UK’s most and least reliable used cars revealed by What Car?

3:56 pm, May 16, 2019

THE Toyota Yaris is the country’s most reliable second-hand car purchase, according to the results of a new survey.

More than 18,000 drivers with vehicles aged between four to 10 years old took part in research organised by leading consumer champion and new car buying platform, What Car?

They rated how reliable their cars had been over the previous year, mentioned the type of problems they had encountered as well as whether they were fixed under warranty.

Japanese manufacturers dominate the top 10 table for most reliable vehicles, occupying seven out of the 10 positions. The Toyota Yaris enjoyed a 99.1 per cent reliability rating. Only nine per cent of Yaris owners reported a fault with their vehicle to What Car?, with small electrical niggles most common. The Lexus CT and Audi Q3 came second and third.

At the other end of the reliability spectrum, the previous-generation BMW 1 Series was voted as the least reliable motor in the UK, with a score of 40.1 per cent. Nearly two-thirds of 1 Series owners said their vehicle had suffered a fault, with battery and engine problems most common – and repairs costing up to £1,500.

Across all vehicles, nearly a third of owners told What Car? their car had suffered a fault, with suspension issues most common. However, 22 per cent of owners said the manufacturer picked up the repair bill under warranty.

Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: ‘Reliability is often at the forefront of any vehicle purchase. With nearly eight million used vehicles sold last year, there is huge scope for things to go wrong. By shining a light on the reliability of various makes and models, we hope to help buyers make the right decision when choosing their next used purchase.’