7:40 am, December 23, 2025
Lexus has been revealed as the UK’s most reliable car manufacturer for 2025, while the Toyota Yaris has been named the most reliable used car.
In data pulled together exclusively for Car Dealer, Warranty Solutions Group (WSG) analysed the claims it paid against car warranties registered between January and December 2025. Carmakers with less than 100 warranties issued were excluded.
It found Lexus had the lowest claim rate at just 5.79%, with an average repair cost of £639.23.
Toyota (8.78%) and Suzuki (10.80%) followed, while Honda, Dacia and Mazda also posted sub-17% claim rates.
The average claim rate across manufacturers stood at 28.3%, with the average repair bill reaching £621.49.
WSG said the analysis highlight a ‘clear split’ in the market, with brands known for mechanical simplicity and ‘proven platforms’ continuing to perform well, while premium, tech-laden brands are stinging customers.
Bentley topped the chart for claim severity with the average repair costing £1,749 per incident, while Porsche owners faced average bills of £1,169. Meanwhile, Land Rover, DS and Bentley recorded higher-than-average claim rates, said the firm.
Common repairs sting owners
Burying down into the data, WSG found the most common single-fault failures in 2025 were battery issues (2.47% of claims), ABS wheel speed sensors (2.43%), and water pumps (2.36%).
But the costliest common repairs were diesel particulate filters (£1,393 per claim), steering rack and pinion faults (£1,296 per claim), and turbo failures (1,157 per claim).
In naming the most reliable used cars, WSG analysed the claims it paid by model for the same period, excluding any carmakers where less than 100 warranties had been issued. It then narrowed the data down to the models where 500 or more sales had taken place.
Toyota Yaris on top
The Toyota Yaris came out on top with a claim rate of just 6.17% and an average repair cost of £375, followed by the Renault Captur (15.52%), Ford Fiesta (18.16%), BMW 4 Series (18.79%) and Renault Clio (19.78%).
The full top-20 list is below.
The Mini Countryman recorded the highest claim rate among the top 20 most reliable models at 29.52%, alongside an average repair bill of £732.46. The Hyundai Tucson (28.13%) and Vauxhall Corsa (27.92%) rounded out the bottom three.
Commenting on the data, Martin Binnee, operations director at Warranty Solutions Group, said: ‘These figures don’t point to poor quality, but to the growing cost reality of maintaining high-spec vehicles in an era of advanced electronics and integrated systems.
‘The fastest-rising repair bills are no longer coming from catastrophic failures, but from ordinary system faults that now routinely generate invoices of £500 to £1,000.
‘What shocks owners most is that the biggest financial pain often comes from items such as sensors, electronics, ADAS calibrations and other everyday components that feel trivial until the bill arrives.
‘This is a completely different cost reality from the one many drivers still have in their heads, especially if they owned cars five or ten years ago. Reliability and protection against unexpected repair bills have never mattered more.’
UK’s top 20 most reliable used cars (minimum 500 sales)
1. Toyota Yaris – Claim rate: 6.17% | Average claim: £375.56
2. Renault Captur – 15.52% | £539.80
3. Ford Fiesta – 18.16% | £443.33
4. BMW 4 Series – 18.79% | £694.55
5. Renault Clio – 19.78% | £394.32
6. Mini Hatch – 20.09% | £566.95
7. Volkswagen Polo – 20.53% | £431.27
8. BMW 3 Series – 21.91% | £712.58
9. Audi A1 – 22.74% | £438.05
10. Kia Sportage – 22.80% | £574.17
11. Nissan Juke – 23.05% | £580.33
12. BMW 1 Series – 23.85% | £569.44
13. Volkswagen Golf – 24.97% | £577.60
14. Fiat 500 – 25.06% | £412.54
15. Seat Leon – 25.94% | £563.97
16. Mercedes-Benz A-Class – 26.05% | £578.60
17. BMW 2 Series – 26.54% | £598.85
18. Vauxhall Corsa – 27.92% | £383.85
19. Hyundai Tucson – 28.13% | £635.62
20. Mini Countryman – 29.52% | £732.46
