Mixed reliability results from MPVs
- Audi A2 tops reliability rankings
- Renault Espace takes bottom two places
- Mercedes A-Class and Toyota Previa share third
We demand a lot from MPVs. They need to offer rugged, flexible accommodation for up to seven people, plus an enjoyable drive and reasonable running costs.
They must be reliable too - but the latest data from independent warranty provider Warranty Direct shows that 'MPV' might as well stand for 'May Prove Variable.'
There's an A1 Performance from Audi's A2 at the top of the table, followed closely by the Vauxhall Zafira ('99-'05), with 20 and 21 claims per 100 cars respectively, in most cases relating to electrical problems. In both cases average age and mileage was low for this group, but the Zafira impresses further with the lowest average repair costs.
The only person cheering Renault's '91-'97 Espace will be the owner of you local workshop, overjoyed at the extra business. This is because 93% of Espace owners with an extended warranty needed to make a claim. In its defence, this Espace had the oldest, highest-mileage cars in this group and was second cheapest to repair.
It's disappointing, then, to see that the second-worst car was the newer Espace ('97-'02), with two-thirds of all cars needing a claim on the warranty, and costing over £100 more to fix, on average, than its older sibling.
While the Mercedes A-Class ('98-'05) had done the fewest miles on average, one in three cars needed repairs, putting it in third place. It was also the most costly to repair, with the biggest average bill of £522. Almost half of claims were due to axle and suspension faults.
Sharing third place with the A-Class was Toyota's Previa. It also had 32 claims per 100 cars, most commonly for engine attention. Previas too longest to fix - nearly five hours on aveage - and had the second-highest average repair costs after the Mercedes.
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