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Most reliable used cars 2024: the best secondhand choices
Reliability is one of the most important factors to consider when buying a used car, especially if it's more than five years old. Here, we name the models that are least likely to go wrong
George Hill
Updated: 24 December 2024
The last thing you want after buying a used car is to be left on the side of the road waiting for a recovery truck. It's one of those scenarios that can make a purchase turn sour – and that's before you factor in repair costs and repair times.
To help minimise any of those problems, we've gathered a list of the most reliable used cars that are more than five years old, with data sourced from our latest What Car? Reliability Survey. This survey has a massive field of responses, with 29,967 motorists telling us about their cars, including whether they have – or haven't – encountered any faults.
Specifically, the most reliable used cars in this story were built between 1998 and 2018. For used cars built after these dates, we have an alternative story for the most reliable new cars.
If any of the cars listed below do tempt you, you can read our full used car reviews or see our latest used car deals to find out more.
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Used Audi A3 Saloon 2013-2020
Strengths
- Powerful and efficient engines
- Excellent blend of comfort and agility
- Classy interior
Weaknesses
- Rear-seat space limited
- Boot not huge
- Firm low-speed ride on some models
Reliability rating 100%
The Audi A3 Saloon is a compact executive car that feels very solid, thanks to its smart, high-quality interior and tidy driving dynamics. However, it also has a good reliability record to back up that sense of solidity, with owners of both petrol and diesel examples reporting no issues with their cars in our latest survey.
If you're after a petrol car, we reckon the 148bhp 1.5-litre engine is the best option. Or, if you want a torquey diesel, the 148bhp 2.0-litre engine is good too.
We found: 2017 Audi A3 Saloon 1.5 TFSI S line, 49,000 miles, £12,790
Read our full used Audi A3 Saloon review
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Used Kia Sportage 2016-2022
Strengths
- Spacious and practical interior ideal for families
- Good value for money as a used buy
- Petrol-engined Sportages have a good reliability record
Weaknesses
- Diesel-engined cars have a poor reliability record
- Handling is not particularly engaging or fun
- Ride can be badly unsettled by larger wheel options
Reliability rating 100%
Diesel might not be as fashionable as it once was, but if you want a reliable used family SUV, the previous-generation Kia Sportage diesel is the most reliable option out there. Like the Audi A3 Saloon, not a single owner reported an issue in our latest reliability survey, but that's only for cars registered between 2016 and 2018. Later cars, from 2019 to 2021, are much less reliable, and finished near the bottom of our survey.
Along with this, it should be very cheap to run – officially, the 114bhp 1.7-litre engine can average 61.4mpg under the old NEDC test cycle.
We found: 2017 Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi 2, 46,990 miles, £10,500
Read our full used Kia Sportage review
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Used Lexus NX 2014-2021
Strengths
- Fantastic reliability
- Long warranty
- Quiet and smooth if driven gently
Weaknesses
- Expensive to buy and run
- Uninspiring to drive
- Fiddly infotainment
Reliability rating 99.6%
There's no escaping the fact that Lexus has an excellent reputation for reliability, and that's no exception with the previous-generation NX. It's been the highest-rated family SUV for reliability in our survey for two years running now, with just 2% of owners reporting minor glitches with their cars in 2023, and no owners recording any faults in 2024.
It's not all good news though, because the NX isn't as efficient as its hybrid engine suggests, plus the ride can be a bit fidgety around town.
We found: 2016 Lexus NX 2.5 300h Luxury 4WD, 43,444 miles, £16,000
Read our full used Lexus NX review
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Used Mercedes SL 2012-2020
Strengths
- Superb refinement - roof up or down
- Impressive interior quality
- Great seats
Weaknesses
- Outperformed by rivals
- Gearbox can be found wanting
Reliability rating 99.1%
For the fraction of the price of the new Mercedes SL, you can have a previous generation example that offers superb refinement, a high-quality interior and surprisingly agile handling. There are plenty of impressive engines on offer too, ranging from a 302bhp V6 to a stonking 621bhp V12.
However, we think the entry-level V6 petrols, badged SL350 or SL400, are the best options for keeping fuel bills down. No matter which version you choose though, it should be reliable.
We found: 2016 Mercedes SL400 AMG Line, 39,000 miles, £29,980
Read our full used Mercedes SL review
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Used Lexus CT 2011-2021
Strengths
- Well equipped
- Good fuel economy in town
- Top-notch reliability
Weaknesses
- Poor ride
- Very noisy
- Dull to drive
Reliability rating 98.9%
Hybrid power is popular at the moment, which could be enough to steer you towards a used car like the Lexus CT. It combines fuel-sipping hybrid technology with stellar reliability, as well as a solid interior with some pleasant materials. That said, it doesn't feel as plush inside as an Audi A3 from the same era, nor is it as good to drive as that car.
The engine is quite noisy when it kicks in, plus the ride is choppy at low and high speeds, particularly with larger alloy wheels fitted.
We found: 2012 Lexus CT 1.8 200h SE-L, 36,000 miles, £8499
Read our full used Lexus CT review
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Used Lexus RX 2009-2016
Strengths
- Class-leading reliability
- Refinement
- Comfortable seats
Weaknesses
- Not as economical as you’d expect
- Ride a bit jiggly
- Not great to drive
Reliability rating 98.6%
You might not be too surprised to see another Lexus on this list, but the third-generation RX is a very reliable SUV. It's powered by a sturdy 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine and an electric motor that combine to produce 295bhp, while the latter helps to minimise fuel bills by running on electric power at speeds of up to 30mph.
Unfortunately, it's not the most comfortable luxury SUV, particularly around town where the ride can be unsettled by ridges and potholes.
We found: 2014 Lexus RX 3.5 450h Luxury, 49,000 miles, £14,989
Read our full used Lexus RX 2009-2016 review
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Used Honda Civic Hatchback 2012-2017
Strengths
- Very reliable
- 1.6 diesel is free to tax
- Big boot
Weaknesses
- Limited rear headroom
- Fussy dashboard
- Expensive to buy
Reliability rating 98.4%
The British-built ninth-generation Honda Civic is a very reliable family car. That's helped by the fact all the engines use timing chains, plus the 1.6-litre diesel’s particulate filter being located close to the engine, which allows it to warm up quickly and thus work more efficiently.
Elsewhere, the Civic is very practical, with a big boot and Honda's clever 'Magic Seats', which can fold completely flat or flip up at the base to create space for tall items.
We found: 2015 Honda Civic 1.4 i-VTEC S, 51,006 miles, £6990
Read our full used Honda Civic review
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Used Lexus RX 2016-2022
Strengths
- Comfortable ride
- Very reliable
- Hybrid frugal around town
Weaknesses
- Seven-seat option only on RX L
- Poor boot space
- Fiddly infotainment
Reliability rating 98.1%
The fourth-generation Lexus RX fixed some of the ailments of the third-generation, most notable of which was the ride, which is more comfortable and smooth. The interior is also very pleasant, with a dashboard that's solid and smart, with sweeping lines and some neat styling touches.
In terms of engines, most of the 2016-2022 RXs are hybrids, combining a 3.5-litre V6 with two electric motors to produce 308bhp. It's a tried and tested set-up that contributes toward's the car's strong record for reliability.
We found: 2017 Lexus RX 3.5 450h Luxury, 36,500 miles, £21,995
Read our full used Lexus RX 2016-2022 review
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Used Mazda CX-5 2017-present
Strengths
- Premium inside
- Good handling
- Well equipped
Weaknesses
- Firm ride
- Steering could be better
- Lacklustre engines
Reliability rating 98.1%
The Mazda CX-5 is a great used buy, offering a smart interior, a good infotainment system and tidy handling. For the best reliability, steer towards the petrol models rather than the diesels, because these are notably more sturdy.
As such, we recommend going for the 2.0-litre petrol model, which provides the best balance of performance and running costs. The more powerful 2.5-litre petrol is too thirsty to recommend.
We found: 2018 Mazda CX-5 2.0 Skyactiv-G SE-L Nav+, 52,344 miles, £12,441
Read our full used Mazda CX-5 review
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Used Toyota Auris Hatchback 2013-2019
Strengths
- Good reliability record
- Uninspiring to drive
- Punchy and smooth 1.2 turbo engine
Weaknesses
- Uninspiring to drive
- Not that spacious
- Hybrid isn't cheap
Reliability rating 97%
The Toyota Auris is a car that won't stir the soul or tingle the spine, but it will provide unobtrusive and reliable family transport. All engines have a good reputation for reliability, but we'd recommend going for either the 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol, which provides gutsy and smooth performance, or the fuel-sipping hybrid.
These engines also get more sophisticated suspension than the earlier 1.3-litre petrol and 1.4-litre diesel models, which makes them more comfortable to drive.
We found: 2016 Toyota Auris 1.2 VVT-i Business Edition, 54,700 miles, £6990
Read our full used Toyota Auris review
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