Results by brand: 9th to 15th
* Most and least reliable cars rated
* Top 10 - and worst - in each category, too
Chevrolet 9th
Last year's position na
Cars needing repair work 22%
Average repair cost 227
Best model Tacuma ('05-'09)
Worst model Lacetti ('05-)
Chevrolet didn't feature last year, but joins this year in a strong ninth place with the lowest average repair cost in the survey, at 227.
The fail rate is a worthy 22%. The Tacuma ('05-'09) claims top spot for both Chevrolet and MPVs overall, with a failure rate of 5%.
Nissan 10th
Last year's position 10/35
Cars needing repair work 25%
Average repair cost 379
Best model Qashqai ('07-)
Worst model Pathfinder ('05-)
A British-built car topped Nissan's line-up last year and it's a different British-built model at the top in 2012 the Qashqai ('07-) with an average repair cost of 246 and a fail rate of just 16%.
The Pathfinder ('05-), Nissan's worst model, has average repair costs of 624.
Kia 11th
Last year's position 9/35
Cars needing repair work 26%
Average repair cost 359
Best model Picanto ('04-'11)
Worst model Pathfinder ('00-'06)
Kia sits in a respectable 11th place. The Rio ('01-'05) gets sixth place in superminis, while the Picanto ('04-) takes third in city cars and best Kia overall, with a failure rate of just 9%.
Ford 12th=
Last year's position 14/35
Cars needing repair work 31%
Average repair cost 275
Best model Ka ('08-)
Worst model Galaxy ('95-'06)
The Ka ('08-) is Ford's runaway winner. Its RI score of 27 and 20% failure rate put it ninth in the top 10 city cars.
The Galaxy ('95-'06) is still Ford's most unreliable car, going wrong more than half the time and proving expensive to fix (343 on average).
Skoda 12th=
Last year's position 12/35
Cars needing repair work 31%
Average repair cost 310
Best model Fabia ('07-)
Worst model Superb ('02-'08)
Skoda keeps 12th place. Its Fabia ('07-) replaces the Octavia ('98-'04) at the top with a tiny RI of 15, a failure rate of the same percentage and average repair costs of around 100.
The Superb ('02-'08) remains its worst model.
Citroen 14th
Last year's position 15/35
Cars needing repair work 32%
Average repair cost 297
Best model Xsara Picasso ('00-'10)
Worst model C8 ('02-'10)
The Xsara Picasso ('00-'10) takes Citroen's top spot. Its 26% failure rate and brilliant 56 RI score make it a genuinely practical and reliable car to live with.
The C8 ('02-), however, gets a disappointing 264 for its RI score, and high repair costs.
Peugeot 15th=
Last year's position 19/35
Cars needing repair work 35%
Average repair cost 278
Best model 206 CC ('00-'07)
Worst model 807 ('02-'11)
A good jump up the table puts Peugeot 15th. Its best model, the 206 CC ('00-'07) has a failure rate of just 21%.
Easily Peugeot's worst performer is the 807 ('02-) with a 49% fail rate and an average repair cost approaching 500.
Daewoo 15th=
Last year's position 11/35
Cars needing repair work 35%
Average repair cost 291
Best model Matiz ('98-'05)
Worst model Kalos ('02-'05)
The Daewoo Matiz is a strong finisher once again this year; its failure rate of 56% and average repair cost of 253 put it seventh in the city car category.
It isn't such good news for other Daewoos, especially the Kalos ('02-'05); with a premium-sized average repair bill of 411 it's the most unreliable city car this year.
Smart 15th=
Last year's position 13/35
Cars needing repair work 35%
Average repair cost 293
Best model Fortwo ('07-)
Worst model Roadster ('03-'06)
Whereas the original Fortwo ('00-'03) stood out as the worst model last year, this year the next-generation Fortwo ('07-) takes the marque's top spot.
The problems with the newer model are generally either electrics or cooling system-related, and the average repair costs are low at 217, but a poor RI score of 155 for the Roadster ('03-'06) this year, together with its 48% failure rate, drags Smart back down the board.
