In association with MotorEasy
What Car? Reliability Survey: Most and least reliable family cars
In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here we list the most and least reliable family cars in the UK...
Family hatchbacks are the bread and butter of the car world. They remain popular with private buyers and company car drivers alike, despite the rise in demand for SUVs.
That means there are plenty of used examples to choose from, but as data from our Reliability Survey (conducted in association with MotorEasy) shows, not all family cars will provide problem-free motoring. However, this year the class has risen to fifth place out of our 10 categories, with an average score of 92.6%, up on last year's rating of 91.1%.
The good news is that there are also some highly dependable models, including the previous generation Kia Ceed and the Honda Civic. And, if you're after a reliable electric family car, the used-only BMW i3 should be on your shortlist.
The most common problems suffered by family cars are electrical issues, in particular problems with the infotainment systems, so it's worth checking this out if you're looking at buying a used model.
For this story, we've pulled out data is for family cars aged up to five years old. Reliability information for older models is in our Most reliable used cars feature.
The 2026 What Car? Reliability Survey is live, tell us about your car now
Most reliable family cars
1. Kia Ceed (2018-2025)
Reliability rating 98.8%
Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment system 4%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 50% one day to a week, 50% more than a week
Kia’s family hatchback may not be the last word in driver involvement or sophistication, but it is the most dependable choice in this class.
Owners told us that only 8% of Ceeds had any issues, with the sat-nav/infotainment system being the only area of concern. Although all cars could still be driven, half of them spent up to a week under repair and fixing the rest took longer than that. However, the good news for owners is that the brand appears to be exemplary at honouring its seven-year warranty, covering the cost of all remedial work.
Owner’s view: “The things I like most about my Ceed are its long warranty and how reliable it has proven.”
2. BMW i3 (2013-2022)
Reliability rating 97.4%
Most common faults: motor electrics 4%, steering 4%, suspension 4%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 25% one day or less, 25% one day to a week, 50% more than a week
The i3 was available as a pure electric model and a range extender hybrid, but our data covers only the former version, which is proving pretty durable as it ages.
Not only does this electric hatchback have a relatively low fault rate of 11%, but it should also be affordable to live with; owners told us that BMW covered the cost of all repairs.
Faults were reported with electric motors, steering and suspension, but only 25% of issues prevented cars from being driven. Half of the defects were rectified in less than a week, but the rest took longer to fix.
3. Honda Civic (2022-present)
Reliability rating 97.3%
Most common faults: steering 10%, hybrid battery pack 2%, bodywork 2%, sat-nav/infotainment system 2%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 44% one day to a week, 44% more than a week
Although the Civic isn’t the highest-scoring Honda model for reliability, it’s not far behind the best in the family car category. Only 13% of the cars we were told about had any issues, most commonly relating to the steering system; this accounted for 10% of faults.
Most (89%) of the affected cars remained driveable, but 44% of those with problems were under repair for more than a week. Even though Honda’s new car warranty ends after three years, all faulty cars aged up to five years old were fixed for free.
4. BMW 1 Series (2019-present)
Reliability rating 97.2%
Most common faults: bodywork 3 %, brakes 3%, non-engine electrics 3%
Average repair cost: 91% £0, 9% £51-£100
Typical time off road: 40% a day or less, 50% one day to a week
The third-generation of the 1 Series is a more practical family car proposition than before, with a front-wheel-drive layout (with the option of four-wheel drive for certain variants), and a choice of two mild hybrid petrol engines. It still retains the punchy performance and plush interior of its predecessors, and their strong levels of durability.
Only 9% of the 1 Series examples in our survey went wrong, and 95% of them could still be driven. Troubles were split evenly between the bodywork, brakes and electrical systems, and BMW took care of most of the necessay remedial work. While 40% were back on the road within 24 hours, half of cars took up to a week to put right.
Reliability rating 96.8%
Most common faults: 12-volt battery 6%, non-engine electrics 6%, sat-nav/infotainment system 6%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 50% one day or less, 50% one day to a week
Well-equipped and spacious inside, the previous-generation Vauxhall Astra is great value as a secondhand buy. It does have a fairly high fault rate — 22% of owners told us their cars had suffered some sort of glitch.
However, the car maker covered the cost of all repair work, and it fixed half of faulty cars in a day or less. Problem areas included the 12-volt battery, infotainment and other electrical systems.
2015-2021 Vauxhall Astra review
=6. Nissan Leaf (2019-2024)
Reliability rating 96.5%
Most common faults: battery pack 2%, brakes 2%, interior trim 2%, non-motor electrics 2%, suspension 2%
Average repair cost: 88% £0, 12% £301-£500
Typical time off road: 63% one day or less, 25% one day to a week
Although Nissan has struggled with a high proportion of faults on some of its models, the Leaf has long been a paragon of dependability. Even as it ages, it's still not hampered by too many faults.
Owners told us 15% of their Leafs had some sort of issue, but 83% of the affected vehicles could stuill be driven. Most issues were put right in a day or less, and all were sorted out in less than a week. The only niggle is that Nissan left one in five owners of faulty cars with bills of up to £500.
Reliability rating 96.5%
Most common faults: 12-volt battery 8%, non-engine electrics 3%, interior trim 2%
Average repair cost: 91% £0, 9% £51-£200
Typical time off road: 63% one day or less, 33% more than a week
The Corolla is an unusual family car because it's only available as a regular hybrid rather than a mild hybrid or plug-in hybrid. That means it's more efficient than a conventional petrol model, but it doesn't have to be charged up to maintain the lowest running costs. It'a also comfortable, well-equipped and comes with lots of standard kit.
It's proving pretty robust, too. Only 15% of owners reported a fault, and just over two-thirds of cars with issues could still be driven. Aside from headaches with the 12-volt battery, the only other problem areas were the interior trim and various electrical systems. Two-thirds of cars were fixed within 24 hours, and Toyota paid for 91% of repairs.
8. Seat Leon (2013-2020)
Reliability rating 96.4%
Most common faults: bodywork 4%, brakes 4%, engine 4%, interior trim 4%
Average repair cost: 67% £0, 33% £201-£300
Typical time off road: 75% one day or less, 25% more than a week
The Seat Leon is stylish, good to drive and offers excellent value for money, making it a terrific used buy. Another bonus is that it doesn't suffer the high proportion of infotainment and other electrical system issues that blight the newer model.
Overall, 15% of the cars reported on went wrong, but 75% of them remained driveable. Remedial work was generally swift, with three-quarters of cars in and out of the garage in a day or less, but Seat only covered two-thirds of bills, leaving some owners having to find up to £300 per fault.
Reliability rating 95.0%
Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment system 11%, air-con 4%, 12-volt battery 4%, brakes 4%, engine 4%, exhaust 4%, fuel system 4%, non-engine electrics 4%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Typical time off road: 50% one day or less, 25% one day to a week, 25% more than a week
The Skoda Scala isn't a big seller, but it is a practical family hatchback with lots of equipment and space for a family of five. It shares the same basis as the Volkswagen Golf, but undercuts it on price.
Its 25% fault rate is high, and with 11% of those issues relating to the infotainment system, it's evident that the Scala shares the VW Group's common problems with this area of the electrics. The good news is that all issues were resolved quickly, and at no cost to owners.
10. BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (2014-present)
Reliability rating 94.9%
Most common faults: brakes 4%, gearbox 4%, non-engine electrics 4%, air-con 2%, engine electrics 2%, exhaust 2%
Average repair cost: £0
Typical time off road: 46% more than a week, 36% one day to a week
It may be an MPV, but the BMW 2 Series is good to drive and comes with a choice of petrol engines that have mild-hybrid assistance or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) systems. The latter is a great option for company car drivers and those wanting to keep running costs low.
The 2 Series Active Tourer isn't as robust as other BMW models, but its 19% fault rate is acceptable. No single area looks too problematic - faults are split between a number of components, from the brakes to air-con. While getting things put right could be slow, BMW covered the cost of all repair work.
Reliability rating 80.1%
Most common faults: 12-volt battery 29%, battery pack 18%, interior trim 12%
Average repair cost: 89% £0, 11% £101-£200
Typical time off road: 70% more than a week, 30% one day or less
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.”
2016-2022 Hyundai Ioniq Electric review
2. Hyundai Ioniq 5 (2021-present)
Reliability rating 80.7%
Most common faults: 12-volt battery 20%, bodywork 10%, interior trim 7%, non-engine electrics 7%, sat-nav/infotainment 7%, battery pack 5%, electric motor 5% charging system 3%
Average repair cost: 90% £0, 5% £1-£100, 5% more than £1500
Typical time off road: 56% more than a week, 37% one day or less
Another Hyundai, the Ioniq 5, has also been plagued by difficulties with its EV battery, as well as with failure of the 12-volt battery. These two weaknesses are the main contributor to the model’s poor 42% overall fault rate, although some owners also told us their cars had defective bodywork, interior trim and electrical systems.
Faults prevented 41% of affected cars from being driven, and fixes tended to be slow, with 56% of cars off the road for more than a week. Hyundai covered 90% of repair costs, and most bills totalled less than £100 per fault.
3. Volkswagen Golf (2020-present)
Reliability rating 82.2%
Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment 16%, non-engine electrics 10%, 12-volt battery 7%, bodywork 6%, engine 5%, engine electrics 5%, hybrid battery pack 3%, brakes 3%
Average repair cost: 82% £0, 7% £1-£100, 11% up to £1500 or more
Typical time off road: 44% more than a week, 27% one day or less
Multiple faults, slow repairs and high bills keep the Golf near the bottom of the family car class for the second consecutive year. Overall, 35% of the cars we were told about went wrong. Problems included faulty infotainment and other electrical systems, plus 12-volt battery and engine issues.
Although 27% of faults were remedied in a day or less, 30% of affected cars were off the road for up to a week, and 43% took even longer to fix. While 82% were fixed for free, 12% cost up to £1000 and some cost more than £1500 to put right.
To read the reliability data for other car classes follow these links:
Most and least reliable cars overall (2025)
Most reliable car brands (2025)
Most reliable small cars (2025)
Most reliable executive cars (2025)
Most reliable luxury cars (2025)
Most reliable small SUVs (2025)
Most reliable family SUVs (2025)
Most reliable large SUVs (2024)
Most reliable seven-seaters (2025)
Most reliable electric SUVs (2025)
Most reliable sports cars (2024)
Most reliable diesel cars (2024)
Most reliable petrol cars (2024)
Most reliable hybrid cars (2024)
How the research was carried out
The latest survey, compiled in association with MotorEasy, contains data from 29,967 car owners, and reveals the reliability ratings for 199 models from 31 different brands. Each rating is based on two crucial factors relating to every car that suffered a fault: how much each fault cost the car owner in repair bills, and how long the car was stuck in the workshop getting fixed.
To add extra depth to our ratings, we also asked car owners to tell us which component on their vehicle went wrong, asking them to choose from 14 different areas: air-con, battery, bodywork, brakes, engine or motor, engine or motor electrics, exhaust, fuel system, gearbox/clutch, interior trim, non-engine or motor electrics, sat-nav/infotainment, steering, suspension systems. This year we also added two specific categories for electric cars: charging and drive battery issues, to help us to build a better picture of EV ownership.
About the report author
Claire Evans has been a motoring journalist for more than 30 years, and has focussed on consumer issues for much of that time. She was the 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.
