 10 most unreliable used cars

Make and Model		What Car? reliability rating
BMW 1 Series (2004 – 2011)		40.1%
Ford Kuga (2008 – 2012)		44.2%
Nissan Qashqai (2007 – 2013)		55.4%
Vauxhall Astra (2004 – 2009)		58.3%
Vauxhall Insignia (2008 – 2017)		58.3%
Ford Focus (2004 – 2010)		59.0%
Volkswagen Passat diesel (2005 – 2015)		59.9%
Land Rover Discovery (2004 – 2017)		60.3%
BMW 5 Series (2003 – 2010)		60.8%
Renault Clio (2005 – 2012)		62.6%