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Britain's most reliable cars (plus the ones that'll let you down)

We asked 30,000 drivers what their car is really like to own. Here are the most reliable cars you can buy...

2025 What Car Reliability Survey header image

The used car market is at its most buoyant since before the Covid pandemic, with more than four million second-hand vehicles snapped up in the first half of 2025. Alongside this, there’s been an increase in the number of electric and hybrid cars available, giving buyers more options than ever.

That’s reflected in the fact that our 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey has given us data on a record 227 models – up 12% on last year – from 30 brands.

This survey – conducted in association with MotorEasy – isn’t just useful if you’re buying used, though. It reports on the experiences of 32,493 owners over the past 24 months, with many of these people telling us about current-generation models. So, whether you’re buying new or used, we can help you to sort the wheat from the chaff.

Much more than a satisfaction poll, the What Car? Reliability Survey asks in detail about the number and nature of any faults with cars up to five years old, how much they cost to put right and how long they kept cars off the road for. The two latter factors are the main headaches when your car goes wrong, so we use them to create a unique reliability rating for each brand and model.

To identify the most common trouble spots, we asked participants to pick from 16 categories when reporting a fault: 12-volt battery, air-con/cooling system, EV battery (electric vehicles and hybrids), bodywork, brakes, engine/electric motor, engine or motor electrics, exhaust, fuel/charging system, gearbox/clutch, interior trim, non-engine or motor electrics, sat-nav/infotainment, steering, suspension and other.

Where we have a large enough sample size, we treat diesel, electric, hybrid and petrol versions separately.

We've split our results into different car and SUV categories, with a page dedicated to each one. So, if, for example, you want to find out the most reliable electric car, you can use our most reliable electric cars. Or if you're curious to know what the least reliable small SUV is, we have a page for that car class, too. 

The 2026 What Car? Reliability Survey is live, tell us about your car now


Britain's most reliable cars

=1. Hyundai i10 (2020-present)

Hyundai i10 front right driving

Reliability rating 100%

  • Most common faults: none

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: none

Hyundai has long held a reputation for building robust cars that motor on for many years without many major issues, and its smallest model, the i10, has excelled itself in this year’s survey.

It’s one of just four cars to achieve a 100% reliability rating. That means not one of the cars owners told us about suffered any faults at all in the previous 24 months. As a result, no i10 owners had to contend with the inconvenience and potential expense of a breakdown or an unexpected repair bill, making it a clear winner in this category.

Owner's comment: "My i10 is cheap to run and it's been completely reliable so far. It may be small, but it's spacious enough to fit a bicycle in the back without removing the wheels."

“The i10 may be one of the smallest cars, but I've found it punches above its weight when it comes to dependability. It's no wonder that one What Car? reader told us his i10 is his third Hyundai and that he loves the fact that all of his cars have been faultlessly reliable.” – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

Hyundai i10 review 


=1. Hyundai Santa Fe (2018-2024)

Hyundai Santa Fe

Reliability rating 100%

  • Most common faults: none

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: none

Results in the seven-seater category were disappointing this year. Only cars in the electric SUV category posted a lower average score, so a seven-seater that manages an unblemished 100% rating deserves a lot of praise.

The Hyundai Santa Fe not only does just this, but it’s also the second Hyundai model to gain a perfect score this year, alongside the much cheaper Hyundai i10 small car. The Santa Fe’s perfect score means no owners had any issues or breakdowns in their cars in the previous 24 months, so none had to contend with unwanted repair bills.

Owner's comment: "The build quality and reliability of my Santa Fe are both exemplary."

“In my experience, seven-seaters can take a battering if they're used as everyday family transport, and that makes the Santa Fe's faultless reliability rating all the more impressive. The combination of an affordable price and great practicality is the icing on the cake.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

Hyundai Santa Fe used review


=1. Kia EV3 (2024-present)

Kia EV3 front driving

Reliability rating 100% 

  • Most common faults: none

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: none

While some of the latest electric models have struggled with battery and motor flaws, the Kia EV3 has sailed through its first reliability survey with none of these. In fact, it’s one of just four models to have achieved a full 100% reliability rating this year. In other words, owners told us that they didn’t have a single issue with their cars.

The EV3 is also the only fully electric model to have gained the top rating, and that’s a big achievement when you consider the difficulties experienced by some owners of other EVs that are included in this survey.

Owner’s comment: “The EV3 was just what I’ve been looking for in an electric car, and it’s been totally dependable so far.”

"EV3 owners told us the things they're most impressed with are the reliability and durability of this small electric SUV. While many other electric models are plagued by problems, I was impressed that the EV3 stands out because not a single car we were told about had an issue.” – Claire Evans, Consumer editor

Kia EV3 review


=1. Toyota GR Yaris (2016-present)

Toyota GR Yaris front right driving

Reliability rating 100%

  • Most common faults: none

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: none

This red-blooded, rally-bred hot hatch outperforms its more subdued, sensible namesake – the Yaris Hybrid small car – when it comes to reliability. In fact, not a single GR owner reported any faults whatsoever.

Not only did the GR Yaris post a 100% rating, but it’s also the only car in a class full of sporty models – including such pricey machinery as the Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 911 – to have achieved this feat in the past seven years of the What Car? Reliability Survey.

Owner’s comment: “I appreciate the robust build quality and reliability of my car. I feel I can just drive it and not worry about it going wrong.”

“I reckon the GR Yaris is one of the most characterful and entertaining hot hatches of the past decade, and the fact that it can be enjoyed with no worries about it going wrong makes it even more appealing.” – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

Toyota GR Yaris review


=5. Toyota Aygo X (2021-presenet)

Red Toyota Aygo X front cornering

Reliability rating 99.7% 

  • Most common faults: bodywork 3%

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: one day or less

The Aygo X may be Toyota’s smallest and most affordable model, but it’s also the most robust of its current offerings. In fact, this city car hardly puts a foot wrong; a mere 3% of Aygo X owners said they’d had an issue with their car, and the only area of concern was the bodywork, with no faults serious enough to render any cars unable to be driven.

The best news for owners is that all faults were fixed for free and without taking more than a day to put right, so no Aygo X driver was left out of pocket or without their car for too long.

Owner's comment: "My Aygo X has been cheap to own, not only because it's economical on fuel, but also because it hasn't gone wrong, so I've not had any unexpected additional costs." 

“Aygo X owners told us that they have complete faith in the reliability of their cars because the model regularly appears in the top echelons of our reliability survey. It may not be the most roomy or practical city car, but I'm comforted to know it's unlikely to let you down." – Lawrence Cheung, New cars editor

Toyota Aygo X review


6. Vauxhall Grandland petrol (2024-present)

Vauxhall Grandland front cornering

Reliability rating 99.6% 

  • Most common faults: non-engine electrics 4%

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: one day or less

The second-generation Grandland petrol is looking far more robust than its predecessor, with a minimal fault rate of just 4%, compared with 19% for the original Grandland X, build from 2018-2024.

Unspecified non-engine electrical gremlins were the only issues reported by owners. All cars remained driveable, and all problems were dealt with in a day or less. That’s better than the previous Grandland’s record; only 37% of those were fixed in a day and 42% took more than a week to put right. Adding to satisfaction among owners of the latest model, Vauxhall took care of all repair bills.

Owner's comment - “I love everything about my Grandland, especially the build quality, which is top notch.”

“I loved my time with my Grandland because it was practical workhorse with plenty of space for all my photography equipment. My car did have a couple of issues, but nothing that stopped me from putting 7000 miles on its clock in the space of six months.” – John Bradshaw, Chief photographer

Vauxhall Grandland review


7. Toyota RAV4 (2019-present)

Toyota RAV4 driving front

Reliability rating 99.2%

  • Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment system 6%, 12-volt battery 3%

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: 60% one day or less, 40% one day to a week

The RAV4 is a regular feature at the top of our annual reliability charts, and it’s great to see that its durability isn’t tailing off as it ages. The 12-volt battery and infotainment system were the only areas to cause upset among the 12% of owners who told us their car had suffered a reliability issue.

Most faults were minor, though, and 60% of cars were put right in a day or less, with the rest rectified in less than a week. Best of all, Toyota covered the cost of all work required, so no owners were left out of pocket.

Owner's comment: "I appreciate the reliability of my RAV4. It's good to know you don't have to worry about breakdowns on any journey, whether it's long or short."

“There are few better ways of getting to know your new car than by filling it with people and luggage and heading off on a long trip. I did just that in my Toyota RAV4, and I'm happy to report that it is my holiday hero. On our trip to Norfolk it was practical, roomy and dependable.” – Darren Moss, Deputy editor

Toyota RAV4 review


8. Mini hatchback (2014-2024)

2021 Mini Hatchback 5dr Cooper Sport Long Term front static

Reliability rating 99.1%

  • Most common faults: non-engine electrics 3%, sat-nav/infotainment system 2%, steering 2%

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: 67% one day or less, 33% one day to a week

Mini topped you list of the most reliable car brands last year and came second this year, and its now-discontinued previous-generation hatchback still scores highly. 

Only 7% of the Mini hatchbacks we were told about had a problem, and owners were looked after well when things did go wrong, with all remedial work performed for free, even though many faults were reported outside the standard three-year warranty. Most of the faults that did occur were related to electrical components, including the infotainment system, and there were some steering-related issues.

Owner's comment: "This is my fourth Mini, and I just love it. It's classless, pretty practical for a small car and has a high-class interior that looks great and is very durable - for me it's up there with the most premium brands."

“I covered nearly 4000 miles in my Mini hatchback during my four months with it, and it didn't put a foot wrong. That's just what I would have expected from this model, though, because Mini was the top-scoring brand in the 2024 reliability survey, and the hatchback is it's highest rated model.” – Darren Moss, Deputy editor

Used Mini hatchback review


=9. Volkswagen T-Roc (2018-2025)

VW T-Roc front cornering

Reliability rating 99.0% 

  • Most common faults: bodywork 2%, gearbox 1%, non-engine electrics 1%

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: one day or less 33%, one day to a week 67% 

The T-Roc’s almost perfect reliability rating is all the more impressive when you consider that it’s been on sale since 2018, and many of the examples in our survey are four or five years old, so they’re outside their new car warranty period.

Despite this, Volkswagen paid for all 99% remedial work on the 4% of faulty cars we were told about, with bodywork problems being the most frequently cited, followed by gearbox and electrical faults. A third of cars were sorted in a day or less and the rest were back on the road in less than a week. All affected cars could still be driven.

Owner's comment: "The thing I like most about my T-Roc is its reliability. It has started first turn every time regardless of the weather."

“After eight months and more than 8000 miles spent with the T-Roc, I am in love with this brilliant small SUV, and it will definitely go into the Kiall Garrett history books as one of my favourite company cars.” – Kiall Garrett, ex-senior videographer

Volkswagen T-Roc review


=9. Porsche Macan (2021-present)

Porsche Macan front cornering

Reliability rating 99.0%

  • Most common faults: gearbox 3%, non-motor electric 2% 

  • Average repair cost: £0

  • Time off road: 50% one day or less, 25% one day to a week, 25% more than a week

Our data covers the diesel and petrol-engined versions of the Macan (but not the latest pure electric model), and models of both fuel types are proving remarkably resilient up to the age of five.

A mere 5% of the Macans reported on suffered any issues, and their failings were restricted to the non-engine electrical systems, and the gearbox. Most problems were quick to rectify, too; half of the affected cars were fixed in a day or less, 25% took up to a week to repair and 25% took more than a week. All of the remedial work was paid for by Porsche.

Owner's comment: "It is very reliable and the two-year servicing intervals help to keep ownership costs down. It also has excellent performance and handling, so it fulfils my varied motoring requirements."

“Not all Porsche models are as robust as the Macan, and it's more affordable than the larger Cayenne and electric Taycan, so it gets my vote every time.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Porsche Macan review


The 10 most unreliable cars

1. Nissan Juke petrol (2019-present)

Grey Nissan Juke front cornering

Reliability rating 55.2%

  • Most common faults: 12-volt battery 12%, engine 12%, fuel system 6%, non-engine electrics 6%

  • Average repair cost: fixed for free 30%, more than £1500 60%

  • Time off road: 64% more than a week , 27% one day to a week

A combination of slow repairs and some huge repair bills have dragged the petrol Juke to the bottom of the chart for small SUVs. In fact, its 55.2% reliability rating is the lowest of all the cars included – in any category – in this year’s survey.

Although only 24% of the petrol Juke owners who responded to the survey said their car had gone wrong, 64% of them said their cars were out of action for more than a week, and 60% had to pay more than £1500 per fault for repairs; only 30% of problems were fixed for free. The engine and 12-volt battery were the biggest headaches, followed by non-engine electrical glitches.

Owner’s view: “My car has been completely unreliable. It has failed twice and I now feel it is beyond repair.”

Nissan Juke review 


2. Volkswagen Tiguan (2024-present)

VW Tiguan front left driving

Reliability rating 64.2%

  • Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment system 31%, brakes 19%, non-engine electrics 19%. bodywork 13%

  • Average repair cost: 100% fixed for free 

  • Time off road: 41% more than a week, 31% one day to a week

Some new models have flawless reliability records, but that’s far from the case with the latest generation of the Tiguan. It has the highest fault rate of any car in this year’s survey; 81% of the cars we were told about had some sort of problem.

The infotainment system accounted for 31% of issues, and the braking system and non-engine electrics each accounted for another 19%. Fixes were frequently slow, too; 41% of afflicted cars were off the road for more than a week and only 28% were in and out of the workshop on the same day. However, Volkswagen did cover the cost of all repairs.

Owner’s view: “The build quality of my Tiguan is nowhere near the level I would have expected from a Volkswagen.”

Volkswagen Tiguan review


3. Kia Sportage (2016-2021)

Kia Sportage

Reliability rating 72.9% 

  • Most common faults: 21% engine, 21% gearbox, non-engine electrics 17%, brakes 13% 

  • Average repair cost: 91% fixed for free, 5% more than £1500

  • Time off road: 50% more than a week, 32% one day to a week

Engine and gearbox problems blight the ownership experience offered by the previous-generation Sportage, with engine faults most prevalent among diesel models. Overall, 54% of Sportages had issues, and the engine and gearbox each accounted for 21% of them. Non-engine electrical systems were also a sore point for some owners, along with braking systems.

All of these failings kept 50% of cars out of action for more than a week. At least Kia took care of 90% of bills, although that left 5% of owners paying £101-£200 and 5% having to find more than £1500.

Used Kia Sportage review 


4. Mazda CX-60 (2022-present)

Mazda CX-60 front cornering

Reliability rating 76.2%

  • Most common faults: suspension 27%, steering 18%, bodywork 14%, PHEV battery 9%, fuel system 9%, gearbox 9%, non-engine/motor electrics 9%

  • Average repair cost: 100% fixed for free

  • Time off road: 44% more than a week, 41% one day or less

As a brand, Mazda managed only a mid-table finish for reliability this year, and the CX-60 is partly responsible for its lacklustre showing. Half of the examples reported on had a fault, and 27% of these were with the suspension. Other problem areas included the fuel system, gearbox and steering, as well as the 12-volt and hybrid batteries of PHEV versions.

Most (85%) of the faulty cars could still be driven, but repairs could be slow; 41% of cars were fixed in a day or less, but 44% were in the workshop for more than a week. Mazda paid for all remedial work, though.

Mazda CX-60 review


5. Mercedes C-Class (2021-present)

Mercedes C-Class front right driving

Reliability rating 76.3% 

  • Most common faults: engine 14%, air-con 10%, fuel system 10%, gearbox 10%, non-engine electrics 10%

  • Average repair cost: 100% fixed for free

  • Time off road: 43% one day to a week, 39% more than a week 

The latest C-Class isn’t looking as sturdy as the previous model; 43% of cars built from 2021 onwards had a glitch, compared with 23% for the previous C-Class (2014-2021). Failures occurred across a range of areas, including the air-con, engine, fuel system, gearbox and non-engine electrics.

Thirty-nine percent of faults were serious enough to stop cars from being used. Only 19% of cars were put right in a day or less, and 38% were in the workshop for more than a week. At least owners were spared the expense of unexpected bills; all repairs were performed for free.

Owner’s view: “My C-Class has had too many faults. Some are still not fixed, because the dealer doesn’t know what’s causing them.”

Mercedes C-Class review


6. Volvo S90 (2016-2023), V90 (2016-present)

Volvo V90 front cornering

Reliability rating 76.7% 

  • Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment 24%, non-engine electrics 18%, 12-volt battery 12%, 12-volt battery 12%

  • Average repair cost: 94% fixed for free, 6% £1-£50 

  • Time off road: 44% more than a week, 28% one day or less

The electrical systems appear to be the biggest weakness on the S90/V90. Overall, 47% of cars went wrong, with infotainment defects accounting for 24% of reported faults, unspecified non-engine electrics making up another 18% and 12-volt batteries responsible for 12% of the model’s failures.

Problems put 44% of cars out of action for more than a week and prevented 28% of them from being driven. It’s reassuring, though, that Volvo covered the remedial work in 94% of cases, leaving other owners with bills of less than £50 per fault.

Used Volvo S90 review / Volvo V90 review


7. Audi Q7 (2015-present)

Audi Q7 2021 front cornering shot

Reliability rating 78.6%

  • Most common faults: non-engine electrics 20%, engine 7%, exhaust system 7%, sat-nav/infotainment system 7%

  • Average repair cost: 57% fixed for free 41%, 29% more than £1500

  • Time off road: 56% one day to a week, 43% more than a week 

The Q7 appears in this survey as both the lowest-scoring luxury car and the poorest-rated seven-seater. Owners told us that 47% of their cars had gone wrong, compared with 29% for the Mercedes-Benz GLB and Volvo XC90.

Q7 owners were also asked to pay for far more repairs than those with seven-seaters from other brands; 29% of owners received repair bills in excess of £1500, and only 15% of Q7s were fixed for free. By comparison, all faulty GLBs and 90% of XC90s were fixed for nothing, and only 10% of XC90 owners had to pay up to £1000.

Owner’s views: “Continual infotainment niggles have marred the ownership experience brought by my Q7.”

Audi Q7 review


8. Volkswagen ID 4 (2021-present)

VW ID 4 front cornering

Reliability rating 79.6%

  • Most common faults: electric motor 18%, EV battery pack 11%, bodywork 7%

  • Average repair cost: 100% fixed for free 

  • Time off road: 67% more than a week, 19% one day to a week 

The Volkswagen ID 4 is one of a set of triplets that also includes the Audi Q4 e-tron and Skoda Enyaq, but the VW trails its siblings by more than 10 percentage points. It not only suffers more faults but also takes longer to repair.

Thirty-six percent of ID 4 owners had gripes, compared with 30% of people with Enyaqs and 29% with Q4 e-trons. What’s more, 67% of faulty ID 4s were off the road for more than a week, while only 28% of Enyaqs (and 52% of Q4s) took that long. The EV battery and electric motor were the main issues for ID 4 owners, but VW did pay for all repairs.

Owner’s view: “My car has ground to a halt at crucial moments three times, each followed by at least a week in the garage.”

Volkswagen ID 4 review 


9. Hyundai Ioniq Electric (2016-2022)

Hyundai Ioniq Electric 2019 front RHD front cornering

Reliability rating 80.1% 

  • Most common faults: 12-volt battery 29%, EV battery pack 18%, non-motor electrics 12%

  • Average repair cost: 89% fixed for free, 11% £101-£200 

  • Time off road: 70% more than a week, 30% one day to a week

EV and 12-volt battery issues have blighted the Ioniq Electric. The EV battery was the cause of 18% of issues and the 12-volt unit was responsible for 29% of faults. Together, they rendered 80% of affected vehicles undriveable.

Repair work was slow in many instances, too; 70% of cars were in the workshop for more than a week, and we were told that some were out of action for several weeks due to parts supply issues. While Hyundai looked after the bills for 89% of owners, 11% had to pay anywhere from £101 to £200 for their cars to be fixed.

Owner’s view: “I’ve been very disappointed with the EV battery problems my Ioniq has suffered and how they were dealt with.”

Used Hyundai Ioniq Electric review


10. Renault Austral (2023-present)

Renault Austral front cornering

Reliability rating 80.4%

  • Most common faults: engine 11%, sat-nav/infotainment system 11% 

  • Average repair cost: 100% fixed for free 

  • Time off road: 44% one day or less, 31% more than a week 

While some Renault models are proving pretty robust, the same can't be said for the Austral family SUV. Engine and electrical issues blighted the ownership experience of this model, as well as issues with the 12-volt battery, hybrid battery pack and electric motor. Overall, 44% of cars suffered some sort of glitch.

Although two-thirds of the affected cars could still be driven, a third of them were in the workshop for more than a week. At least owners didn't have to worry about unexpected bills because Renault covered the cost of all remedial work. 

Renault Austral review


How the research was carried out

The What Car? Reliability Survey is open to everyone who visits whatcar.com or subscribes to What Car? magazine. Responses were received from car owners around the UK. 

We ask them to tell us if their car had suffered a fault in the previous 24 months, and if so what area of the car was affected. We then ask them to expand on this by telling us how much they had to pay to get the fault fixed and how long their car was in the workshop. 

We use the information to create a unique reliability rating for each model and brand where we have a large enough response rate. These two factors are more important than how many faults a car suffered, because they determine how much inconvenience and expense a problem caused.

To gain an in-depth understanding of what goes wrong, we asked owners to describe issues in 16 categories: 12-volt battery, air-con/cooling system, EV battery (electric vehicles and hybrids), bodywork, brakes, engine/electric motor, engine or motor electrics, exhaust, fuel/charging system, gearbox/clutch, interior trim, non-engine or motor electrics, sat-nav/infotainment, steering, suspension and other.


Are cars getting more reliable?

We've seen an improvement in reliability over the past seven years – the percentage of cars aged up to five years old going wrong has dropped from 27% in 2018 to 22% in 2025.

Even better news is that the percentage of cars being fixed for free by manufacturers has risen from 87% in 2020 to 95% this year, which means the majority of newer cars don't land owners with hefty repair bills.

That's especially pleasing when you consider that there has been a significant shift in the new car market over the past few years, with a huge increase in the number of complicated hybrid and cutting-edge pure electric models being offered by existing brands and some newer ones.


What are the most reliable cars and brands?

There's been a big shake-up in the brands at the top of the reliability league table for 2025. Honda has toppled Mini and taken pole position for the first time in seven years; strong performances from the latest Civic, HR-V and Jazz all helped to tip the scales in the brand’s favour. Mini still did well, though, taking second position; its secret weapon this year was the Mini Hatchback (2014-2024), which bagged an impressive score of 99.1%.

Suzuki takes third place, bolstered by strong showings from the latest S-Cross and the 2017-2024 Swift. Toyota, meanwhile, has moved up from fifth to fourth, but its premium sister brand, Lexus, has dropped to ninth, due to battery issues that have plagued the LBX.

There are also three new entrants to the top 10. Vauxhall has stormed into fifth place, helped by the Grandland family SUV’s superb performance. Tesla isn’t far behind, aided by high scores from the Model 3 and Model Y. Kia also deserves praise for its high ranking, which comes partly thanks to the 100% reliability rating of the EV3.

The EV3 is one of only four models to gain a full 100% reliability rating this year; the others are the Hyundai i10 and 2018-2024 Santa Fe and the Toyota GR Yaris, the latter proving that performance-focused cars can also be dependable.

There has been less movement at the bottom end of the chart. Last year’s lowest-ranking brand, MG, has made a big improvement on its score, gaining a rating of 88.9% this year - 12 points higher than the 2024 score of 76.9% - but it still receives the wooden spoon. Nissan isn’t far ahead, though; the Juke’s dire showing went towards dragging the brand down to second last. Fiat and Land Rover are also in the bottom five, but their scores have risen above 90%, and that signifies a marked improvement over last year.


Which cars cost the most (and the least) to repair?

The good new for 2025 is that 95% of cars were fixed for free; that’s up from 82% last year. However, 1.4% of owners were left with bills of more than £1500 per fault.

The worst offender is the petrol-engined Nissan Juke. Owners told us that 60% of the faults each cost more than £1500 to fix, and only 30% of cars were put right for free.

Meanwhile, owning an Audi Q7 is a costly experience if you’re one of the 29% of owners who were landed with bills of £1500 or more. Still, at least 57% of Q7s were fixed at no cost. The Porsche Cayenne stands out, too; 25% of those that went wrong cost in excess of £1500 to put right, but the rest were all rectified for free.

The 2014-2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class also brought 22% of its owners £1500-plus repair bills, although 67% of work was done for free.

In contrast, the faults with 150 models were fixed at no cost to their owners. Thumbs up go to Dacia, DS, Fiat, Genesis, Honda and Mini, who fixed all their cars’ faults at no cost to their owners.


Are petrol, diesel, electric or hybrid cars most reliable?

If you want to avoid automotive meltdowns and breakdowns, a petrol-engined car is your best bet. These suffered the lowest average fault rate (19%) and are most likely to be fixed in a day or less, with 38% of faulty cars repaired in this time frame.

Hybrids are the next best option; 21% of these went wrong, and 36% of those were back in the hands of their owners in a day or less.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are looking less dependable; 27% went wrong, of which only 30% were fixed in one day. Worse still, 47% of the EVs that developed a fault were out of action for more than a week, making them the slowest fuel type to fix.

Diesel cars are the least dependable overall, though, with a fault rate of 29% and more engine issues than other fuel types bring. Thirty-six percent of faulty cars were fixed in a day, but 39% took more than a week.

Diesels are also the least likely to be put right for free. Only 87% of them were fixed at no cost to owners, compared with 92% of petrol cars, 96% of hybrids and 97% of EVs.


To read the reliability data for other car classes follow these links:

Most reliable car brands (2024)
Most reliable small cars (2024)
Most reliable family cars (2024)
Most reliable executive cars (2024)
Most reliable luxury cars (2024)
Most reliable small SUVs (2024)
Most reliable family SUVs (2024)
Most reliable large SUVs (2024)
Most reliable seven-seaters (2024)
Most reliable electric cars (2024)
Most reliable electric SUVs (2024)
Most reliable sports cars (2024)
Most reliable diesel cars (2024)
Most reliable petrol cars (2024)
Most reliable hybrid cars (2024)


About the report author

Claire Evans has been a motoring journalist for more than 30 years, much of that time spent specialising in consumer issues. She was a troubleshooting advice columnist for Carweek magazine in the 1990s, helping car owners with faulty cars get the right level of reparation from car makers.

She also spent six years working on motoring content for Which?, and it is here she oversaw the running of the charity's annual used car reliability survey.

Claire launched the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2017, and since then has helped thousands of buyers choose the most reliable new cars and SUVs, as well as the most dependable used cars. The survey data is also shared with car makers, who use it to find out more about issues with models and the areas where they could provide better customer service.


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