Feature
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
The financial pressures of the cost-of-living crisis are showing no signs of letting up, with 56% of people in the UK reporting an increase in their outgoings in July compared with the previous month, according to the latest Government data.
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Worryingly, the cost of fixing faulty cars appears to be rising, too. Data from the latest What Car? Reliability Survey shows that only 81% of issues on cars up to five years old were fixed for free – a figure that's 14% worse than last year. In addition, 12% of issues cost owners up to £500 to repair in the latest survey, compared with just 4% last year, while the number of problems that cost in excess of £1500 to put right has more than doubled from 1.4% to 3%.
These figures show that it’s more important than ever to choose a dependable car. This year’s What Car? Reliability Survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, provides an insight into 225 models from 30 brands, reporting on the experiences of 39,332 owners over the past two years.
Claire Evans
Updated: 30 September 2026
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Much more than a satisfaction poll, it asks owners in detail about the number and nature of any faults, how much they cost to put right and how long it took to rectify them. 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.
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If you want to see how reliable your car is, visit My What Car?. By entering your car's registration number, you can see its reliability rating, and take advantage of a wide number of services that help to keep you organised on the road.
The What Car? Reliability Survey is live, tell us about your car now
Britain's most reliable cars
=1. Mini Countryman (2024-present)
Reliability rating 100%
Most common faults: none
Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: none
The current iteration of the Countryman is larger and roomier than the previous model, and that fact has propelled it from the small SUV sector into the competitive and crowded family SUV class. That’s been no barrier to success here, though, because the Countryman is one of just two models in the 2026 survey to gain a perfect rating of 100%, making it the highest scorer of all 61 models in this class. This means every owner who reported on their car said it had suffered no faults at all.
While it may not have the plushest interior and some may find its driving position awkward, there’s no doubting its credentials if you’re after the most dependable family SUV.
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Owner's comment: "It’s the best car I’ve ever had. It has been simply faultless in terms of reliability."
“The family SUV of the modern Mini range, the Countryman doesn’t seem as naturally suited to driver entertainment as its lower, lighter Mini Cooper hatchback stablemate, but it does just as much to put you in the mood when you get behind the wheel. And it's reassuring to know that the model ranks highly for reliability, thanks to its robust, BMW-sourced mechanical foundations.” – Chris Haining, Sub Editor
=1. Suzuki Swift (2017-2024)
Reliability rating 100%
Most common faults: none
Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: none
The Swift may not be the last word in refinement or interior quality, but its dependability more than compensates. Although some of the examples included in our survey will be out of their new car warranty period, this small petrol hatchback racked up a 100% reliability rating – one of only two models to achieve a perfect score this year.
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That means every owner who told us about their car said it hadn’t suffered any unexpected issues and consequently hadn’t landed them with any unplanned repair bills.
The Swift’s flawless performance played a big part in propelling Suzuki back to the top of the brand league table for the first time since 2018.
Owner's comment: "My Swift has been incredibly reliable; it hasn’t broken down once in eight years."
“Running a Suzuki Swift has officially made me a Swift fan – just of the Suzuki brand, rather than the Taylor Swift variety. Overall, the Swift has been a great car to live with, and I’d thoroughly recommend it to anyone in the market for a small, cost-efficient car. For this Swifty, it’s been a real ‘Love Story’.” – Kiall Garrett, ex-senior videographer
3. Toyota Aygo X (2021-present)
Reliability rating 99.7%
Most common faults: bodywork 3%
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Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: 100% one day or less
The Aygo X is remarkably consistent when it comes to dependability. It was the second-highest-scoring small car in last year’s survey, with precisely the same score as it gained this year.
Toyota’s smallest model out-ranks the Yaris, which ranks 13th in the same category, with a fault rate of 20%, whereas a mere 3% of the Aygo Xs we were told about suffered a problem.
The only area that gave owners any concern was the bodywork, and all of the affected cars could still be driven. Toyota sorted out all of the issues for free, and all work was completed in a day or less.
Owner’s comment: “The thing I like the most about my Aygo X is that it has not let me down once in three years' of driving.”
"The Aygo X delivers exceptional city fuel economy and bulletproof reliability over long-term ownership. The only compromises are its tight rear space and firm ride on rough road surfaces.” – Claire Evans, Consumer editor
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4. BMW 4 Series Coupé and Convertible (2020-present)
Reliability rating 99.6%
Most common faults: bodywork 3%
Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: 100% one day or less
The 4 Series is a sleeker and sportier two-door version of the 3 Series saloon, and it can be had as a coupé or a convertible. It’s roomier than its smaller stablemate, the 2 Series, and even more dependable.
A mere 3% of the examples in our survey gave owners any cause for complaint, and all gripes concerned the bodywork. Proof that no issues represented the end of the world is found in the fact that all cars could still be driven and all issues were put right in a day or less. No owners were left out of pocket, either; even though some of the affected cars would have been outside BMW’s new car warranty period.
Owner’s comment: “I think the 4 Series is the best convertible you can buy, and I love its superb reliability.”
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“I reckon the BMW 4 Series is one of the most characterful and entertaining coupés on sale, and the fact that it can be enjoyed with no worries about it going wrong makes it even more appealing.” – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer
BMW 4 Series Coupé lease deals
BMW 4 Series Convertible review
5. Mini hatchback (2014-2024)
Reliability rating 99.4%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 2%, steering 2%
Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: 100% more than a week
In spite of its advancing years, the now-discontinued Mini hatchback looks more robust than its replacement, the Mini Cooper. Its reliability rating is a full 10% higher than the newer model’s, and it has experienced far fewer faults; just 4% of Mini hatchbacks went wrong, compared with 24% of Coopers.
Non-engine electrical issues and problems relating to the steering were the main gripes of the owners who reported a fault. All of the problematic cars could still be driven, and they were all fixed for free. It’s just a shame they were all out of action for more than a week.
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Owner's comment: "The combination of durability and driving fun are the best aspects about my Mini. I love it more than my Porsche."
“Thanks to BMW ownership, Mini has become a premium brand and the Hatch's interior lives up to that, with plenty of soft-touch plastics on the dashboard, and knobs and switches that have a substantial feel." – George Hill, reviewer
New Mini Cooper hatchback lease deals
=6. Kia Niro hybrid and PHEV (2016-2022)
Reliability rating 99.3%
Most common faults: bodywork 4%
Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: 100% one day or less
There's not much in it, but the first-generation Niro is slightly better than the latest model for dependability. That speaks volumes about the durability of the model and the back-up provided by Kia’s seven-year warranty, which covered all of the cars our respondents told us about.
A mere 4% of the Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid owners who responded to our survey told us their car had a fault, and those issues were confined to the bodywork. All of the affected vehicles were fixed in less than a week and, best of all, no owners were charged anything.
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Owner's comment: “Over the last 64 years, I have changed my car every two or three years and had some superb vehicles, but this is the best of the lot”
“The Kia Niro has a longstanding superb reliability record. It has been one of the most reliable hybrid models for the past five years. In some years it scored 100% because not a single owner reported a fault with their car.” – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor
=6. Lexus ES (2018-2026)
Reliability rating 99.3%
Most common faults: sat-nav/infotainment system 6%
Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: 100% one day or less
Lexus has recently introduced an all-new electric ES, but that doesn’t mean you should disregard its combustion-engined predecessor. The seventh-generation ES is a comfortable and efficient saloon with hybrid technology that helps it to reduce running costs.
Its other big plus point is near-faultless dependability. Just 6% of the ESs we heard about had any problems, and the only area to give any grief was the infotainment system. Unlike the electrical glitches suffered by the Mercedes C-Class, which contributed to that model’s lengthy stints in the workshop, the issues that affected ESs were all resolved in a day or less. Even better, all remedial work was done at no cost to owners.
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Owner's comment: "Lexus’s reputation for reliability was a big factor in my decision to buy an ES, and my car hasn’t disappointed."
“The ES proved a hugely comfortable and relaxing place to spend my daily commute. So much so that I’ve nicknamed it my Zen car. Getting across London to my favourite yoga studio was far less stressful in the cosseting ES.” – Claire Evans, Consumer editor
8. Kia Niro hybrid and PHEV (2022-present)
Reliability rating 99.2%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 3%, brakes 1%
Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: 50% more than a week, 25% one day or less, 25% one day to a week
The current Niro is bigger than its predecessor, and it looks a lot more modern. It’s also available as a hybrid, PHEV and EV, and (like the first Niro) it has suffered very few faults.
It has the same low fault rate of 4%, only this time the few things that did go wrong were with non-engine electrics and the brakes. Kia took care of all the costs associated with fixing faults, but putting things right took longer than with the previous Niro; half of the faulty cars were in the workshop for more than a week, with only 25% fixed and back on the road in a day or less.
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Owner's comment: "I've had no problems with my Niro, I am very happy with everything about it"
“If you do a lot of town driving, the Niro is worth considering. It may be a family SUV, but it’s not too big and bulky, and you can cruise around on near-silent electric power.” Oliver Young, Reviewer
9. Hyundai i10 (2020-present)
Reliability rating 98.9%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 3%
Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: 100% more than a week
The Hyundai i10 is one of the best city cars around because it's comfortable, quiet for a small car, and surprisingly roomy in the back. It's also Hyundai's most dependable model, and can be regularly spotted at the top of our annual small car reliability charts.
Minor electrical issues were the only reason owners had to seek help, and they only affected 3% of the cars we were told about. Although these problems did stop cars from being driven, they were all remedied for free by Hyundai's dealers. It's a shame they took more than a week to put things right, though.
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Owner's comment: "It's bomb-proof reliability wise, with no major issues in the past two years"
“The latest Hyundai i10 is a bit longer than most and is practical enough to carry adults in the back - and its reliability score is close to perfect.” – Oliver Young, Senior Reviewer
10. Mercedes E-Class (2016-2024)
Reliability rating 98.7%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 7%
Average repair cost: 100% £1-£50
Time off road: 100% one day or less
If you're after a trustworthy executive car from Mercedes-Benz, the E-Class is a better bet than the smaller C-Class; the bigger model’s fault rate of 7% means it made far fewer trips to the dealership than the C-Class (at 39%).
Non-engine electrical niggles were owners’ only area of complaint. All of the affected cars could still be driven, and all problems were sorted out in a day or less. In contrast, 38% of C-Classes with faults were in the garage for more than a week. No E-Classes were repaired for free, but owners were asked only to pay up to £50 per fault.
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Owner's comment: "My car feels like a top-quality piece of engineering. I also love the built-in safety systems"
“Few executive or luxury cars have had quite the lineage and family history of the E-Class. Indeed, Mercedes’ archivists reckon the origin of the E-Class stretches right back to the 1930s The 2016-2024 car carries the banner for the brand exceptionally well, it's the brand's most dependable model.” – Stuart Milne, Digital editor
Used Mercedes E-Class review
=11. Honda ZR-V (2023-present)
Reliability rating 98.6%
Most common faults: interior trim 8%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Time off road: 50% one day or less, 50% more than a week
The ZR-V sits between the larger CR-V and smaller HR-V in Honda's SUV line-up. Like these models, it's only available as a hybrid, and the only engine option is a 2.0-litre petrol unit that provides good acceleration and decent fuel economy.
As well as the strongest performing Honda model, it's also the fourth most dependable family SUV. Only 8% of the examples reported on had any glitches, and the only area to cause concern was the interior trim. No surprise, then, that all the affected cars remained driveable and all were fixed at no cost to owners. The only slight annoyance for owners is that half of them were in the workshop for more than a week.
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Owner's comment: "The best things about my ZR-V are the superb build quality and how well I've been looked after by the dealership"
“Over six months of living with a ZR-V the best fuel economy I saw from a tank of fuel was 58.2 mpg. Considering that most of the miles I racked up were on motorways and dual carriageways, that’s really impressive stuff. It's also been totally reliable on my daily commute.” – Chris Haining Sub-editor
=11. Porsche Macan (2014-present)
Reliability rating 98.6%
Most common faults: bodywork 4%, gearbox 2%, non-engine electrics 2%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Time off road: 50% one day or less, 25% one day to a week, 25% more than a week
Porsche's smallest SUV is designed to appeal to keen drivers who need more practicality than they’d find in a sports car. As well as being great fun to drive, the combustion-powered Macan is pretty bulletproof.
Its fault rate of 7% is just less than a quarter of the larger Cayenne’s, and the car maker paid for 100% of necessary repairs, in contrast to the 75% of Cayennes that were rectified for free. Bodywork was the most frequently cited problem area, followed by the Macan’s gearbox and non-engine electrics. Three-quarters of cars could still be driven and half of them were mended in a day or less, while 25% took up to a week and the remaining 25% took more than seven days.
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Owner's comment: "The excellent build quality and reliability of my car are two of the aspects I appreciate the most."
“While some Porsche models are beset by faults that can be costly to repair, the Macan has very few flaws. That's good to know when you're talking about a car that costs at least £60,000.” – Darren Moss, Deputy editor
13. Audi Q2 (2016-present)
Reliability rating 98.5%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 5%, brakes 3%, engine 3%, fuel system 3%
Average repair cost: £0
Time off road: 100% one day or less
The Q2 is the highest-scoring Audi model in our latest survey. In fact, it has been one of the most dependable small SUVs for the past three years. While some of Audi’s latest models struggled with electrical and software glitches, the Q2 had far fewer of these woes.
Overall, 13% of the Q2s in our survey had a defect, caused by the brakes, the engine and its electrics, the fuel system and a range of non-engine electrical issues. None of these glitches stopped any cars from being driven, and all of the affected vehicles were in and out of the workshop on the same day, causing a minimum of disruption for owners. What’s more, everything was fixed at no cost to owners.
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Owner's comment: "My Q2 feels like a quality vehicle on every level. It’s been faultlessly reliable so far."
“The Q2 topped the charts in our list of the most reliable small SUVs, so it's a great option if you're looking for a robust car.” – Dan Jones, Senior reviewer
=14. Hyundai Kona hybrid and PHEV (2019-2023)
Reliability rating 98.3%
Most common faults: bodywork 3%, non-engine electrics 3%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Time off road: 50% one day or less, 25% one day to a week, 25% more than a week
Petrol and hybrid versions of the previous-generation Kona are proving more reliable than their current counterparts; only 8% had any issues. The consequences of problems were less serious, too; 50% of older Konas were fixed in a day or less, compared with only 27% of newer ones, and all older examples could still be driven, versus 77% of newer ones.
Even better, no owners were charged for any repairs; that’s better than can be said for the newer model. The bodywork and small electrical niggles were the only areas to cause upset.
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Owner's comment: "Hyundai quality and reliability never fails to impress me. This is my third car from the brand, and they have all been excellent."
“It’s not a cheap used buy, but the Hyundai Kona is a well-rounded small SUV, and Hyundai’s competitive five-year warranty – which is transferable between owners – adds another string to its bow.” – George Hill, Used car writer
Used Hyundai Kona review
=14. MG S5 (2025-present)
Reliability rating 98.3%
Most common faults: EV battery 6%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Time off road: 100% one day or less
MG has really upped the quality of its latest models and the service it provides to customers when things go wrong. The S5 electric family SUV, which replaces the MG ZS, is the best evidence of this. It’s the brand’s top-performing model in this survey, and the highest-scoring electric SUV.
Only 6% of the examples we were told about had any glitches, and the only area concerned was the EV battery. That might sound serious, because none of the affected vehicles could be driven, but all of the issues were resolved in a day or less. Not only was the service swift, but MG picked up the tab for all of the necessary repairs, dissipating any worries about surprise bills.
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Owner's comment: "My S5 feels like a solid, well-built car, and it’s reliable; it hasn’t had a single fault so far."
“MG has put a lot of effort into upgrading the interior of the S5, making it far classier than that of its predecessor, the ZS EV, and there are proper physical switches for the stereo and climate-control system, which feel tactile and make adjusting the temperature less distracting than using the touchscreen.” – Oliver Young, Senior reviewer
16. Lexus UX (2019-present)
Reliability rating 98.0%
Most common faults: 12-volt battery, 2% non-engine electrics, 2%, sat-nav/infotainment system 2%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Time off road: 67% more than a week, 33% one day to a week
The UX is available as the fully electric Lexus UX 300e and as a regular hybrid that doesn't need to be charged and can do short distances on electricity alone. Here we're focussing only on the hybrid, which has an exceptionally low fault rate of 5%. Although two-thirds of the cars that went wrong could still be driven, getting things put right was slow. Only a third of vehicles were repaired in less than seven days and the rest took more than a week to fix. It's good to know that Lexus covered the cost of all the necessary parts and labour, though.
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Owner's comment: "The build quality of my UX250 is fantastic, the dealer support is great and I love the fact that I can get warranty cover for up to 10 years."
“The UX's driving position is lower than in many family SUVs – including the Volvo XC40 – so visibility isn't the best. However, Premium trim and above come with rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.” – Lawrence Cheung, New cars editor
17. Alfa Romeo Giulia (2016-present)
Reliability rating 97.9%
Most common faults: 12-volt battery 2%, brakes 2%, interior trim 2%, non-engine electrics 2%
Average repair cost: 75% £0, 25% £51-£100
Time off road: 50% more than a week, 25% one day or less, 25% one day to a week
If you don't want to follow the herd and get a BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class, the Giulia is an attractive alternative that has strong performance and engaging handling. It doesn't come as a plug-in hybrid like its rivals, though, so there isn't a cheap option for company car drivers.
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It does have a strong reliability record, though, unlike other Alfa Romeo models. Only 8% of Giulias had any shortcomings, compared with 30% of Stelvio models and 47% of Tonale SUVs. Three-quarters of cars remained driveable, and half of them were fixed in less than a week. Although Alfa only covered the cost of 75% of repairs, the bills for the other issues totalled £100 or less. The main issues were with the 12-volt battery, brakes, electrics and interior trim.
Owner's comment: "It's my pride and joy - a beautiful looking car that is a delight to drive and reliable."
“Reliability isn’t usually a strong point for Alfa Romeo, but the Giulia bucks this trend, outranking the 3 Series and the C-Class in our latest reliability survey.” – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer
18. Skoda Scala (2019-present)
Reliability rating 97.7%
Most common faults: 12-volt battery 5%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
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Time off road: 50% one day or less, 50% one day to a week
Skoda's family hatchback may be overlooked to a certain extent in favour of more popular models such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf, but it’s a five-star model that’s roomy, comfy and cheap to buy and run. What’s more, it’s the most dependable family car you can buy.
Only 5% of Scala owners who responded to our survey said their cars had suffered a fault. Unlike its VW Group stablemates, the Scala hasn’t been blighted by electrical and software issues; the 12-volt battery was the only component to cause grief. Although it took up to a week to rectify half of the cars that went wrong, no owners were left with any unexpected bills, because Skoda paid for all fixes.
Owner's comment: "Apart from the cost of a yearly service, I’ve had five years of totally reliable motoring from my car for very little outlay."
“The Scala is often overlooked for more popular and better known models, such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf, but it's well worth a look because it's practical, well-equipped and very robust.” – Claire Evans, Consumer editor
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19. Suzuki Vitara (2015-present)
Reliability rating 97.6%
Most common faults: bodywork 7%, 12-volt battery 2%, non-engine electrics 2%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Time off road: 33% one day or less, 33% one day to a week, 33% more than a week
Although it couldn't quite match its Swift stablemate’s vice-free performance, the Vitara still put in a very impressive showing this year. With the larger S-Cross also scoring well (93.4%) in the same category, Suzuki is a consistently strong performer.
Issues affected only 12% of the Vitaras we were told about, with the bodywork being the main area of concern. A third of cars were put right in a day or less, while a further third took up to a week and the rest more than seven days. No bills were forthcoming, though, because Suzuki covered the cost of all remedial work.
Owner's comment: "My car has been faultlessly reliable, but it's great to have the peace of mind of the 10-year service-activated warranty."
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“They say you never forget your first, and like girlfriends, jobs and, erm, other experiences, I won’t soon forget my first company car, the Suzuki Vitara. Now it’s gone, I miss its practicality and long-distance comfort. ” – John Bradshaw, Senior photographer
20. Skoda Fabia (2022-present)
Reliability rating 97.5%
Most common faults: interior trim 8%, sat-nav/infotainment system 4%
Average repair cost: 100% £0
Time off road: 50% one day or less, 25% one day to a week, 25% more than a week
The Fabia is an excellent value small hatchback that's fitted with a range of efficient engines and adheres to Skoda's Simply Clever philosophy, which aims to provide clever features to solve simple problems, such as having an umbrella tucked away in the driver's door. Our pick is the 1.0 95 TSI engine with SE Edition trim, which helps to keep costs down.
Although 12% of the Fabias in our survey went wrong, all cars could still be driven, and the most common complaint was about minor interior trim flaws. No surprise, then, that half of the cars with faults were fixed in a day or less. Best of all Skoda paid for all remedial work.
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Owner's comment: "The reliability of my Fabia has been great in the nine years I have owned it."
“Skoda came 13th out of 30 manufacturers in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey. That’s a decent showing, and puts the Czech brand above Ford, Seat, Toyota and Volkswagen." – Darren Moss, Deputy editor
The 10 most unreliable cars
Here are the cars that have the highest percentage of owner-reported problems in our survey — and the ones which could be most deserving of breakdown cover.
1. Volkswagen Tiguan (2024-present)
Reliability rating 55.3%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 50%, sat-nav/infotainment system 30%, bodywork 20%, brakes 15%, 12-volt battery 10%, engine electrics 10%, gearbox 10%, interior trim 10%
Average repair cost: 90% fixed for free, 10% £1-£100
Time off road: 44% more than a week, 30% one day to a week
The Tiguan was the lowest-scoring model in last year’s survey, and things haven’t improved for Volkswagen’s conventionally powered family SUV. Not only is it the lowest ranked model in this class, but it also takes the wooden spoon as the poorest scorer overall.
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A staggering 75% of the cars we were told about had some kind of failure, half of which concerned non-engine electrics. Owners also cited the 12-volt battery, bodywork, brakes, engine electrics and infotainment as problematic. While 27% of issues were put right in a day or less, 44% took more than a week to resolve. Better news is that Volkswagen paid for 90% of repairs, and no owners paid more than £100 per fault.
Owner’s view: “My Tiguan has suffered a constant stream of issues, and some took far too long to get fixed.”
Volkswagen Tiguan review
2. Renault Arkana (2018-2025)
Reliability rating 58.5%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 24%, air-con 12%, engine 12%, electrics 12%, fuel system 12%, gearbox 12%, suspension 12%
Average repair cost: 96% fixed for free, 4% £301-£500
Time off road: 78% more than a week, 17% one day to a week
The Arkana is Renault’s rival to the Cupra Formentor and Volkswagen Taigo coupé SUVs. But it isn’t as good to drive as those rivals – nor is it as reliable.
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Electrical issues were the main headache of the 47% of owners whose Arkanas went wrong; non-engine electrical faults accounted for 24% of all problems, while a further 12% each related to the air-con and engine and its electrics.
Worryingly, 78% of cars that went wrong were out of action for more than a week. We were told that 96% of cars were fixed for free, but some owners faced bills ranging from £301 to £500.
3. Mercedes GLE (2019-present)
Reliability rating 63.7%
Most common faults: engine 13%, engine electrics 13%, interior trim 13%, non-engine electrics 13%, 12-volt battery 7%, bodywork 7%, brakes 7%, sat-nav/infotainment system 7%
Average repair cost: 71% fixed for free, 29% more than £1500
Time off road: 57% more than a week, 43% one day to a week
On paper, the GLE has stacks of appeal. It’s a roomy, practical and luxurious SUV with a premium badge, and most versions come with seven seats as standard. However, a third of GLE owners revealed that their cars had been bugged by a wide assortment of issues. The most common complaints were about the engine and its electrical systems, but there were also reports of gremlins with non-engine electrics and substandard interior trim.
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With some examples now outside their warranty period, only 71% of work was done for free; the other owners faced bills that topped £1500. On top of that, only 43% of faulty cars were fixed in less than a week.
4. Volkswagen ID 4 (2021-present)
Reliability rating 66.9%
Most common faults: electric motor 20%, non-engine electrics 14%, sat-nav / infotainment system 14%, 12-volt battery 9%, brakes 9%, suspension 9%, bodywork 6%, interior trim 6%, steering 6%
Average repair cost: 87% fixed for free, 11% £301-£500
Time off road: 66% more than a week, 18% one day or less
The ID 4 has been plagued by electrical gremlins that have often been slow and sometimes costly to rectify. Overall, 43% of the cars reported on had issues, and 28% of those were due to problems with non-motor electrical components and the infotainment system.
That’s bad enough, but in many cases things took a lot of time to put right, with two-thirds of the affected cars spending more than a week in dealership workshops. That’s a big contrast with the top-scoring electric family SUVs, such as the MG S5 and Renault Scenic, many of which were fixed in a day or less.
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5. Land Rover Discovery Sport (2014-present)
Reliability rating 68.2%
Most common faults: engine electrics 17%, non-engine electrics 14%, bosywork 10%, hybrid battery pack 7%, electric motor 7%, sat-nav/infotainment system 7%
Average repair cost: 74% fixed for free, 17% more than £1500
Time off road: 69% more than a week, 21% one day to a week
Some Land Rover models have really upped their game for reliability in the past year, but not the Discovery Sport. It was the second least dependable seven-seater in last year’s survey, and this year it struggled with a high fault rate and slow – and sometimes costly – repairs.
In total, 38% of the cars we heard about had issues, 69% of those affected being out of action for more than a week. Although 74% of faults were fixed for free, some owners had to pay more than £751, and 17% more than £1500. Engine and non-engine electrical issues were the main headaches.
Land Rover Discovery Sport review
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Land Rover Discovery Sport lease deals
6. Jaecoo 7 (2024-present)
Reliability rating 71.9%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 17%, bodywork 13%, engine electrics 13%, sat-nav/infotainment system 13%, electric motor 9%, air-con 4%, 12-volt battery 4%, battery pack 4%, gearbox 4%
Average repair cost: 75% fixed for free, 20% £51-£500, 5% £751-£1000
Time off road: 65% more than a week, 25% one day to a week
According to the owners who responded to our survey, the Jaecoo 7 has suffered from a range of faults, and in some instances they've been expensive and slow to put right.
Among the Jaecoo 7 owners who contacted us, 30% told us their cars had gone wrong, with nearly two-thirds of those issues taking more than a week to be rectified. It's also disappointing that the car maker didn't take care of all bills, as the model is so new that all the examples in our survey would still be covered by their new car warranty.
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Owner’s views: “The thing I like least about my car is its reliability - knowing whether or not faults have been resolved, and the uncertainty that everything will work when going to drive it."
7. BMW X3 petrol (2018-2024)
Reliability rating 73.5%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 27%, bodywork 8%, sat-nav/infotainment system 8%, suspension 8%, air-con 4%, engine 4%, exhaust system 4%, interior trim 4%
Average repair cost: 61% £0, 17% £201-£300, 11% more than £1500
Time off road: 50% more than a week, 33% one day or less
Petrol-engined X3s went wrong more than twice as often as their diesel-powered counterparts; 42% of petrol models had faults, compared with only 17% of diesels. On top of suffering from bodywork issues to a similar degree, petrol cars were blighted by additional headaches, a high proportion of which concerned non-engine electrical systems, including the infotainment system.
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Only 61% of the repairs were paid for by BMW, leaving more than one in 10 owners having to find more than £1500 to get their cars fixed. Whereas 60% of diesel X3 defects were put right in a day or less, 50% of petrol-engined cars were kept off the road for more than a week.
Owner’s view: “My car has suffered with lots of problems that have been expensive to repair.”
8. Volkswagen Tiguan petrol (2016-2024)
Reliability rating 74.4%
Most common faults: non-engine electrics 24%, 12-volt battery 13%, brakes 13%, bodywork 11%, engine 8%, engine electrics 8%, sat-nav/infotainment system 8%, gearbox 5%
Average repair cost: 86% fixed for free, 6% £751-£1500
Time off road: 38% more than a week, 35% one day to a week
The second-generation Tiguan is a roomy and practical family SUV. However, like its replacement, it is dogged by a high proportion of problems. Forty percent of the cars reported on suffered some sort of fault, and electrical issues blighted the model most, accounting for 24% of those issues.
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Repair work was slow in some instances, too; 38% of cars were in the workshop for more than a week. While Volkswagen looked after the bills for 86% of owners, 6% had to pay anywhere from £751 to £1500 for their cars to be fixed.
Owner’s view: “My Tiguan has been a nightmare for reliability, despite being less than 12 months old when we bought it from an official VW dealer.”
9. Nissan Qashqai petrol (2014-2021)
Reliability rating 74.9%
Most common faults: air-con 14%, engine 11%, bodywork 7%, brakes 7%, non-engine electrics 7%, 12-volt battery 4%, engine electrics 4%, sat-nav/infotainment system 4%, suspension 4%
Average repair cost: 41% fixed for free, 12% £1000-more than £1500
Time off road: 53% more than a week, 24% one day or less, 24% one day to a week
The previous generation Qashqai isn’t holding up as well as the latest version. Owners of the older version told us that 36% of their cars had gone wrong, compared with 25% of those with the newer model. Issues occurred across a range of areas from the engine to the infotainment, but 70% of the affected vehicles could still be driven.
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Although 24% of problems were resolved in a day or less, just over half of the examples with faults were out of action for more than a week. Getting things put right could be costly - more than one in 10 owners told us they’d paid at least £1000 to get their cars fixed.
Owner’s view: “Faults on my Qashqai have included a leaking windscreen when new, an engine oil leak, and a number of failed electrical sensors.”
Used Nissan Qashqai review
10. Range Rover Evoque (2019-present)
Reliability rating 76.4%
Most common faults: electric motor 14%, bodywork 8%, engine 6%, fuel system 6%, non-engine electrics 6%, hybrid battery pack 4%, engine electrics 4%, gearbox 4%, interior trim 4%, sat-nav/infotainment system 4%
Average repair cost: 81% fixed for free, 13% more than £1500
Time off road: 85% more than a week, 15% one day to a week
Some Land Rover models are living up to the brand’s rugged image, but not the Evoque. According to the owners who responded to our survey, 39% of their cars had some sort of failing. Problems with the electric motor/generator in mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid models
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accounted for 13% of those faults. Issues were also reported with the engine, fuel system and non-engine electrics.
None of the problems we were told about were resolved in a day or less. In fact, 85% of them took more than a week to sort out. While Land Rover shelled out for 81% of repair bills, that left some owners having to find more than £1500 to get things put right.
Owner’s view: “The mild hybrid system is weak and unreliable. In three years’ of ownership, it has functioned less than half the time.”
Range Rover Evoque lease deals
How the research was carried out
The What Car? Reliability Survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, 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.
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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.
The minimum sample size at brand level is 70 responses, and at model level it is 15. While models with fewer than 15 responses are not reported on, all the responses are used to create the brand rating.
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 23% in 2026.
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However, the percentage of cars being fixed for free by manufacturers has fallen significantly - it was 95% last year and only 81% this time round.
The cost of fixing the most expensive faults has risen, too. Three percent of repair bills totalled more than £1500 this year - that's more than double the 1.4% that cost this amount last year.
What are the most reliable cars and brands?
After seven years of being a bridesmaid, Suzuki has returned to the top of our league table. Its rating signifies that almost all of the cars its owners told us about have an exemplary reliability record. The best of them was the previous-generation Swift, one of only two models to gain a perfect score this year, while the Vitara wasn’t far behind.
Honda and Mini, in second and third places respectively, are both previous winners and still look like extremely strong choices for anyone who is after a car that won’t let them down. Four Honda models scored 95% or more: the current Civic, HR-V, Jazz and ZR-V. The current Mini Countryman was the second model to achieve a 100% rating, and the 2014-2024 Mini hatchback was just behind it (99.4%).
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Normally dependable Lexus and Toyota are out of the top 10 this year, because many of their models have suffered battery problems. BMW has sunk down, too, due to a combination of slow repairs, lots of electrical issues and some costly bills.
The brand that has improved the most is MG, which has implemented big changes to improve wait times and the cost of repairs for its customers.
There are a couple of VW Group brands near the bottom of the chart, dragged down mainly by electrical issues that have been slow and sometimes costly to sort out. Volkswagen’s score was dented by ongoing issues with the Tiguan, the lowest-scoring model in the survey, while Audi was hit by the performances of the current A3 and previous-generation Q5.
That leaves Land Rover as the least reliable brand in this year’s survey. Although the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover scored well, this was offset by very poor performances by the Discovery Sport and Evoque. We’d advise you to choose carefully if you want a dependable Land Rover.
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Are petrol, diesel, electric or hybrid cars most reliable?
Despite the growing popularity of electric vehicles, it’s a petrol model you should go for if you want a car that’s least likely to develop a fault and leave you stranded at the roadside.
Our data shows that only 20% of petrol models were afflicted by faults. In contrast, 32% of diesel models let their owners down, making them the least dependable fuel type. Electric models weren’t far ahead of diesels for the frequency of faults, because 27% went wrong, while hybrids looked more promising with a 23% fault rate.
Petrol cars were also the least likely to spend a long time off the road; 34% of those that went wrong were fixed in a day or less and 39% took more than a week to rectify.
Diesel models spent only a little longer in the workshop on average – 40% were out of action for more than seven days – but they were the least likely to be fixed for free. Car makers took care of bills for 74% of diesel car owners, compared with 88% for electric cars. However, the latter took the longest to fix on average, with 47% of those that went wrong out of action for more than a week.
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How MG fixed its reliability woes
MG is the most-improved brand in this year’s survey, jumping from last place in 2025 to ninth overall. The improvement is the result of a number of significant changes in the way it supplies parts, fixes cars and looks after customers.
A key part of the improvement has been the investment in a huge new parts warehouse and distribution centre in partnership with XPO Logistics. This was opened in November 2025, and it provides overnight delivery to dealerships for 96% of necessary parts, with arrival before 8am.
The Northamptonshire site holds more than 10,000 different components and operates from 6am to 10pm, delivering 2500 parts every day. It takes in eight container loads of parts each day from China; these are quality checked and stacked in specific locations on the shelves via a computer-controlled system.
Meanwhile, MG has worked on improving the way faults are fixed by adopting a ‘triage’ system in technical support. First and second-tier technicians work on troublesome cars for the first three weeks, but after that a specialist ‘flying doctor’, who is the most highly trained engineer, will literally be flown in to help.
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Training has been expanded across all areas of the company, with more than 2000 members of staff completing courses at MG’s UK training centre last year. There’s more monitoring and mystery shopping of dealerships than before, so that any that aren’t up to scratch can be helped to improve. A Technician of the Year award has also been introduced, alongside a £3 million scheme that rewards employees for excellent behaviour.
Finally, to ensure customers aren’t inconvenienced if their cars go wrong, the car maker has invested in a fleet of courtesy cars, so owners can have a like-for-like vehicle until their own is back on the road without having to rely on the dealer to supply this.
To read the reliability data for other car classes follow these links:
Most reliable car brands (2025)
Most reliable small cars (2025)
Most reliable family 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 (2025)
Most reliable seven-seaters (2025)
Most reliable electric cars (2025)
Most reliable electric SUVs (2025)
Most reliable sports cars (2025)
Most reliable diesel cars (2025)
Most reliable petrol cars (2025)
Most reliable hybrid cars (2025)
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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.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
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